Contrary is a talent and research-driven investment firm, backed by some of the world’s most iconic entrepreneurs. We invest in a small number of exceptional people and the companies they build, and work closely alongside them to build enduring businesses from seed to scale.
With this approach, we’ve backed iconic companies like Anduril, Ramp, Hallow, Zepto, and many others.
Each year, we assemble a selective team of exceptional student Venture Partners (VPs) to partner closely with us and invest in the next generation of top founders. VPs hail from universities across the US and Canada, and are a group of top founders, builders, engineers, researchers, designers and writers.
Being a Venture Partner
As a Venture Partner, you'll be the go-to resource for founders and builders on campus. One day, you might grab coffee with someone brainstorming ideas for space manufacturing. The next, you'll research the latest AI trends or enterprise sales software as we evaluate relevant companies.
You'll join a team of like-minded builders, learn how to think like an investor, and see what goes into starting and scaling a successful company.
We look for independent thinkers with diverse experiences and a history of excellence.
Previous VPs have started companies in high school, forgone careers as professional athletes, and built software projects with millions of users. There is no specific VP archetype. The only requirements are that you love tech and early-stage startups, and will put in the time and effort to make the most of the opportunity.
All the details you'll need
- We review applications as they come in, so apply now. The sooner the better. We have a final deadline of Sunday, September 13th at 11:59pm PT.
- We generally prefer people with more than one year of school left, but have made exceptions in the past.
- Our selection process includes 3 steps: an interview with a member of the Contrary HQ team, a more casual chat with existing VPs at your school (if applicable), and a conversation with our founder, Eric.
- Reach out to vp@contrary.com (vp@contrarycap.com) with any additional questions. We're always happy to chat and/or direct you to the appropriate resource.
- The Venture Partner role is a school-year commitment that lasts until you graduate. The community and network you join is life-long.