By: Kelly Goldstein 

As summer draws to a close, we are celebrating the successful completion of our first full-time Summer MBA Fellowship program. Although our two exceptional fellows, Alyssa Tsenter from Harvard Business School and Austin Cai from Yale School of Management, are returning to their studies, they will continue to work with us part-time during the academic year. 

We recently sat down with Alyssa and Austin to capture aspects of their journeys to share with aspiring VCs. To learn more about the 53 Stations Fellowship please contact us at info@53stations.com, or if you’re ready to get involved, please apply to our fall cohort*.

From Sector Professionals to Venture Capital: A Natural Progression

We believe that diverse backgrounds bring essential perspectives to early-stage investing. Alyssa’s journey from healthcare consulting to VC highlights this perfectly. “Working with pharma incumbents taught me so much, but they are slow-moving and bureaucratic,” Alyssa reflected. “I knew I wanted to get in earlier, look at many different companies, find opportunities for innovation and value creation, and move quickly.”

Austin’s path demonstrates the value of combining technical know-how with entrepreneurial experience. His transition from software engineering to founding a real estate business during the pandemic gave him a unique founder’s perspective. “I realized I could combine within venture my experience as a founder and my technical background to help build enduring companies,” Austin said.

Alyssa and Austin have also applied their unique skill sets to expand our firm’s reach and efficiency. Alyssa has been instrumental in evaluating healthtech deals and developing our fund’s construction tech thesis. “There are more overlaps between the construction and healthcare industries than you’d imagine, principally labor shortages and the struggle of legacy tech,” she said.

Austin has focused on enhancing our operational efficiency through AI-driven automations. “We’re using AI to strengthen and speed up deal sourcing, due diligence, communications, and overall processes so we can focus more on what we do well,” he explains. This innovative approach underscores our commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in VC operations.

The 53 Stations Difference: Deep Industry Connections and Founder Alignment

We are dedicated to thoroughly understanding the industries we invest in, leveraging our partnership with The Pritzker Organization (TPO) to bring extensive industry expertise and a robust network of operators to support our early-stage companies. Alyssa emphasized, “That connection to TPO is extremely valuable – I don’t think there are many firms who can create such strong connections for founders to large established companies in their industry, often as customers and advisors.”

Austin appreciates our unique mission and structure. “One LP, a smaller team, and a firm not only dedicated to building, but building the right way. Everyone here shares a similar ethos,” he said, highlighting the alignment of values within our team.

Advice for Aspiring VCs: Proactivity and Hypothesis Testing

For those considering a career in venture capital, our fellows stressed the importance of proactivity and self-directed learning. Alyssa advised, “Create hypotheses for yourself and test them,” while Austin encouraged aspiring VCs, “Don’t be afraid to proactively figure things out on your own.”

Alyssa and Austin’s experiences at 53 Stations demonstrate our commitment to nurturing talent from varied backgrounds and fostering an environment where unique perspectives can thrive. As the venture capital landscape continues to evolve, we believe that prioritizing multifaceted thinking and deep industry connections positions us well to identify and support the next generation of groundbreaking startups.

The continuation of Alyssa and Austin’s involvement with us throughout the academic year is a testament to the mutual value of our fellowship program and our dedication to cultivating long-term relationships with outstanding talent. We look forward to seeing how their continued contributions will shape our firm and the startups we support in the coming months.

---

*Interested in joining our MBA Fellows Program? Apply here. Applications for the upcoming cohort – a 10-week, part-time, remote program kicking off in October – will close Sunday, September 15, 2024.