Got the internship offer! Now.. what to learn?

I recently secured a VC summer internship. I've read through the Vault Guide, is there any another major resource I could use to learn what I need to know prior to starting as an intern?

I've heard the primary responsibilities would be conducting due diligence, reviewing investment opportunities, and helping out portfolio companies with various things. I'm sure you all on the VC board would have some idea of what knowledge is needed to perform some of these activities, and I'd like to know what resources you know to learn these. I have have little to no idea how to do any of the above things, but I really want to kick ass at this internship.

 
Best Response

Congrats! I'd say that the most important thing to focus on is learning the hot areas/companies/trends in tech. Read up on all the VC/tech blogs. Focus on the areas that are most relevant to your future employer.

When I worked in tech banking (hence my handle), the biggest gap for new analysts was the lack of industry knowledge. I'm sure the same thing applies to VC. Liking gadgets/gaming/whatever isn't enough...you need to immerse yourself in the industry, unlike almost any other specialization of finance. Tech is always changing and new names pop up all the time (not the case in most other industries). To be successful you have to be passionate about staying on top of each and every new development.

Start with AllThingsD (my personal favorite), TechCrunch, GigaOM and start reading each and every article (assuming you are in tech and not biotech/devices). I'd also check out the last few Mary Meeker presentations as they do a great job of highlighting the major trends. My favorite VC bloggers are Fred Wilson and Brad Feld so look them up.

Your fund will teach you the basic technical skills needed, but the sector knowledge is on you. Best of luck!

 

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