CatalyzU into Startups
Business Development Fellowship
NEXT COHORT
October 2024
DURATION
6 Weeks
APPLICATIONS OPEN
SEPTEMBER 2024
TUITION
$800
FORMAT
About this course
Our Business Development course provides an informative guide on landing into a business development role within a startup or larger organization. It provides students with the context they operate within, how to achieve success, and how to measure it. The course builds up to a live case study in which students make a sale to a prospective client.
Learning outcome
The course is best suited for those having just started working or wanting to work within business development. The primary learning outcome is to allow learners to understand where they fit into the greater organization and how best to align their success with the organization’s.
Alumni Support Ecosystem
Following on from completion of the fellowship, all successful alumni will be eligible to join the esteemed Young African Catalyst network made up of the largest VC firms across the continent.
Curriculum
Grading
To earn a certificate, students must attend 80% of sessions and achieve a passing grade on the case study. Students can appeal a not passed grade. Rubrics will be provided with every assignment to help students understand what each grade requires. Assignments submitted after the deadline will not be considered. All assignments must be a pure reflection of your own understanding and effort.
Course Requirements
- Stable internet connection
- Availability to join synchronous, online lectures
- Diligence to submit assignments and quizzes before the due date
- No prior knowledge required in Venture Capital
Course Delivery
The course is delivered over ten ±2 hour sessions across five weeks. This translates into up to four hours of scheduled sessions per week which is delivered virtually. The sessions are not recorded and are delivered live requiring you to attend each session. Attendance at 80% of sessions counts towards successful completion of the course.
Student Experience
Hands-on experience from top VC operators
Live lectures with Founders & VCs
Practical, experience-based knowledge alongside like-minded professionals
Build lasting connections through our Young African Catalyst network
Alan Mwangi
“Whether you are just getting started or you're already on the journey, this program is designed to equip you with the necessary skills and insights to strategically build and scale in Africa.”
Elisa Ostet
“What a wonderful journey it was! I have enjoyed all the lectures in this comprehensive Venture Capital Fellowship program. It felt like a
pressure cooker sometimes while getting a holistic understanding of the VC landscape in Africa. My compliments to CatalyzU for this excellent and interactive program!“
Shuai Zhang
"The fellowship journey was an incredible learning experience, covering a comprehensive range of topics...A big thank you to CatalyzU
for the thoughtfully planned
curriculum and to all the guest lecturers for their excellent
sessions and engaging discussions!"
Phillip Madanire
“As part of my journey pursuing global investing and creating global investing
“value chain”, this completes the full exploration, research, immersion,
exposure and understanding of the gaps, opportunities, ins and outs of the global
VC and investment ecosystems for better things to come.”
Grace Jerolgan Nganakala
"This is a great opportunity. As a founder and aspiring player in the VC space, I’ve learned a lot from this fellowship, the lectures, assignments and the network have helped me better understand the VC ecosystem and their investment approach. I strongly recommend"
Adesola Adesanya
"As I reflect on my time in CatalyzU’s fellowship, I am incredibly grateful for the professional growth it has facilitated. It has been a rewarding journey filled with knowledge, connections, and inspiration. One of the most significant outcomes of my participation in the fellowship has been the honing of my skills in venture capital. I now feel more confident in my abilities and better equipped to navigate the complexities of this dynamic field."
Kwame Gyamfi
"The Venture Fellowship is highly recommended if you want to understand the dynamics of Africa Venture Capital. In addition to the insights, I had the opportunity to learn from top-notch investors on the continent. The icing on the cake is the Africa-wide alum community I belong to; these young, competent professionals are poised for impact."
James van Heerden
"The VC Fellowship was comprehensive and full of incredible people who I was able to learn a lot from and add to my personal network. The CatalyzU team have created a rich learning experience that is a lot of fun to complete."
Mouhammad Dieng
"Contextualized learning. Amazing trainers. Reactive team. Valuable content."
Richard Omondi Orido
"I'm glad I did the fellowship because I got actionable insights on what it takes to build a successful software business on the continent."
FAQ
When will I hear back from CatalyzU?
- Typically within 10 days of applying as applications are processed on a rolling basis.
- Note considering the rolling acceptance process and our limited capacity, applying early is beneficial.
What is a Young African Catalyst?
- A Young African Catalyst is a member of our esteemed CatalyzU Alumni Community. By way of characteristics, it is a young leader in the African startup & venture ecosystem.
- At inception, CatalyzeU (formerly Young African Catalysts) focussed on individuals within the Venture Capital ecosystem that were under the age of 35, operating on the continent and catalyzing investment to startups. YAC connected VCs with one another to support their day to day function. Moving forward, YAC will do this for YACs in the entire venture ecosystem.
- During our pilot, this was restricted to the VC ecosystem. It has now been expanded to our continent’s entire startup & venture ecosystem.
- All graduates from a CatalyzU Fellowship program (such as CatalyzU into Venture Capital – Fundamentals) are admitted in the CatalyzU Alumni Ecosystem and awarded Young African Catalysts status.
Do you offer scholarships / financial aid?
- We offer need-based financial aid on a case-by-case basis. This process is determined post a candidate’s acceptance into the fellowship.
- The fundamentals edition of the CatalyzU Venture Capital Fellowship has a maximum scholarship of 20% of the total tuition fee. In other words, a candidate can receive a $100 scholarship, and would then owe $400’s in tuition to be paid ahead of the first day of lectures.
- We are working with Corporates for additional scholarships to the above – keep an eye on our socials for more!
How much time is required per week?
Approximately 8 hours per week