Opening doors to venture capital, one undergrad at a time.
Applications for Summer 2026 are now open through May 4
The Problem
The venture capital world can feel like a closed room — full of opportunity, but with no obvious way in. For most young people, breaking into the startup and VC ecosystem can be difficult, with networks that are invisible and pathways that are unclear.
Chicago:Blend hears this firsthand. Undergraduate students from across the city reach out to us constantly — curious, motivated, and hungry to learn — with no clear place to start. Venture Club 101 is our answer.
What It Is
A free, cohort-based program for Chicago-area undergraduates who want to understand how venture capital and startups actually work. Over three intensive Friday sessions in July 2026, 20 selected students will get direct exposure to investors, founders, and operators inside the Chicago tech ecosystem — the kind of access that typically takes years to build on your own.
The program culminates with participation in TechChicago Week by P33.
📅 When: July 10, 17 & 24 | 9a-1p each day
📍 Where: In-person in Chicago
🎓 Who: Chicago-area undergraduates only
💰 Cost: Free — but you must apply and be accepted
⏰ Deadline to Apply: May 4, 2026
APPLY BY Monday, May 4 at 11:59p CDT
For questions, email: learning@chicagoblend.org
Why It Matters
Chicago has one of the most dynamic tech and startup ecosystems in the country. But the pathways into that ecosystem are not equally distributed.
We believe the next generation of great investors and founders is already here — sitting in classrooms at community colleges and universities across the city. They just need a door opened. By investing in undergraduate students early, we create a pipeline of diverse, prepared talent that strengthens the entire Chicago ecosystem for years to come.
This isn't just good for students. It's good for Chicago.
Rachel Sebald (left) and Monika Razdan (right), Venture Club 101 co-leads.
Who's Behind It
Venture Club 101 is a Chicago:Blend initiative developed in partnership with Campus 1871, ThinkChicago by World Business Chicago, and TechChicago Week by P33. It is co-led by two alums of Chicago:Blend's Venture Fellowship, Monika Razdan (Dipalo Ventures) and Rachel Sebald (Evergreen Climate Innovations).
👉 Read Monika’s post: “When You Stop Overthinking and Start Building”
APPY BY Monday, May 4 at 11:59p CDT
Support Venture Club 101
Programs like this exist because of people who believe in building a more inclusive innovation economy in Chicago. If you'd like to support this work through funding, mentorship, or programming, we'd love to connect. Reach us at learning@chicagoblend.org.