Opt-in
culture.
The people who are here want to be here. Students take initiative of their own will and actively contribute to the projects.
ABOUT ROOTEDIN
Stay RootedIn.
We will always root for you.
WeRootedIn is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing diversity and inclusion within the venture capital and startup ecosystems.
Our mission is to provide aspiring venture capitalists and founders from underrepresented and overlooked backgrounds—especially immigrants, including women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals—with the knowledge, mentorship, and practical experience necessary to thrive in the VC and startup world.
WHY “ROOTEDIN”
Stay connected to your origins. Plant deep roots.
RootedIn symbolizes a journey: immigrants staying connected to their origins while planting deep roots in new communities, where their growth benefits the whole ecosystem.
By fostering a diverse community of future founders and investors, we aim to create a more inclusive, equitable, and innovative entrepreneurial landscape that supports founders, investors, and ideas from all walks of life.
By empowering immigrant founders and funders, we aim to shape a more inclusive, equitable, and innovative future for all.
OUR APPROACH
Our
philosophy.
We believe in the transformative power of hands-on experience, real investment decision-making practice, and mentorship. Set a real-world, open-ended, intellectually stimulating stage that rewards curiosity, integrity, and humility—and future venture capital leaders will change lives, organizations, and the world.
Opt-in
Unbounded
problems.
Like in life, there is no single right answer. Risks are complex and ambiguous; returns are uncertain. Students experiment, source, analyze, take the leap of faith—and sometimes fail.
Real-world
projects.
Students want to make a real impact, and they can start immediately: working with real startups and real team dynamics on problems happening right now, not ones from a textbook page.
Diversified
collaboration.
We bring together students, faculty, and practitioners from diverse disciplines, perspectives, and backgrounds. Different points of view push everyone’s venture mindset further.
OUR VISION
Inclusive, collaborative growth—with Stanford spirit.
Bringing together diverse entrepreneurs, investors, and scholars to create a synergistic venture ecosystem and a closed-loop learning experience for students who aspire to become venture capitalists.
OUR MISSION
Inspire. Invest. Include.
We equip future venture capital leaders with real investment opportunities as a learning tool, provide role models and mentors to guide them through real-world projects, and foster diversity and balanced gender representation in group learning.
OUR PROGRAMS
Programs, past
and present.
Every RootedIn program is taught by Stanford alumni who are seasoned venture capital practitioners.
2027Jan 6 – Mar 10, 2027
RootedIn VC Fellowship
Ten Wednesdays of real startup discovery, investment thinking, and mentorship for 12 Stanford students. Applications open November 4, 2026.
2026Jan 7 – Mar 11, 2026
RootedIn VC Fellowship
A 10-week experiential journey to break into venture capital: five lecture sessions with VC partners as guest speakers, five in-field sessions working directly with mentors, and student-led deal sourcing that ends with investment memos and a pitch to the investment committee.
Summer 2025Jun 23 – Aug 15, 2025
Build+ Fellowship
An 8-week experiential learning journey for technical Stanford students who dream of becoming founders—building founder tools through the lens of venture capital.
2025Winter quarter
RootedIn VC Fellowship
The 2025 cohort explored venture capital through lecture sessions with speakers, in-field sessions with mentors, and a team deal sourcing project.
4.6 / 5 overall experience4.9 / 5 learning goal fulfillment5.0 / 5 instructor rating · 2025 post-program survey
FROM PAST COHORTS
Learning together,
in the field.
Lecture sessions with speakers and fieldwork with mentors, from the 2025 program report.
ROOTED IN CURIOSITY. GROWING THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
Your perspective
belongs in the room.
2027 cohort · Applications November 4–December 13, 2026