VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley
Diversity Scholarship Admissions
500, in collaboration with the Stanford Center for Professional Development, we are excited to announce we have selected four full scholarship winnters for underrepresented early-stage investors, especially women and/or people of color. We are thrilled to announce our VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley 2023 Diversity Scholarship winners.
Scholarship Admissions Process
Are you committed to supporting diverse founders? Have you organized meetups for the startup community in different ecosystems? Started a VC newsletter or podcast that promotes diversity & inclusion?
- Identify as female or POC
- Have a proven track record of supporting underrepresented founders
- Have, or be developing, a purpose driven fund thesis
This year, we had a pool of talented and inspiring candidates. It was an honor for our admissions team to learn about the impact being made by people who are adding incredible value to VC ecosystems around the globe. Congratulations to our 4 scholarship winners!
Scholarship Application Deadline: March 31, 2023
Diversity Scholarship Guidelines
The scholarship application deadline was March 31, 2023. Qualified applicants have been invited for an interview and scholarship winners have been selected.
Scholarship winners were chosen by our Scholarship Committee comprised of VC Unlocked Alumni, 500 Global, and SCPD members from diverse backgrounds. This committee was responsible for selecting the VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley scholarship finalists for our 2023 program.
If you are interested in applying for next year’s Diversity Scholarship, here are a few tips to keep in mind for your application.
Be Specific.
Does your application accurately reflect the impact you’ve made in your community? If you have the data to paint a clear picture of your impact and reach, this is your time to shine! (Ex: “Through my work as the host of the XYZ podcast, I’ve interviewed 200+ diverse founders, etc.”)
Share your story.
Every application is thoroughly read so don’t be shy about sharing what makes you a unique candidate. We know there are many paths to VC and we’re excited to learn about you.
Video:
Keep it concise and make sure the image/audio quality is clear.
Final scholarship checklist:
- Do you identify as a woman and/or person of color?
- Do you support underestimated founders through your work?
- Have you been involved in VC for at least one year and/or have a background as an operator with at least 5 years of experience?
- Do your future plans continue to focus on working with underestimated founders?