How I landed in Venture Capital 🚀
Everyone tells you to network to break into VC. But what happens when your network starts working for you? When everyone around me knew I was trying to break into VC, my game absolutely changed.
One day, I got a WhatsApp from a friend:
“Hey, there's this role at this VC fund in Barcelona. Thought of you.”A week later, I had the offer in my inbox.
Mama, I made it.But why now? why me?
This story didn’t start in February 2025 when I got the role. It started long before.
⏳ tl;dr
July 2023 – My first exposure to VC, two interviews that opened my eyes. The same month I started working at a management consulting firm.
Not my time yet.Jan 2024 – Convinced I wanted to explore VC deeply. Research mode: full on.
Feb 2024 – Launch this newsletter: How to Land in Venture Capital. Attended FYFN 2024 in Barcelona. Still an outsider, but intrigued.
June 2024 – Attended South Summit. Meet founders and investors. The idea of becoming a VC feels real.
Oct 2024 – Join Included VC. Start acting like an investor. Build personal brand. Network intentionally.
Jan 2025 – Quit consulting. Go ALL IN. Fully committed to landing a VC role.
Feb 2025 – After many interviews, I get referred to a new role. I give it everything, aaaand… I get the offer. YESS!
🚀 The Spark
July 2023 – Jan 2024
I still remember those two interviews. They were as an intern in two VC firms, the funds were pretty cool but there were +80 fund in Spain. Were those the only cool ones? I gave me the first dose of an absolutely cool and small industry.
VC represented all about entrepreunership, investments, unicors, vision, and risk. An entire new world for me where investments meets rockstar people.
At that time, I had just started working as a management consultant at a global firm. It was stable, prestigious but I couldn’t stop thinking about that VC world.
So in January 2024, I began researching. Deep dives into how VC works. During the 2023-2024 winter holidays I read two (mythical) books: Venture Deals and The Lean Startup. I studied all the funds in Iberia and their thesis, you can find below the table I used. I wasn’t close to landing a job in VC… but I was getting closer to understanding it.
🛠 Build Without Permission
Feb 2024 – Oct 2024
In February, I launched a newsletter called How to Land in Venture Capital.
It gave me a reason to reach out to people, structure my learning, and build in public.
Take a look to my first post.
That same month, I went to the FYFN in Barcelona (I was working in Madrid by that time). I met founders, investors, operators… and suddenly, VC was no longer a concept, it was about that people.
In June, I went to the South Summit in Madrid. I remember telling a friend:
I wish I could understand how these investors work.
By October, things changed. I was selected for Included VC, a global fellowship. I was surrounded by people who spoke the language of venture —and believed I could, too.
“Great shoutout to Nikita! An absolutely shiny person that make this happens.”
From that moment, I started acting like an investor. Analyzing startups. Writing memos. Polishing my profile. Reaching out to GPs. I wasn’t waiting for permission anymore.
💥 Obsession & Opportunity
Jan 2025 – Feb 2025
By January, I was all in.
I quit my job. I gave myself no Plan B. I was going to land a VC role, whatever it took.
I have already applied to over 90 funds, interviewed with 18. Each rejection taught me something. Each step made me sharper. My network started working for me, people were now sending me roles.
Then, one day, a good friend sent me a WhatsApp. A VC fund in Barcelona was hiring. I had never heard of the opportunity, it hadn’t been shared publicly. It was shared internally… and now it was mine to earn.
I did my homework. Listened to every podcast where the GPs had spoken. Learned about their backgrounds, their values. One had a family business, just like me. Click.
In the interview, I sold myself like it was the last chance I had.
One week later… BOOM! Offer signed.
✍️ Reflections, tips and my advice
Looking back I can share some lessons that worked for me. I’m not going to tell you “do this”, it’s more about your mindset.
1. Visibility compounds.
Most people want to help, but they can’t help what they can’t see.
When I started writing my newsletter, sharing posts, and talking openly about my goal, something shifted.
I went from being a guy who wanted to break into VC… to someone others saw as being on that path. That perception shift made people think of me when opportunities came up. That’s when luck starts showing up more often.
Visibility doesn’t guarantee success, but I asure you invisibility guarantees obscurity 100% of the times.
2. Credibility is built before you’re hired.
When I started writing investment memos and posting startup analysis, I wasn’t “qualified” by any fund. But I was behaving like an investor. That matters.
It’s not about faking it. It’s about proving (to others and to yourself) that you can already operate at the level you aspire to. You don’t get good once you get the job. You get the job because you’re already good.
If you want to be in VC, think and act like a VC before anyone pays you for it.
3. Connections matter, but conviction matters more.
Yes, networking helped. But networking without conviction feels transactional and people sense that.
The turning point was when I stopped asking “how do I get into VC?” and started asking “how can I be valuable to this ecosystem?”
Every coffee chat, every event, every message had more energy behind it. Because I wasn’t there to impress. I was there to learn, share, and contribute, and that shift changed everything!
You don’t need to know everyone, but you need to leave a strong impression on the few who matter.
4. Know when to go all in.
I didn’t start obsessed, I grew into it. But once I saw the fit, I knew I had to fully commit.
Quitting my job was the most uncomfortable but freeing move I made. Suddenly, every hour counted. Every interaction, every application had intent behind it.
When you stop giving yourself a Plan B, Plan A becomes non-negotiable.
But —and this is important— go all in only when you’ve done the deep work.
The risk should feel bold, not reckless.
Work on your why. VC is not just “cool.” It’s demanding, competitive, and ambiguous. You need a deep reason to stay in the game when it gets tough.
5. Don’t expect linear progress.
I had moments of complete doubt. Weeks where nothing moved. Interviews where I thought, this is the one… and silence followed.
Momentum in this process isn’t always visible. Sometimes the dots only connect in hindsight and you can only see that after x months; and even not see it at all.
Every rejected application, every awkward cold DM, every “close but not quite” interview, they all sharpened the version of me that eventually did get the offer.
Progress is often invisible right before it becomes undeniable.
What I learned beyond the hustle
Breaking into venture capital isn’t just about luck or knowing the right people. It’s a test of self-awareness, patience, and resilience.
Early on, I realized the ecosystem values authenticity and commitment over superficial hustle. People can tell when you’re genuinely curious versus when you’re just checking a box.
I also learned that visibility breeds opportunity, not because you boast, but because sharing your journey creates connections. Vulnerability, like admitting you’re still figuring things out, makes you relatable and opens doors you didn’t even know existed.
Finally, rejection isn’t failure, it’s the best feedback you can get. Every “no” refined my approach, sharpened my story (and my WHY), and clarified my purpose. The key is to keep moving forward, learning, and showing up with authenticity.
Trust the process
If you’re trying to break into VC (or chasing any hard goal), remember this:
👉 The only person who truly needs to believe in you is you.
The other things will follow.
Embrace the discomfort, the unknown, and the imperfect moments, they’re shaping you for something bigger.
Doors will close and you’ll get ghosted lots of times. You’ll doubt yourself. But if you keep learning, keep showing up, keep refining your craft, eventually, the right door opens.
Be visible, be consistent, and be patient.
And when your moment comes?
You’ll be ready.