How to Win as an Emerging VC: Strategies for the AI Era

4 Days

Cohort-based Course

Emerging VC raising or launching a fund? Learn to optimise your strategy, pitch, and LP relationships from an LP who’s reviewed 1,000+ funds

How to Win as an Emerging VC: Strategies for the AI Era

4 Days

Cohort-based Course

Emerging VC raising or launching a fund? Learn to optimise your strategy, pitch, and LP relationships from an LP who’s reviewed 1,000+ funds

Hosted by

Dario de Wet

10 yrs in VC ($1.5B AUM) | Launched 2x funds | 40u40 VCJ Rising Star

Dario de Wet

10 yrs in VC ($1.5B AUM) | Launched 2x funds | 40u40 VCJ Rising Star

Previously at

Course overview

Master the skills to excel as an emerging VC manager and lead with confidence.

Designed for emerging VCs, this course offers hands-on guidance to help you navigate the complexities of building your narrative, fundraising, structuring your fund, and cultivating strong investor relationships. Whether you're in the early stages or preparing to launch your fund, I’ll equip you with the practical tools and strategies to stand out in a competitive market. You’ll gain valuable insights to refine your approach and set your fund up for a successful raise in an AI-centric world.

This course has also been guest lectured at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School’s Entrepreneurship Centre, where I share these frameworks with aspiring fund managers and innovators shaping the future of venture capital.

You’ll gain access to the full set of video lessons (3 x 2-hour sessions, recorded live), frameworks, and practical strategies I’ve shared with founders and fund managers at Oxford Saïd Business School and in the LP community.

Bonus: Join a 60-minute live session where I’ll answer your questions directly and help you apply these lessons to your own fund strategy.

This is the exact framework I use to evaluate emerging managers. Now available to you.

Who is this course for

You're an existing emerging manager seeking to optimize and enhance your fund offering to attract investors and drive growth.

You're a seasoned investor ready to spin out and start your own fund, navigating the challenge of building without a big brand behind you.

You aspire to start your own fund, are proactive and eager to get ahead, gaining a deep understanding of what of what this journey entails.

You're an existing emerging manager seeking to optimize and enhance your fund offering to attract investors and drive growth.

You're a seasoned investor ready to spin out and start your own fund, navigating the challenge of building without a big brand behind you.

You aspire to start your own fund, are proactive and eager to get ahead, gaining a deep understanding of what of what this journey entails.

What you’ll get out of this course

Explore Best Practices to Optimize Your Fund Opportunity.

Acquire the skills and knowledge to maximize investor appeal. Learn the tools and strategies needed to refine your fund’s narrative, structure, and value proposition, ensuring you effectively communicate your vision and optimize your fundraising efforts for success.

Understand the Mind of an LP Investor on the Other Side of the Table.

Gain insight into the mindset of LP investors and understand what drives their decisions. Learn how to tailor your pitch, build trust, and align your fund’s goals with their investment criteria to increase your chances of success.

Expand Your Network, Amplify Your Impact.

The VC industry thrives on connections. By joining this cohort, you’ll tap into my global network of 1000+ VC funds and gain access to lifelong learning, knowledge-sharing, deal flow, and valuable opportunities to expand your footprint in the VC world.

What’s included

Live sessions

Learn directly from Dario de Wet in a real-time, interactive format.

Access to ~6 hours of recorded live sessions

Note, this cohort is predominantly pre-recorded.

60-minute live Q&A call

Come prepared with burning questions, and anything else you'd like to know

Community of peers

Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.

Certificate of completion

Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.

Maven Guarantee

This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.

Course syllabus

6 live sessions • 6 lessons

Week 1

Aug 11—Aug 14

Foundation

Aug
11
Foundation - Unpacking Your 'WHY'
Mon 8/113:00 PM—4:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

Narrative

Aug
11
Narrative - Proactive VS Reactive
Mon 8/114:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

Materials

Aug
12
Materials - Standing Out From The Crowd
Tue 8/123:00 PM—4:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

Fund Economics

Aug
12
Fund Economics - Fee Structures and Financial Models
Tue 8/124:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

Data Room

Aug
13
Data Room - Putting It All Together
Wed 8/133:00 PM—4:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

Fundraising

Aug
13
Fundraising - GO!!!!!!!
Wed 8/134:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Optional

1 more item

What students are saying

What people are saying

Dario is a very knowledgeable and sophisticated LP with a great eye when it comes to emerging managers. He is a big supporter of diversity in the venture ecosystem and has been very supportive with his LP network and industry insights. It’s been a real treat to work with him and have him at the Bridge.

