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I came across an October 2008 Nature article by Jason Brown on the venture industry titled “So you want to be a venture capitalist?” It is well worth a read for any of you aspiring to have a career in venture capitalism. A couple of takeaways from the article:
– Venture capitalists provide both financing and guidance to companies that have technologies that have great potential. It is important to realize that a large part of being a good venture investor is not just providing the upfront money, but also providing your expertise to aid in the companies success.
– Responsibilities as a venture capitalist include performing due diligence to thoroughly evaluate investment opportunities, negotiating investing terms, and providing ongoing support to the management team.
– There are many different pathways to become a venture capitalist, but there are a limited number of entry-level positions, making it challenging to get into right out of school. Getting biotech or pharmaceutical industry experience first can open the door to landing a position.
The article goes into more detail about what venture capitalists do, their main responsibilities, and transitioning out of the laboratory. To read the entire article, click here. You do need a subscription to access the full text article, but most of you as graduate students and post-docs should have institutional access.
Tags: alternative science career, career opportunity, venture capitalist
