I’m Shayan Roy Chowdhury, interim managing director of the Newton Venture Program. We provide foundational and fellowship courses specifically designed to help professionals enter into or advance careers in the VC space, and are backed by London Business School, Phoenix Court (LocalGlobe), and HSBC Innovation Banking.
Thanks Shayan, for sharing your background
It’s nice to meet you, Shayan. I am from tech with no finance background. What would it take for you to take my application seriously e.g. what transferable skills would be valued the most?
What’s the difference between VC and PE from a careers perspective? Obviously a lot of similarities between them, but VC presents itself as having a very different vibe from my view.
It seems to me like VC jobs are more fun, while PE jobs are more prestigious and high paying.
Hi Shayan,
Thanks for doing the AMA. I just anted to ask how you “discovered” education as an industry - and what made you go into it? I looked at it seems you have a consulting background.
Best,
I’m Godfred Acquah from Ghana, I hold both bachelor degree and diploma in Commerce from university of Cape coast Ghana.
Currently unemployed how will you get me job?
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Hi Shayan - just wanted to ask you what you think of AI’s impact on the education space and whether adult education is a sitting duck for being replaced by LLMs completely.
(No offence!)
Morning,
Thank you for your proposal. Is possible to send you my CV?
I remain at your disposal.
Best regards,
Giovanni D’Avanzo
How difficult is the transition from higher education endowment accounting and operations to working for an investment firm?
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Hi, @Shayanrc. Thanks for joining and spreading awareness about the Newton Venture Program. Are you interested in sponsoring or acquiring a think tank brand operating on LinkedIn and X with an international audience? and would such acquisition/sponsorship or other acquisition/sponsorship provide great experience to enter venture capital with, or be one way to enter venture capital?
Hello @Curt. This isn’t something we’re specifically interested in at the moment, however on the second part of your question - there are so many different routes into VC! What really matters is how you can translate the skills/knowledge you’ve gained in your career so far into a role that’s best suited for you. I’ve written about some of the different routes you can take here: https://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/news/get-a-job-in-venture-capital
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Hi @Dan_Cook, if I take the specific industry (higher education) out of the equation, it seems like your main functional skill set is accounting and ops. Both skills are needed in an investment firm, as long as you can find a way to translate it in the venture context. Venture firms, like all organisations, need operational support. These firms also tend to need accounting support which sometimes they have members in-house for and sometimes they outsource to accounting firms. Short answer, the transition is definitely possible, and perhaps easier to move to an accounting or operational role in the venture firm context rather than an investing role (which is a different skill set and definitely possible to build, but does not necessarily translate directly from your previous experience and will need additional effort).
Hi @giovanni.davanzo, I am not able to review your CV directly, however this is a piece written by one of our previous team members which might help - https://www.eu-startups.com/2023/05/whats-the-perfect-cv-for-a-career-in-vc-three-things-you-should-highlight/
Additionally, if you’d like to apply to one of our programs, please check them out via the link here: https://newtonprogram.vc/#newton-programs. We use a blind hiring process to review all applications.
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In my view, education is partly about the transfer/acquisition of knowledge, however there’s a lot more to it. It’s about being in a shared space with others who are also keen to learn, and a teacher/educator who is actively engaging with the learners. For all of our cohort-based offerings, we make sure this is the case as it makes for a richer, more visceral learning experience. That is not to say that you can’t learn from AI/LLMs. However, from our perspective, it’s about the quality of learning, the joy of learning, the relationships you build while learning etc. (as VC is a relationships-driven industry).
Personally, I think both AI-led learning and educator-led learning have their places in the sun - but I don’t think one replaces the other.
Also, at Newton, we place a huge emphasis on helping learners develop the “human” skills that are harder for AI to “teach”. Learning how to build networks, negotiate effectively, build trust with key stakeholders etc.
Hi Godfred! I can’t promise you a job, but if you’re interested in learning more about the world of VC and building connections across the ecosystem, I’d recommend checking out our Newton Fundamentals course. The majority of the course can be completed remotely, and it’s a great way to gain a real taste of what it takes to work in the space! Newton Fundamentals Program: Learn the fundamentals of venture capital
We also have a free Newton Foundations course (open to anyone in the world), which is a short, online learning experience to help those new or curious to VC get to grips with the industry. Newton Foundations: Discover the world of venture capital
It was actually a weekend consulting project where I was working with an education non-profit (as part of our pro bono consulting hours at Bain) - with an open mind, there are always unexpected discoveries on the horizon, in my experience.
Thank you.
I’m well aware that I’m no investment allocator, so as you said I’m looking more on the “operations” and accounting/performance reporting side. I am finding that most firms are looking for … not me. They want Big 4 CPA experience, at least the firms I’ve applied to. I do think that I have at least as much knowledge, skill, and depth of understanding in the field than a 30 year old CPA, as I’ve actually done this work for years.
I’ll keep looking, though, and I appreciate your feedback.
Best,
Dan
@Unfathomed, my short take -
VC - more people-focused, more risk-taking as you’re betting on untested or partly-tested ideas, more relationship-based.
PE - more numbers-focused (financial models etc.), you’re betting on more mature businesses where you can see a clearer trajectory of growth and progress, relationships are important, but the numbers need to make sense first.
@labrador my most valued skills would be critical thinking, ability to think big, relationship building, time management, and clarity of communication.
HI Shayan,
Thank you for providing this opportunity to ask questions. I am A recent Economics Grad and I am keen on working in the VC space/ innovation ecosystem. I have been applying to visiting analyst and adjacent roles when they pop up, but I was wondering if you have any suggestions of other routes in? Best, Amelia
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