Next cohort starts September 22
9-week virtual course
14 in-class hours & weekly office hours
Taught by top investors, lawyers, & business leaders
Why women belong in venture
Venture-backed companies account for three quarters of public market capitalization and an astounding 92% of innovation. The 70,000 venture-backed companies globally offer the vast majority of opportunities for board director, executive, and advisory roles, and investing in private markets holds immense potential for wealth generation, professional growth, and impact on our future.
Yet women remain starkly underrepresented in the venture capital establishment. You can change that.
By investing, leading, and advising in the venture space, you can expand your impact, build lasting wealth, and shape the future of innovation. Claim your seat now.
This is the right time to use your power
Historically, women have been responsible for wealth protection—managing household spending and making frugal decisions based on need. Meanwhile, men have dominated the world of investing. Only 5% of accredited women investors invest in venture, and systemic barriers persist. Women receive just 2% of venture capital investments from an investment system designed by men (80% of venture investors are male, 70% are white, and 40% hail from Harvard or Stanford).
It’s time to build a new system—one where women drive funding decisions and transform the investment landscape. Educating yourself about private markets is no longer optional—it’s a key step toward shaping your financial and career potential, and a more equitable future.
Today, we can change the landscape...
Women bring home the bigger paycheck in 30% of dual-income households.
Women are the primary earners in 54% of U.S. households.
Women will inherit $30 trillion in generational wealth over the next decade.
It’s time to build a new system—one where women drive funding decisions and transform the investment landscape.
Educating yourself about private markets is no longer optional—it’s a key step toward shaping your financial and career potential, and a more equitable future.
Venture fluency in action
Athena Academy’s Venture Fluency course is your gateway to understanding the strategies, tools, and mindset required to evaluate investments and make impactful decisions in private markets. Whether you’re aspiring to invest personal funds now or in the future, steer your company’s corporate development and partnerships, found a company, or diversify your expertise, this course will help you navigate the venture landscape with confidence.
A structured, practical learning experience:
- Weekly live classes with top-tier faculty, including investors and lawyers with expertise in angel investing, venture capital, and alternative funding.
- Optional weekly office hours to ask questions, dive deeper, and collaborate with peers.
- Practical, hands-on learning including real company pitches (without the pressure to invest).
- A cohort of senior women leaders to learn along-side and build your investment network.
- Personalized investment journey: Early in the course, you’ll formulate your own thesis for investing and assess how much of your assets you could allocate to private company investing.
From curious to confident
This course offers a comprehensive dive into private markets. It covers fundamentals like investor mindset, startup lifecycles, and capital structures. You’ll learn to evaluate deals, conduct due diligence, structure valuations, and navigate key documents like term sheets. Through live startup pitches and insights into venture funds and other investment vehicles, you’ll gain the skills to make informed decisions about investing, capitalization strategies, and building a private equity portfolio.
Over nine weeks, you’ll demystify the world of investing by diving deep into:
- The fundamentals of venture investing: startup lifecycles, investor roles, and capital structures.
- Sourcing, evaluating, and selecting deals using proven frameworks and due diligence techniques.
- Key investment instruments, including SAFE notes, venture debt, and equity investments.
- Analyzing startups, from business models and markets to teams and financial performance.
- Navigating critical venture documents like term sheets and shareholder agreements.
- Exploring venture fund structures, SPVs, and secondary transactions for diversified investing.
- Participating in live startup pitches and practice due diligence and creating professional-grade deal memos.
Who should apply
This course is ideal for:
Aspiring and current start-up investors seeking a structured foundation.
Entrepreneurs looking to understand the investor perspective.
Professionals aiming to understand the workings of the venture ecosystem.
Have a question? Talk to a member of our team.
Accelerate your career with Athena Academy
Athena Academy brings together community and learning in an intimate setting, while delivering everything you need to know about what the job entails and requires – whether you’re striving for the C-suite or boardroom or simply want overall executive development. These courses will arm you with a toolkit to successfully land the role you’re seeking. You can connect live with other members, learn from and ask questions to experts who’ve “been there, done that”, and accelerate your journey to reaching your professional goals – all within Athena Academy. More courses launching soon.