Chatting early-stage with founders, checking deals and working closely with teams on investments across Europe – all of this makes up one of the most sought-after jobs in the startup scene: that of the so-called investment analyst or associate in venture capital. In Germany, these entry-level jobs are rare and at the same time hotly contested among the top VCs. The industry is small and the number of positions is limited.
At Cherry Ventures, there are over 600 applicants for such a job advertisement in Berlin, according to an inquiry from Gründerszene. Cherry Ventures is one of the leading early-stage investors in Europe and supports a selection of the continent’s most ambitious founders. Cherry typically gets involved very early, from the pre-seed to the seed phase, and accompanies startups through the first steps of building a company. The VC has now invested in more than 130 startups across Europe, such as Flix, Bottle Post, Amboss, Swap, Dash0, Proxima Fusion and Tacto.
600 applications – but only one wins the race
But: Only a fraction of applicants for a job as an analyst/associate are even invited to an interview. Ultimately, only one person can win the coveted job.
Victor Huerbe knows what VCs look for when applying, how the selection process works and what is important during the interview. He is a principal at Cherry Ventures and is responsible for investments in B2B and B2C software throughout the DACH region. This means: From his location in Berlin, he travels a lot in the DACH region to discover and support new startups.
