At the university level, excellent progress has been made in identifying promising technologies and training teams of entrepreneurial thinkers and doers who understand the important role of for-profit, sustainable social enterprises. However, there has been far less progress, in identifying and training the next generation of capital allocators capable of understanding and investing effectively in the early-stage innovations that can transform the way we feed the planet. The Kirchner Fellowship is designed specifically to change that while providing access to capital for ecosystems in areas traditionally underserved.
The mission of the Kirchner Fellowship is to strengthen impact investing ecosystems in areas underserved by capital markets through training and empowering a diverse next generation of investors to allocate equity investments into early-stage companies. Through the use of a “real world, real time, real money” model, the Program has proven that it is possible for newly-formed investment teams to become effective capital allocators in a matter of months.
Kirchner Fellows receive high-level mentoring from networks of investors from across North America. Working directly with the Kirchner Impact Foundation leadership team and networks of thought leaders at leading firms, the Kirchner Fellows will engage in a series of face-to-face and on-line educational experiences using learning paradigms that expose them to practical, real-world issues of seed-stage and early-stage investment.
Key Details:
- Fellows continue their current studies while participating in year-long program
- Problem-based learning and solutions approach
- Virtual program with a series of face-to-face meetings for more intensive sessions
- Full discretion over real investment decision
- Direct and guided experiences allow Fellows to develop the skills and attributes required for effective capital allocation and post-investment value add
- Network of past fellows and directors for professional development
- Open to graduate and undergraduate students
- Scholarship provided to fellows
Issue Partners
Founding Partners
Visit the Kirchner Fellowship website for more information.