Achieving entrepreneurial success outside of Silicon Valley was a top theme at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit held at Stanford University in 2016. Revolution’s Rise of the Rest, a nationwide platform and seed fund, has been committed to making it much more than a theme since its founding two years earlier by CEO and Chairman of Revolution, and Co-founder of AOL, Steve Case.
The fund which invests in early-stage technology-enabled businesses with the potential to disrupt major industries has made 207 investments to date, according to Crunchbase. Of those, 86 were diversity investments and overall there have been 15 exits. The $150 million Rise of the Rest Seed Fund was followed by Seed Fund II with another $150 million.
Now building off those investments, Revolution is hosting a Virtual Career Fair to publicize the 1,000 plus positions now open at startups across the country—outside of New York, Boston and the Valley. Over seventy percent of the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund portfolio experienced increased headcount during the past 12 months that are located across 50+ cities—presenting great opportunities for job seekers.
From June 22-24, 2021 job seekers will join a virtual Tech Talent Tour to learn about startup job opportunities as well as be introduced to startups’ leadership who are actively seeking talent. The Tour will include Clubhouse conversations with those leaders from 16 cities and a virtual career fair offering connections with hiring managers.
With the pandemic solidifying remote working, tech talent can be found almost anywhere. Emerging tech hubs in smaller cities can now tap into a much broader pool of candidates as well as startups. A recent report published by Upwork titled, “Future Workforce Pulse Report,” indicated that the number of remote workers is expected to double by 2025.
“As a founder, building the right team is paramount to success,” said Case. “Yet we often hear from entrepreneurs and startup ecosystem builders, in cities outside the coastal tech hubs, about the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent. The pandemic, however, has the potential to redefine how and where people work. We see the Tech Talent Tour as bringing together those interested in life and employment outside of Silicon Valley with startup opportunity.”
Companies and organizations that specialize in educating, training (and retraining), and supporting individuals through an individual’s career are a big part of the event’s agenda. They are: 2U, Inc., AnitaB.org, InHerSight, Powderkeg, Purpose Jobs, and Valence. Attendees have the option to submit resumes, ask questions, and discuss qualifications.
Tech Talent Tour Agenda
June 22nd – City Spotlights (Revolution’s Startups Across America Club on the Clubhouse App)
12:00pm – 1:00pm ET: Chicago, Northwest Arkansas, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Indianapolis
3:00pm – 4:00pm ET: St. Louis, Detroit, Baltimore, Denver
June 23rd – City Spotlights (Revolution’s Startups Across America Club on the Clubhouse App)
12:00pm – 1:00pm ET: Austin, Phoenix, Lincoln-Omaha, Madison
3:00pm – 4:00pm ET: Dallas, Miami, Salt Lake City-Provo, Atlanta
June 24th – Virtual Career Fair with Intro from Steve Case & Guests (link available upon registration)
12:00pm – 12:30pm ET: Intro session
12:30pm – 2:00pm ET: Career Fair Session #1
2:30pm – 4:00pm ET: Career Fair Session
The city spotlight conversations on Clubhouse will cover a range of startup, political, and cultural leaders.
“Rise of the Rest is committed to accelerating and encouraging more diverse startup communities,” said Anna Mason, Managing Partner at Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund. “These tour partners will allow us to bring together a pool of job seekers that is reflective of our country to help support the growth of inclusive startup communities.”
