High School
Business, accounting, economics, and mathematics classes will provide you with good preparation for the financial aspects of a career as a venture capital principal. Speech and English classes will allow you to become a top-notch communicator as you source deals, debate strategy with your colleagues, and prepare oral and written reports. Other important courses include foreign language, social studies, psychology, and computer science.
Postsecondary Education
An MBA is usually a prerequisite for this career, and a science/engineering undergraduate or graduate degree is even more valuable among many firms. Some partners have law or medical degrees. Most VC professionals on the partner track have degrees from Ivy League schools or other prestigious colleges.
Other Education or Training
The artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci once said that “learning never exhausts the mind,” and aspiring or current VC principals would be wise to heed this observation. The world of venture capital is constantly changing and those who stay up to date will prosper. Those interested in expanding their knowledge can view webinars (such as VC Firms in Transition Debt and Non-Dilutive Capital Raising Solutions) from the National Venture Capital Association or enroll in short-term training programs offered by colleges, universities, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Here are two popular programs:
- Venture Capital Institute: https://www.vcinstitute.org
- University of Michigan Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance: http://zli.umich.edu/about-zell-lurie/center-vcpe
Certification
Many colleges and universities offer short-term certificates in business, finance, and economics.