Sophia Platt 🇺🇸

Founding Partner | Head of LP Relations @ The Bridge

Dario has been a thoughtful and dedicated partner from day one. Since our first meeting, his commitment to the asset class and emerging managers was clear. He's invested in building a meaningful community and ecosystem of emerging managers and has been an open, trusted and collaborative partner to f7.

Kelly Graziadei 🇺🇸

Founder & General Partner at f7 Ventures

Dario is a proactive, hands-on investor whose commitment to transparency, communication and connection is a key differentiator in the market. He always did what he said he was going to do, and was ready to jump in and help if we needed it"

Courtney Leimkuhler 🇺🇸

Founding Partner at Springbank Collective

When we were launching our fundraise, Dario was super helpful in providing transparent and clear feedback on what LPs look for, how to structure our data room, and key points to include in our deck. It’s rare to come across LPs that are so willing to demystify the fundraising journey - Dario is the real deal.

Saloni Bhojwani 🇬🇧

Co-Founder & Partner at Pink Salt Ventures

Dario was a great thought partner in the early days of setting up Embed. His willingness and commitment to getting stuck in was invaluable as a first-time solo GP.

Yann Ranchere🇨🇭

Founder at EMBED | Venture Partner at Anthemis

Dario is a great partner. As an LP he is curious and supportive, helping to navigate the journey as an emerging fund manager.

Ella Goldner 🇬🇧

Co-Founder at ZINC | Co-Founder at Alma Angels | Co-Founder at NewCo UK

Dario's course exceeded my expectations and proves to be an invaluable resource for anyone looking to break into the world of fund management. Dario's expertise and clear communication style made complex concepts easily understandable. All delivered with a good dose of humour!

Dr. Christiaan de Koning 🇳🇱

Founding Director at Founders & Funders | Founding Team - Venture Lab at Planet Positive Lab

In the current market it would be folly to launch a first fund without the strong foundation this course provides you with. Don't even think of trying. Let Dario be your guide.

Alexandre Covello 🇫🇷

Partner at Paladin Ventures

We have seen a growing interest in students wanting to build their own funds. Dario gave a wonderful overview of what you need to think about when entering this market and setting expectations of what is involved. He was very open to sharing the positive and negatives of the world and answers questions in a clear and concise way.

Natalie Berge 🇬🇧

Head of Networks & Alumni | Entrepreneurship Centre | Saïd Business School , University of Oxford

Meet your instructor

Dario de Wet

Founder & General Partner at LTV Capital

Hi, I'm Dario. Recognised as one of the industry’s “40 Rising Stars under 40” by Venture Capital Journal, I’m passionate about investing in and supporting the emerging VC manager ecosystem.

I have reviewed 1000+ funds, investing into six top-tier emerging fund managers. I previously served as a Principal at Anthemis Group, a leading fintech investor with $1.5bn AUM. There, I co-led fund investments, co-developed a unique 'embedded finance' media fund, and also invested into early-stage fintech in partnership with BBVA.

Notable funds I have invested in include Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six (co-founder of Reddit: NYSE:RDDT), Jeffrey Katzenberg and Anthony Saleh’s WndrCo (Katzenberg: former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios and co-founder of DreamWorks; Saleh: longtime manager of Kendrick Lamar), and f7 Ventures (led by one of Facebook’s first 100 employees), among others.

My experience has granted me deep industry insights, which I’ve shared as a guest lecturer at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School’s Entrepreneurship Centre and as a panelist at the Oxford and Harvard Founder & Funders series. I currently serve on the LP Selection Committee for the Obuntu Foundation, focused on supporting Africa-focused emerging managers, and as an LP mentor for Europe's first VC accelerator, the Mountside Accelerator.

Additionally, I have previously served on the LP Selection Committee for ALLOCATE, Europe's leading tech VC community.

Career highlights

Co-created a ‘first of its kind’ $50M fund to back US media founders in financially empowering creators.
Co-led strategy, investments and capital raise for a $50M emerging manager fund-of-funds.
Invested in Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six (co-founder of Reddit: NYSE:RDDT).
- The round was oversubscribed and I secured allocation.
Invested in Jeffrey Katzenberg (former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios ) and Anthony Saleh’s (longtime manager of Kendrick Lamar), WndrCo.
Invested in f7 Ventures (now Perplexity f7).
- Led by one of Facebook’s first 100 employees.

Be the first to know about upcoming cohorts