NEW! Talent Network

Since the start of Cardinal Ventures, we have always faced the challenge of connecting the startups in our cohort with talented Stanford students, interested in joining the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This challenge has two sides:

• Our founders often reach out asking us to connect them to talent that can potentially join their team. The roles are technical or business roles!
• Many Stanford students are looking to join startups, at all stages, for opportunities either during the academic year or for the summer.

Therefore, we decided to build a Talent Network, that can serve multiple functions:

• Every student that applies and is accepted to the Talent Network will have their information added to our Talent Network database, that our founders (both current cohort members and alumni) will have access to throughout the year.
• If we are asked by our founders to recommend talent, we will try to find the correct match, depending on what specifically they are looking for, and reach out to you accordingly.
• We will also have a Talent Network Event per quarter (potentially starting in Winter Quarter 2018–2019). In this event, our founders and the members of the talent database, will network and attempt to find good matches for their companies.

We will be sending out applications at the beginning/middle of Fall Quarter, as we launch our pilot Talent Network program. We hope this network can be enriching for both you and our founders!

FAQs

• When will the Talent Network applications launch? The application form will probably be sent out every quarter, at the beginning or middle of the quarter.
• What are the benefits of applying? You receive many opportunities from our founders that are interested in working with you. You also have the opportunity of meeting other like-minded individuals in networking events that are interested in start-ups and entrepreneurship.
• Is there a cost to join the Talent Network? There is no cost.
• Who can apply to the Talent Network? Any Stanford affiliated person interested in working for a startup. It can include undergraduates, master students, PhD students, professors, etc.
• Are you obliged to work at the startups that reach out to you? The process is non-binding. The start up, or any management team member, will simply reach out to you showing potential interest and to start a conversation. The next steps are figured out by you and the members of the startup. All we ask is to let us know if the connection was helpful!

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to me (Nicole Birkner) at nbirkner@sse.stanford.edu!

Have a great week!

Nicole Birkner

Cardinal Ventures VP