Learn VC from inside a fund.

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Join the 300+ Fellows across 16+ cohorts who have completed the 1752vc Venture Fellow Program and stepped confidently into the venture ecosystem.

If you’re just looking to get the basics of venture, YouTube’s got you covered.

If you want to learn how to think critically, evaluating deals—and join an elite network of 300+ active Fellows—this is where you start.

1752’s Venture Fellow Program: Build Your VC Expertise

The 1752 Venture Fellow program is a live, discussion-based experience designed to provide aspiring investors with education and real-world exposure to venture capital, led by a top-decile performing fund.

Led by our founding partner, the program explores all facets of VC, equipping fellows with the tools and confidence to identify and back winning investments.

Comprehensive VC Education

Learn everything from sourcing deals and term sheets to fund construction and portfolio strategy.

Real-World Case Studies

Dive into actual startups, deals, and scenarios to understand the decision-making behind successful investments.

Hands-On Experience

Engage in weekly live virtual discussions with small groups to develop your investment thesis and hone your skills.

Build Your Track Record

Gain hands-on experience sourcing deals and analyzing opportunities to strengthen your credibility.

Develop a Unique Thesis

Craft and refine your investment thesis, then share it widely to establish your voice in the VC ecosystem.

Expand Your Network

Connect with fellow participants, mentors, and industry professionals to build relationships that accelerate your journey.

Perks & Benefits

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    8 Week Course

    Learn how to evaluate and conduct due diligence on startups.

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    Certification

    Upon completing the course, you will receive an accredited LinkedIn-compatible certification.

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    VC Jobs

    Each week, we curate a fresh list of the latest venture capital job opportunities.

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    $1M+ Package

    Access a suite of perks, tools, and resources to help reduce burn and drive efficiency at every growth stage.

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    Events

    Each week, we share a curated list of industry events nationwide.

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    Scout

    Discover innovative startups.

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    Community

    Gain access to our growing private Slack community and expand your venture network.

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    Direct GP Access

    During each class, you’ll have exclusive access to our General Partner, who will answer any questions around VC!

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    Shadow Deals

    Have the opportunity to watch and listen to current due diligence calls.

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    Track Record

    As a scout, build a proven track record and showcase your potential to VCs.

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    18k+ VC List

    Access our ecosystem map with over 18,000 VCs, angel groups, incubators, and accelerators.

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    Expert Edge

    After the course ends, enjoy continuing education with a bi-weekly QA and Coaching

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    Make Money

    Bring deals to us or our partners and earn a bonus.

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    Cold Review Decks

    Source pitch decks and observe expert investors give stream of thought, highlighting orange and red flags.

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    Directory

    Connect with and gain access to an exclusive community of talented peers nationwide.

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    Recognition

    Be listed on our website after graduation. and be featured on our social channels.

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Who Is This Program For?

This program is designed for:

  • Aspiring Venture Capitalists

    Individuals actively looking to join a VC fund or build one themselves.

  • Industry Professionals Making the Leap

    Operators, consultants, and executives ready to turn their domain expertise into angel checks, advisory roles, or full-time investing careers.

  • Entrepreneurs Seeking the Other Side of the Table

    Founders who want to understand how investors think—and what drives decisions behind the term sheet.

What Our Fellows Say

Michael Tworek

Cohort 9

Micki Porcaro

Cohort 14

Michael DeAloia

Cohort 11

“ This case study style discussion is great and more impactful than covering basic VC educational topics in the session.  That basic knowledge can be obtained from independent reading or videos.”
— Pratik Mittal, Venture Fellow Cohort 3
“I just had an interview for a VC position and everything Lucas has been teaching us basically made that interview a breeze, and I got the offer letter today!”
— Sarah Rana, Venture Fellow Cohort 2

Meet Your Instructor

Lucas Pols is an accomplished angel investor, entrepreneur, and the host of the popular podcast VC Unfiltered. As the founder of 1752vc and Former President of Tech Coast Angels, Lucas has dedicated his career to mentoring aspiring investors and empowering early-stage startups. Lucas trains emerging venture capitalists through the Venture Fellow Program, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to make strategic, high-impact investments.

