Nurturing Tomorrow’s VC Leaders

Kauffman Fellows CEO Fernando Fabre

By Bob Gulla
May 2024

It’s impossible to comprehend what happened in 2018,” says Fernando Fabre. “Billions of dollars came pouring in, more than the industry had ever seen. Between 2017 and 2022, the party was fantastic, a blast!”

That chapter came to an end when Silicon Valley Bank, the so-called “financial partner of the innovation economy,” failed. But every crisis makes way for opportunity, and that’s exactly what Fabre, the freshly minted CEO of Kauffman Fellows, is reaching for. “I can’t think of a better time to focus on the direction of the venture capital industry than right now,” he says.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Kauffman Fellows mission focuses on finding and supporting the best and most promising leaders in the venture capital industry. Kauffman Fellows are selected through a highly competitive process and participate in a two-year fellowship program aimed at cultivating leadership, innovation and collaboration within the global venture capital community.

Fabre is in the unique position of helping to redefine how an important segment of the venture capital industry operates. Kauffman Fellows’ two-year program trains its participants to connect diverse individuals, innovative businesses, and the capital that will bring that innovation to life. After graduation, Fellows remain deeply engaged in the program’s mission, offering ongoing support and mentoring to other cohorts, as well as guidance for entrepreneurs and VC firms. 

“Currently,” Fabre admits, “VC is not thought of as a great profession. There’s this perception that VCs manage money, throw it at entrepreneurs, sit back, collect big checks and buy yachts.”


But Fabre is ready to alter that perception. “We want people to understand the impact that VC-funded innovations have on the world. We’re at a crossroads in the industry, and I’m excited to have this opportunity at this particular time.”

Consuelo Valverde, the Founder and Managing Partner of Endurance28, is a Kauffman Fellow, Class 19. “The Kauffman Fellows Program has been a transformative journey for me,” she says. “It has truly enriched my professional and personal life. The bonds I formed with my classmates have become deep, enduring friendships that transcend any geographical boundaries.”

Consuelo met Fabre when he was the Managing Director of Endeavor Mexico, a highly-regarded global community of, by and for high-impact entrepreneurs. “He has an extensive background in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and global ecosystem development, not to mention the leadership experience and vision for fostering innovation on a global scale,” she says. “He contributed tremendously to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mexico.”

It’s this combination of experience in both education and entrepreneurship, along with the requisite time spent in venture capital, that makes Fabre (Kauffman Fellow, Class 14) a natural for this leadership position. “I still can’t believe that it all came together like this,” he says. “At least on paper, it looks great! I’ll have to execute of course, but I’m ready for that.”