Week 9 & 10: Working Towards the End Goal

I missed last week’s post, so this entry covers both Week 9 and Week 10.

Week 9

Week 9 was virtual since the Bright team was traveling, so I worked independently on my final presentation. I also had a meeting with Ciera, Bright’s Chief of Staff, to talk through how I could better use my survey results in the presentation. Since the response count was lower than I originally hoped, we discussed how to convey the information I did collect in the most specific and meaningful way possible. It was a helpful conversation and I realized that sometimes a smaller dataset forces you to be more precise and intentional with how you present your findings, rather than relying on volume alone. Alongside that, I spent time preparing for my dry run and continuing to work on my final paper, so that by the time Week 10 came around I felt ready.

Week 10

Week 10 was my last week with Bright Ventures. I did a dry run of my final presentation with the team, and the feedback was encouraging. They told me I presented well, and their main suggestion was to add more visuals to help the audience follow along. A lot of what I’m presenting involves frameworks and comparisons that are much easier to understand when you can see them rather than just hear about them.

I also continued working on my research paper and am very close to finishing it. Both the presentation and the paper just need some finishing touches before they are ready.

Looking back on the past ten weeks, this experience has shaped how I think about venture capital and AI. I came in with a research question and left with an answer, built from frameworks I developed, startups I researched, investors I surveyed, and conversations I had with professionals who do this work every day. I’m grateful to everyone at Bright Ventures for the opportunity and for pushing my thinking throughout the process.

More updates to come as I finalize everything!