Comparison · 12 material differences
Endeavor vs Kauffman Fellows
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Leadership network
Verified September 2026 Endeavor
Founders of high-growth, scale-up stage companies headquartered outside the largest developed startup markets
Leadership network
Kauffman Fellows
Working venture capital investors — typically partner-level GPs, emerging fund founders, LPs and corporate venture investors — who already deploy capital
What the records say
- Role or title — Endeavor: No published role or title; Kauffman Fellows: Working venture investor — direct VC investor, emerging or established GP, LP, corporate VC or ecosystem contributor.
- Minimum company revenue — Endeavor: Most candidates in the selection process have US$500,000 to US$10 million in annual revenue; Kauffman Fellows: No published minimum company revenue.
- Geographic restriction — Endeavor: Main operations or headquarters must be based in an Endeavor market; Kauffman Fellows: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues — Endeavor: No membership dues are published; Endeavor is a non-profit funded by donors and by Endeavor Catalyst rather than by entrepreneur fees.; Kauffman Fellows: Not publicly disclosed — the organization does not publish alumni society dues, if any.
Side by side
| Endeavor | Kauffman Fellows | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Leadership network | Leadership network |
| Founded | 1997 (Founded by Linda Rottenberg and Peter Kellner in 1997.) | 1995 (Started inside the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 1995; spun out as an independent organization in 2000 and run by the Center for Venture Education) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Palo Alto, United States |
| Geographic footprint | 42 market offices across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States and Canada | Fellows in 62 countries across six continents; in-person modules and treks rotate between global locations |
| Members | 2,900as of September 2026 | 1,060as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 42 | 11 |
| Primary audience | Founders of high-growth, scale-up stage companies headquartered outside the largest developed startup markets | Working venture capital investors — typically partner-level GPs, emerging fund founders, LPs and corporate venture investors — who already deploy capital |
| Typical member | Endeavor Entrepreneurs are founders of companies that have found product-market fit and are scaling. Endeavor states that most entrepreneurs entering its selection process have between US$500,000 and US$10 million in annual revenue, and that the average three-year compound annual growth rate across its entrepreneurs exceeds 100 per cent. | Recent classes are roughly 86% direct VC investors, 72% partner-level or above and 43% founders. Across the whole society, about 55–60% of Fellows are firm founders, roughly 80% are partner-level or above, and about one in three is female. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | No published role or title | Working venture investor — direct VC investor, emerging or established GP, LP, corporate VC or ecosystem contributorPartner-level or above is preferred but not stated as mandatory; 72% of a recent class were partner-level or higherverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | Most candidates in the selection process have US$500,000 to US$10 million in annual revenueEndeavor frames this as a description of typical candidates at the scale-up inflection point rather than a hard cut-off.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum company revenue |
| Geographic restriction | Main operations or headquarters must be based in an Endeavor market"Your main operations or HQ are based out of an Endeavor market." Endeavor invites diaspora founders from its markets to make contact even if this is not met.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | Sometimes | No |
| Sponsor required | No | Not documented |
| Application process | Founders complete a short form on the Endeavor site, choosing the local Endeavor office they wish to apply through. Local staff screen and, if the company fits, the founder enters a process of one-on-one mentorship and panel sessions. The process culminates in an International Selection Panel at which global business leaders, including existing Endeavor Entrepreneurs serving as panellists, interview candidates and deliberate before selecting. | Applications run on an annual class cycle. Step one is an online form that the organization estimates takes about an hour, submitted with an application fee. Step two is a set of video interviews with current Fellows. Step three is selection by an admissions committee. For the Class 31 cycle, interviews began in mid-February 2026 and acceptances went out in early April 2026. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. Endeavor publishes no acceptance rate; outside reporting has described the process as running roughly twelve to eighteen months. | Not publicly disclosed — Kauffman Fellows publishes detailed class composition data but no acceptance rate or applicant volume |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | No membership dues are published; Endeavor is a non-profit funded by donors and by Endeavor Catalyst rather than by entrepreneur fees.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed — the organization does not publish alumni society dues, if anyverified September 2026 |
| Programme fee | Endeavor publishes no fee schedule for entrepreneurs. Its stated funding model combines philanthropic support with Endeavor Catalyst, a rules-based co-investment fund that takes allocations in eligible rounds of selected companies. | $80,000 one-timeTuition for the full two-year programme, due before Module 1. Covers venues, meals, materials and mentoring; excludes transportation and lodging. Non-refundable and non-transferable. Limited needs-based scholarships are available.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Open-ended once selected; Endeavor Entrepreneurs remain in the network and are expected to mentor and serve as selection panellists | Two-year programme followed by lifelong membership of the Kauffman Fellows society |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Local and regional office programming, sector Vertical sessions, network gatherings and the year-long Endeavor Outliers cohort | Five four-day in-person modules, one Global Summit and two Global Treks over two years, plus roughly 24 virtual forum meetings; Special Interest Groups meet monthly for alumni |
| Peer forums | Local and regional entrepreneur communities anchored to the selecting office, plus sector-based Verticals | Class members meet in virtual Forum groups roughly twice a month during the programme; alumni join topic-based Special Interest Groups and regional chapters |
| Confidentiality | Endeavor describes itself as a "Network of Trust" and states that it safeguards founders' interests; no written confidentiality policy is published | Could not be independently verified — no published confidentiality policy was found |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Approximately 20–25 days over the two-year programme, per the application details page |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused | Cohort-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | Not documented | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Yes | Yes |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Family programming | No | Not documented |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | Partial |
| Philanthropic component | No | Not documented |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Endeavor · Kauffman Fellows