His investment focus centers on AI, B2B SaaS, Climate Tech, and the Future of Work, with a sharp emphasis on the middleware and application layers of AI. Known for his GTM-first mindset and relentless pursuit of asymmetric upside, Lucas brings clarity, execution, and edge to every founder and LP he partners with.

The Venture Fellow Program reflects Lucas’s commitment to fostering the next generation of investors, providing them with the skills to identify and support the most promising founders. His practical, results-driven approach has made him a sought-after advisor and speaker in the startup world.

Venture Fellow Program Structure

Learn

8-Week Discussion based case studies led by our Founding Partner. Live virtual sessions in small groups.

Accountability Fee: $1995

Scout

Upon completing the program, you'll be invited to join our team as a scout.

Source your first successful deal and get a full refund of your $1995 program fee

Network

Our participants have different goals. We believe the network is the key to accomplishing these goals.

Attend nationwide events on behalf of 1752vc and leverage our fund and network for mutual value creation.

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Weekly Program Syllabus

We use the curriculum below, paired with case studies of real startups, deals, and situations, to enable our Fellows to understand and take a stance on investment decisions now so that they can leverage this knowledge later.

Week 1: Startup vs Lifestyle & Growth Stages
Week 2: Demystifying VC, Fund Theory, Power Law
Week 3: Valuations & Investing
Week 4: Sourcing Deals & Growth Hacking
Week 5: Reviewing Deals
Week 6: Due Diligence: Management Team and Compensation
Week 7: Due Diligence: Go-To-Market Strategy, Technology & Financials
Week 8: Deal Terms & After Investment

Community Access + Events

Participants are admitted into our exclusive Slack network, which comprises our team, LPs, founders, emerging angels, and venture fellows.

Active participation is heavily encouraged.

For those in LA or who want to visit, we invite our Fellows to all 1752vc events, including pitch contests, VC meetups, and company events.

For events outside of LA and those where we need a presence, we forward invitations to events across the country for our Venture Fellows to represent 1752vc.

Scouts don’t just learn — they earn.

When you source a deal that 1752vc invests in, your program fee is fully refunded — and every deal you bring in after that earns a $1,000 payout. You can also earn carry on select deals you source for our partner funds. Plus, top scouts can win monthly cash prizes through our ongoing competitions.

 FAQs

  • Our next cohort begins on June 1st, with classes held every Monday from 6:30pm - 7:30pm PST. We’ve designed the schedule to accommodate work commitments, ensuring minimal disruption.

  • Our cohorts typically consist of 15-20 people, allowing us to create an intimate experience where everyone can actively participate.

  • Yes, every session is recorded and is viewable immediately after class.

  • Each week, participants can expect 30-45 minutes of pre-work, followed by a one-hour live session—totaling 1.5 to 2 hours per week.

  • About half of our investments to date have been sourced by fellows.

  • Each week we curate a list of Venture Jobs across the US and share with inside our community.

    We are happy to make referrals and introductions where we can.

  • We do not have participants do full deal memos when sourcing a deal.

    Sourcing is done through getting a startup to apply to the accelerator or making a direct introduction to our team. If we proceed with an initial screening call, we will invite you join us in the initial screening call.

  • We love referrals from inside our network, and we’re always happy to discuss the details and explore opportunities.

  • After completing the 8-week class, you’ll be invited to continue your journey by scouting and sourcing deals while joining our broader 1752 community. We also curate local events across regions, creating opportunities to connect, collaborate, and grow your network within the venture ecosystem.

    Additionally, every other week we host Deal Review Nights—led by Lucas J. Pols or Taissa Maleh—where participants analyze real startup pitch decks and gain hands-on insight through live deck reviews.

  • Our Venture Fellow program has a unique model. We are not a siloed online curriculum and believe having conviction and challenging beliefs around real startups and real investment situations is the key to our program.

    Lastly, our main business is investing in startups and our incentive structure reflects that by pushing candidates to build their own track record.

  • Formally, we invite you to begin sourcing after completing the 8-week education. However, if you source an investment earlier, we’ll still refund your program fee. There’s also no cutoff—your ability to source continues indefinitely.