Venture Capital for Tech
The Emerging Managers VC Program
2 days at UC Berkeley and 1 day in SF (SHACK15)
September 16-18, 2026
$5,700
Early Bird: 10% off until July 31
Venture capital is more than picking promising startups. It requires a point of view on technology, markets, founders, timing, capital, and risk.
At UC Berkeley Engineering Professional Education, Venture Capital for Tech brings together Berkeley’s technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem with practical venture frameworks used by investors and emerging fund managers. The program is designed for professionals who want to understand how venture capital works in practice, especially in technology-driven markets.
- Aspiring venture capitalists who want to enter the VC industry with a stronger understanding of fund strategy, deal evaluation, and investor decision-making
- Focus on technology investing
Explore venture capital through the lens of innovation-driven markets, including software, AI, deep tech, climate, biotech, and other emerging technologies. - Learn from faculty and practitioners
Gain perspective from instructors and guest speakers who understand fund strategy, startup evaluation, LP fundraising, and the realities of building a venture career. - Apply practical frameworks
Move beyond theory with tools for investment thesis development, due diligence, fund economics, portfolio construction, and fundraising strategy. - Build your venture network
Learn in person with a focused cohort of founders, operators, angels, emerging managers, and professionals exploring the venture capital landscape.
This program is designed for professionals who want to understand venture capital from the inside, especially those investing in, building, advising, or funding technology companies.
This program is a strong fit for:
Aspiring venture capitalists who want to enter the VC industry with a stronger understanding of fund strategy, deal evaluation, and investor decision-making
Emerging fund managers preparing to raise, structure, or refine their first fund
Angel investors who want a more disciplined approach to sourcing, evaluating, and supporting startups
Startup founders and operators who want to better understand how investors think, what makes a company fundable, and how venture-backed companies are evaluated
Corporate innovation and corporate venture leaders exploring startup investment, strategic partnerships, or emerging technology opportunities
Family office and investment professionals looking to better understand technology venture investing as an asset class
Technical, product, and business leaders interested in evaluating deep tech, AI, software, climate, biotech, or other innovation-driven markets
- How do venture investors decide which startups are worth backing?
- What makes a strong investment thesis?
- How do emerging managers raise from LPs?
- How do fund economics, ownership, and reserves actually work?
- How should I evaluate early-stage technology companies?
- How do I move from interest in VC to a credible investment strategy?
What You Get
In three days, build a practical venture capital toolkit for evaluating technology startups, designing a fund strategy, and communicating your investment approach with confidence.
You will leave with:
Learn how to launch and run your first venture fund. This program guides emerging managers through fund structuring, thesis development, team building, portfolio construction, and LP relations. Gain practical skills in term sheet negotiation, post-investment value creation, and exit strategies — all through real-world case studies and proven success stories. Build the knowledge, network, and confidence to take your first fund from vision to reality.
Gain insights, learn, and be inspired by the best—those who have done it themselves. This program brings together top Silicon Valley VCs, LPs, and practitioners to share their firsthand experiences and strategies for success
Gregory LaBlanc
Faculty Director, UC Berkeley
Gregory La Blanc is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Berkeley Haas, Berkeley Law School, and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Berkeley. At Haas, he launched the school's first classes in Data Science and Fintech. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Haas Cheit Award, he teaches classes in finance, law, innovation, strategy, technology, and data. He also hosts a popular podcast called Unsiloed and teaches finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford University School of Engineering, and Stanford School of Medicine.
Mahendra Ramsinghani
Faculty Director, Practitioner
Mahendra Ramsinghani is a San Francisco-based venture capitalist, and the founder of Secure Octane, an early stage venture fund with 50+ investments. He brings two decades of investment experience in startups and venture funds. As author of the book "The Business of Venture Capital" (Wiley Finance, 3rd edition) and co-author of "Startup Boards", he brings a blend of practical as well as foundational insights.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
Author: The Secrets of Sandhill Road
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
M12 - Microsoft's Venture Fund
Arboretum Ventures
Prosperity 7 Ventures
Wing Venture Capital
Titanium Ventures
Top Tier Capital Partners
World Innovation Lab
through change?
Build a clear understanding of how the venture capital industry works and how investors form a point of view.
Topics may include:
- How venture capital works: GPs, LPs, founders, funds, and the startup financing lifecycle
- Venture capital as an asset class
- Fund structures, fund economics, management fees, carry, and incentives
- What makes venture capital different from other forms of investing
- How investors identify markets, trends, and technology shifts
- Building an investment thesis and defining your investor edge
- Emerging manager positioning and differentiation
Participant takeaway: A clearer understanding of how VC funds work and the beginning of a personal investment thesis.
leadership potential
For Individuals
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