Resources Relevant to UConn Alumni in VC
Hillside Announcements
UConn Students interested in learning more about VC, introductory topics, and how to deal source can register for the course Introduction to Venture Capital. The course can be found in the student administration system as MGMT 4895 - Section 001 and will take place on MW from 12:30PM - 1:45PM in Fall 2021.
Resources Relevant to UConn Alumni in VC
In this week’s edition of our newsletter, we compiled a list of resources that have been helpful to UConn alumni in venture capital. Students interested in the industry should look below for materials that are used by professionals and can help them to develop a comprehensive knowledge base and skill-sets critical to the industry. We would also like to recognize that this edition would not be possible without the support and consideration of our incredible alumni. Thank you to all those that contributed your knowledge and time to this list; we are confident that these invaluable insights and suggestions will positively impact students as they embark on their academic and professional journeys.
Daily Newsletters
Axios Pro Rata: Dives into deals across VC, PE, and M&A
Morning Brew: Provides a general snapshot of important events across the economy and markets
StrictlyVC: Goes into depth on the VC scene
Termsheet: Provides an overview of deals in the industry
Websites
Techcrunch: News source covering technology companies, including startups and venture firms
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ): Students in the School of Business can access a free subscription to this comprehensive news source here
Real-Time Social Audio Chat
Clubhouse: Clubhouse is a mobile app that allows candid conversations to be conducted in real-time. You can drop in and listen, ask questions, or host talks yourself. Reach out to any current Hillside analysts if interested in an invitation to access the platform.
Podcasts
StartUp: “Podcast about an entrepreneur starting a podcast company (so meta). Totally behind the scenes and unfiltered. It’s fabulous and a must for entrepreneurs and those interested in VC.”
How I Built This: Podcast that features founders walking through the history of their high-profile companies
20 Minute VC: Host Harry Stebbings interviews prominent VCs and founders
This Week in Startups: Hosted by Jason Calacanis, Founder and CEO of Mahalo and former EIR at Sequoia—longer format
Strictly VC: Weekly podcast reviewing top stories in VC and interviewing movers in the world of tech
The a16z Podcast: Produced by a Silicon Valley-based VC firm, this podcast covers everything from tech trends and culture to company building for companies of all sizes
Books
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke: One UConn alumnus suggests, “the best investors understand the risks they’re taking upfront.” This book had helped him to make better decisions by understanding the possible outcomes of various courses of action.
Venture Deals by Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson
Zero to One by Peter Thiel
Venture Hacks Bible by Babak Nivi and Naval Ravikant
Skill Development
One UConn alumnus emphasized that the most common way of breaking into VC is to become an expert in your domain. Early-stage investors should solidify their technical and product knowledge to gain a competitive edge. Below are some resources and courses that he had used himself.
Taking supplementary computer science courses at UConn
Other online course platforms such as UDemy
YouTube: Tried and true, there are endless learning opportunities and educational videos on YouTube. One UConn alumna suggests that self-teaching for concepts and ideas you don’t understand can go a long way. One particular video she is fond of is “How the Economic Machine Works.”
Diligence
Bloomberg terminal: UConn students can learn more on how to access university-provided terminals here
PitchBook (subscription required): Private market data
CBInsights (subscription required): Private market data
Sourcescrub (subscription required)
Bamsec (subscription required): Helpful for public company reporting