The Lightspeed Scout Program brings together exceptional entrepreneurs, future investors, and operators, to advance their skills and track record as early-stage investors. Lightspeed supports Scouts with capital, programming, and community. Scouts work with Lightspeed Partners and their fellow Scouts to invest in aspiring entrepreneurs in their network and build their personal investment strategy.
The Scout Representation Initiative
The incoming 2020 Lightspeed Scout Program will bring together people from Black, Latinx, Indigenous and Pacific Islander communities who will receive support and capital as they join the venture industry.
Our aspiration is that the Lightspeed Scout Program’s renewed focus and commitment to representation will inspire the future leaders of venture.
Over the years, the Lightspeed Scout Program has demonstrated that diverse participation is instrumental to reaching founders of URM backgrounds. After joining our Lightspeed Scout program in 2018, LaDante McMillon and Ivan Alo went on to launch their own fund, New Age Capital, and 2019 Lightspeed Scout Monique Woodard went on to launch Cake Ventures. They’ve gone on to invest in companies such as Oui the People, The Coven, Encantos Media Studios, and HealNow.
We are inspired by the impact investors like LaDante, Ivan and Monique have had on cultivating and funding diverse founders. We hope our Scout program will continue to inspire the future leaders of venture, and examples like LaDante, Ivan and Monique will become the norm.
Lightspeed Partners Mercedes Bent and Barry Eggers will lead the 2020 Lightspeed Scout program with a renewed focus and commitment to representation.
Get In Touch
To express interest in our Lightspeed Scout Program, please enter your information in the interest form below. Interest form intake for our 2020 cohort will close on July 3rd
Monique Woodard
The Program
Scout programming includes an onboarding program, regular check-ins with your Lightspeed Investor, and opportunities to review deals and trends as a cohort.
Led by Investors, Lightspeed’s onboarding program dives deep into the fundamentals of early-stage investing: Sourcing and networking, prioritizing opportunities, supporting founders, building a personal brand, and more.
