Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Talent

Level up with Jenny do Forno, Chief People Officer at TouchBistro — a talent leader deeply embedded in venture-backed scaling companies.

Join this 6-week, 30-hour program that delivers the strategies, structures, and cultural frameworks you need to shape high-performance teams in high-growth environments. Learn how to attract, engage, and scale talent, while crafting a strong culture that supports rapid scaling.

Jenny brings over 20 years of experience leading HR initiatives across fintech, startups, and high-growth firms — and she’ll share what truly works inside venture-backed organizations. Read more about Jenny here.

Limited scholarships available.

Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Talent

Enrol Now

Fees: $4,520

Length: 30 hours of study over 6 weeks

Next Session: October 20, 2025 to
November 24, 2025

Location:
Online

Download Brochure

Talk to an Advisor

Enrol Now

Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Talent

Download Brochure

Talk to an Advisor

Enrol Now

Programs
Schulich Masterclass Certificate in Venture Talent

Get a Backstage Pass to the Tips and Tricks
of the Venture Talent Industry With Jenny do Forno

Are you a founder or startup leader looking to scale your team effectively — or Talent, People, and Culture leader accelerating growth in a fast-moving environment? In this Masterclass, you’ll master core people-leader skills like building your employment brand, establishing performance cultures, and embedding accountability frameworks. You’ll also engage in candid conversations around legal and ethical talent decisions unique to startups & scaleups.

Beyond frameworks, you’ll connect directly with Jenny and collaborate with a cohort of peers — founders, operators, and talent professionals — who are navigating growth-stage challenges just like you.

The Schulich Venture Scholars Program

Each cohort, there are a limited number of students who are accepted as Schulich Venture Scholars. This scholarship empowers high-potential venture leaders to access SVA’s programming. Ideal for founders and executives driving innovation, the program supports those committed to scaling ventures with impact.

Special Partner Scholarship: A limited number of full-tuition Venture Talent scholarships are made available through our partner GuruLink, providing select participants the opportunity to join at no cost.

Want to know if you are eligible for one of our limited Venture Scholar spots? Contact Shivam Sharma, Assistant Director, to learn more.

Email: ssharm16@schulich.yorku.ca

Cell: (647) 779-3083

Get Training in Marketable Skills

Culture Building

Employee Engagement

Performance Management

Talent Acquisition

Employer Value Proposition

This program is truly one-of-a-kind, where we dive deep into the intricacies of talent development in the competitive world of startups and venture capital. This course cuts through all the HR speak and talks about the real, tried, and true strategies that help startups and fast-growing scaleups thrive.

Jenny do Forno

Program Director

4 Reasons to Enrol

Strategic Talent Leadership

Learn from Jenny do Forno, a seasoned Chief People Officer in venture-backed growth environments, via flexible live or on-demand sessions.

Differentiated Culture Skills

Build operational-ready, people-first systems that support scale, and elevate your venture’s performance through cultural clarity.

Learn from the Pros

Gain frameworks grounded in real-world talent practice inside high-growth companies, guided by Jenny’s two decades of leadership experience.

Expand Your Strategic Network

Join a curated community of founders, executives, and ecosystem leaders. Build relationships that drive opportunities, collaborations, and venture growth.

Who Will Benefit

Startup Founders & Team Leads

Get the tools and talent frameworks to build culture intentionally, hire effectively, and keep your lean team high-performing during critical growth phases.

Growth-Stage People Ops Leaders

Strengthen your people systems with practical strategies for retention, performance culture, employer branding, and ethical talent practices.

Ecosystem Enablers & Advisors

Gain Silicon-aligned people-practice literacy to better mentor startups, advise on growth teams, and connect high-growth ventures with strategic people solutions.

What Difference Will You Make?

As the co-founder of a company approaching its scale stage, the knowledge I’ve gained in the Venture Talent class was absolutely invaluable. The insights on hiring, nurturing, and retaining talent – as well as building a high-performance culture – will save me from multiple mistakes I was on the path to making.

While Jenny’s encyclopedic knowledge and deep expertise in the field are certainly world class, I was delighted by how astute, experienced and informed my classmates were. I – and by extension, my team – couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to grow through Schulich Venture Academy.

- Shay Nulman Co-Founder & CFO at Mantaro

I highly recommend the Venture Talent course at Schulich for anyone who wants to excel in people management and culture building. The course, led by the highly experienced Jenny do Forno, provided invaluable insights on building a robust company culture and effective talent development – which plays a critical role in any company’s success. It directly impacted how I lead and grow my team now.

- Gaurav Madani Co-Founder & Chief Revenue Officer at RealSage

The Schulich Venture Academy’s Venture Talent program was an incredible experience. Jenny’s vast knowledge and expertise in HR, combined with her ability to create a safe and open learning environment, made the course truly unique. The diverse group of participants, including both HR professionals and startup founders, provided invaluable perspectives and a true sense of community.

I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to gain a deep understanding of HR in the startup context and learn from a top-notch instructor and stellar pool of guest speakers!

- Tatiana Garcia Loth Startup HR Specialist

Program Overview

An overview of talent management and its importance in a startup environment.
Develop a recruitment strategy that aligns with your company’s goals and values and helps supercharge your Talent pipeline.
Understand the importance of company culture on employee engagement and how to make it your secret weapon in keeping your most important talent.
Learn how to get the best out of your people and how to set performance expectations and goals. Create a culture of feedback and communication.
Navigate the many legal and ethical considerations involved in HR leadership roles in a startup.
Wrap up the major themes of the program and focus on key trends and considerations for the future of work. Explore how to successfully anticipate and build for the future.
Celebrate your program graduation with Program Instructor Jenny do Forno, Senior Leaders in the Venture Ecosystem and Leaders from the Schulich Startups Community. An opportunity to make in-person connections with top professionals and network for future job opportunities. Hosted in downtown Toronto at Schulich ExecEd.

Fall 2025