RDV Fellowship Applications are Open!

Rough Draft Ventures is a student-run venture firm, powered and backed by General Catalyst. We get behind student entrepreneurs and support them as they learn, grow, and build enduring companies. Join the team — apps are open now!

What is RDV?

Rough Draft Ventures (RDV) is a student-run venture firm, powered and backed by General Catalyst. Over the past decade, RDV has invested in 200+ student-led startups that have since gone on to raise over $2B+ in funding from leading investors and partners, including General Catalyst, Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, NEA, Sequoia, Accel, and others.

We don’t just deploy capital, though. We support our companies across all their business functions, from hiring to marketing to banking and more. We bring our founders together to learn from each other and co-create. Most importantly, we strive to help our student founders tap into the General Catalyst network.

Who are the RDV fellows?

None of this work would be possible without the incredible RDV fellows that we recruit each year. The RDV fellows are the core of everything that we do.

Our Venture Fellows constantly meet new student founders, source all RDV deals, conduct due diligence and research, and ultimately decide whether or not the firm invests. They train to become top-notch investors and learn the ins and outs of VC by practice. They receive hands-on training from General Catalyst mentors and lead community-building initiatives on their campuses.

Our alums have gone on to found their own successful startups, launch venture funds and accelerators, and start their own careers at venture firms like General Catalyst, Bessemer, BoxGroup, Founders Fund, Primary Venture Partners, and more.

Our Platform Fellows help drive the RDV platform forward, whether it’s through content initiatives like RDV University or through engineering internal products for our portfolio companies. Platform Fellows will meet regularly with the RDV lead and GC investor, Jeremy, to plan initiatives, engage the community, and drive the strategic direction of the firm. This year, we’re looking for fellows in Growth, Content, and Engineering.

Most importantly, both our Venture Fellows and our Platform Fellows drive RDV’s mission to be the best and earliest partner for all student founders! This year, we’re recruiting for the following roles at RDV:

How do I apply?

We’re excited to officially open this year’s applications for the RDV fellowship. Apply now!

This past year, our fellows hosted countless events, ran pitch competitions, built the first-ever RDV incubator, organized an in-person summit with speakers from Chief and Instabase, and more… all on top of finding and investing in amazing student founders.

Do you want to join this mission to help identify, fund, and support the next generation of student founders? Apply to join the RDV fellowship now. We can’t wait to meet you!

How can I learn more?

If you’re interested in learning more, we’ll be hosting a virtual info session at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET on September 14th. This is a great opportunity to plug in if you want to learn more about RDV before applying, and maybe even hear from some of our fellows.

RSVP here.

In the meantime, also check out last year’s application announcement or book a time with someone on the team to learn more.

Am I eligible to apply?

The RDV team is comprised of a diverse group of founders, operators, builders, engineers, scientists, writers, researchers, and more. No matter where you study, what you study, how old you are, or how you identify, we want to hear from you and encourage you to apply to the RDV fellowship.*

We’re not looking for any one type of fellow, but we do index highly on hustlers and builders who are full of curiosity, humility, and entrepreneurial grit. We only ask that you love tech and entrepreneurship, and are excited for opportunities to learn and be around the next generation of founders and technologists.

*For full eligibility and other questions, please see below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the program?

The program runs from mid-October 2022 through May 2023.

When is the application deadline?

Friday, September 23, 2022 at 11:59 PM PT. Apps reviewed on a rolling basis so apply early!

Who should apply?

We welcome students of all backgrounds to apply. We are looking for independent thinkers who lead with selflessness, curiosity, humility, and genuine passion for entrepreneurship. As long as you’re a full-time student graduating in 2023 or later and based in the US, you’re invited to apply to join the Rough Draft Ventures team.

What will the application process look like?

We will review applications on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as you feel ready. You will receive an update on your application within 1-2 weeks of submission. Our interview process involves 3 steps: a meeting with a current RDV venture fellow, a meeting with an investor at General Catalyst, and a final superday with several other RDV candidates.

Final round superdays will be conducted the first week of October.

How many fellows will there be?

There will be ~25 venture fellows and ~30 fellows total.

What is the time commitment for this program?

We expect at least 8-10 hours of commitment to the program per week. While part-time, we’ve seen that the more that fellows put in, the more they get out of it. The hours will be split between meeting with founders during the week, conducting market research, learning from partners, hosting community events, and discussing pitches with other fellows. 

Will fellows be compensated?

All fellows will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred (e.g. coffee for a founder, uber rides to socially-distanced events, etc.).

Any other questions?

If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to jnavarro@roughdraft.vc!

Apply now!