NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, June 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Notable Capital, a global venture capital firm, today announced NextGen Fellows 2024, an initiative dedicated to equipping exceptional college students from underrepresented backgrounds with the experience they need to excel in today’s AI-enhanced tech industry. This year’s program, the fourth year of the NextGen Fellows effort, reflects a significant shift in preparing the workforce of the future.
The demand for a skills-based workforce has never been more urgent. As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, industries are seeking talent that not only possesses technical prowess but also exhibits adaptability and strategic thinking. The NextGen Fellows program addresses this need by offering students a unique opportunity to develop hard and soft skills crucial for success in the modern economy. By focusing on these areas, the program aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to meet the challenges of an AI-driven world.
“The tech community’s demand for talent, especially in the AI era, is higher than ever,” said Hans Tung, Managing Partner at Notable Capital. “We believe top talent in product, marketing, and engineering can come from anywhere to boost the American economy. Our goal is to empower the next generation of tech leaders and bridge the market’s experience gap with the tools and skills needed to navigate the modern workforce domestically and globally within trusted geographies.”
Research from Handshake, the largest early career network, reinforces this shift. “Gen Z candidates are broadening their career prospects by demonstrating interest in applying to a wider range of industries and job roles,” said Garrett Lord, CEO of Handshake, a Notable Capital portfolio company. “The NextGen Fellows program provides these students with invaluable exposure to today’s leading technology companies and the inner workings of a growing company, which, in turn, will help set the students up to explore a differentiated career path.”
Skills Over Roles: Preparing for a High-Growth Future
In today’s tech landscape, companies are increasingly prioritizing skills over specific roles. The NextGen Fellows program is designed to mirror this shift, ensuring that participants are well-versed in the technical and soft skills crucial for success.
The program provides an 8-week paid internship with participating Notable Capital portfolio companies to gain hands-on experience while also fostering essential soft skills such as creative problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking. Fellows also participate in a dedicated cohort with Notable Capital that includes a world-class leadership development curriculum, one-on-one career counseling, and access to the extensive Notable Capital community.
Embracing AI and Building Resiliency
AI is transforming how companies work, prompting companies to “do more with less.” This year’s Fellowship includes sessions with Haniyeh Mahmoudian from the National AI Advisory Committee to explore how to succeed in an AI-enabled workplace. Weekly speakers will also cover vital topics such as resiliency, managing stakeholder relationships, and bouncing back from failure—indispensable skills in high-growth tech environments.
Future-Proofing Careers in an Evolving Market
As automation becomes more prevalent, the ability to interface strategically with leaders and add unique value is paramount. NextGen Fellows provides Fellows with the resources, mentors, and coaching needed to thrive in a fast-moving, uncertain economy.
“There are many potential tech-related job openings in our increasingly AI-enabled economy, and it’s exciting to partner with the next generation workforce, along with these incredible companies, to ready the students for what’s to come,” added Jen Holmstrom, Partner, Notable Capital.
About NextGen 2024
- The NextGen 2024 cohort comprises 29 extraordinary students selected from a pool of 3,220 applicants from 464 colleges and universities hired using the Handshake platform.
- The Fellows represent a diverse range of institutions, including Brown University, Boston College, California Polytechnic, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Texas, Austin, Yale University, Washington & Lee University, Virginia State University, and more.
- The NextGen Fellows program was launched in 2021 as part of Notable Capital’s commitment to addressing systemic inequity within the tech industry.
- The program has successfully placed 88 interns, with the majority of the 2022 and 2023 cohorts receiving full-time offers upon completion. Past Fellows have launched new startup companies with Y Combinator and Neo accelerators as part of the YC W23 and Neo’23 cohorts, respectively.
- Notable Capital portfolio companies participating in the NextGen program include BitSight, Boomerang, Coinbase, Descope, Handshake, HashiCorp, Ibotta, Modak, and Yami.
- For more information, https://notablecap.com/nextgen/.
About Notable Capital
Notable Capital is a global venture capital firm based in the U.S. focused on early-to-growth-stage companies in cloud infrastructure and business and consumer applications. The firm invests primarily in the U.S., Israel, Europe, and Latin America. Notable Capital portfolio companies include Affirm, Airbnb, Block, Brightwheel, Drata, Handshake, HashiCorp, Ibotta, Orca Security, Quince, Slack, Slice, StockX, Stori, Vercel, Zendesk, and more. For more information, visit www.notablecap.com.
SOURCE Notable Capital
