Hey everyone,

Welcome to the first newsletter of the new year! 🎉
As we step into 2026, we’re feeling energized by fresh opportunities, renewed momentum in venture, and the growing strength of the Girls Into VC community. This week’s note is all about opportunities opening up with GIVC and highlighting a few recent deals.

Below is a quick agenda so you know what’s inside.

This week’s agenda

• Opportunities with GIVC

• VC deals that just closed

• A short note to close

Applications are open!

We’re opening applications across Programs, Mentorship, and Regional Leadership opportunities for students and career professionals across the VC ecosystem.

Programs

All applications are due by Jan 10 at 11:59pm EST!

Fellowship (Feb 4–Apr 8, 5-7 hours per week)

• Our flagship 10-week program has brought together 80+ alumni from 50+ schools and featured speakers from Bessemer Venture Partners, Pear VC, Neo, Stripes, Alumni Ventures, Redpoint, and more.

• You’ll build a foundation in sourcing, diligence, term sheets, and portfolio support — while joining a supportive community of peers and mentors.

VC Externship (Feb 2–Mar 28, 10 hrs/week)

• Gain hands-on experience learning from and contributing to leading VC firms.

• Projects include writing and presenting investment memos, sourcing companies and markets, conducting diligence and research, supporting portfolio strategy, and more!

Startup Externship (Feb 2–Mar 28, 10 hrs/week)

• Work directly with female-led startups like Upskill, Spring Cash, and Inside Athletics on milestone-driven projects advancing growth, GTM strategy, market research, and content creation.

Who can apply? Female-identifying college students and recent graduates (Fellowship: US & Canada; Externships: work-eligible in US)

Mentorship Opportunities

Mentors and Mentees, Apply by Jan 10 at 11:59pm EST!

• Program logistics: 12-week cohort (Feb 6–Apr 24) with bi-weekly or monthly 30–45 minute Zoom or phone meetings, scheduled by the mentee.

• Four mentorship tracks: Pick the one best for you!

  • VC & Finance Recruiting — recruiting strategy, interviews, and networking

  • Career Navigation & Transitions — non-linear paths and pivots into VC

  • Founder Path — early-stage building, fundraising basics, and go-to-market

  • “Big Sister” Mentorship — exposure and confidence-building for newcomers (high schoolers and early undergrads)

Who can apply? Interested mentors and mentees globally (mentees: early-career professionals, undergraduates, or first-time founders; mentors: experienced VC, startup, or tech professionals)

GIVC Executive Team Regional Leads Position

Apply by Jan 10 at 11:59pm EST!

• This is an executive team position! We’re recruiting passionate team members to grow GIVC’s presence through city-based events and partnerships in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.

• Support the local GIVC chapter by organizing events, building relationships with venture firms, startups, and universities and connecting talent to GIVC.

• Time commitment: 10–15 hours per month from January–June 2026 (with opportunity to continue).

Who can apply? College freshmen and beyond based in target cities.

Want to learn more about GIVC? Read our report here.

🔥 Recent VC Deals

Medra — $52M Series A
AI-powered lab robotics startup Medra raised $52M to automate scientific experimentation, signaling growing momentum in physical AI and research infrastructure.

Quantum Art — $100M Series A
Quantum computing startup Quantum Art closed a $100M round to advance scalable trapped-ion systems, highlighting continued investor conviction in deep tech.

Airwallex — $330M Series G
Global fintech Airwallex raised $330M to expand its cross-border payments platform, reinforcing demand for financial infrastructure at scale.

Spark Cleantech — €30M Series A
Spark Cleantech secured €30M to scale its hydrogen-from-methane technology, underscoring strong year-end interest in industrial climate solutions.

💗 A Closing Note

A new year doesn’t require a complete reinvention — just intentional steps forward. Whether your goal is breaking into VC, exploring startups, or simply learning more about the ecosystem, we’re grateful you’re here and building alongside us.

Here’s to momentum, curiosity, and community in 2026.

With excitement for what’s ahead,
The Girls Into VC Team 💗