Industry Professionals, Academics, and Students to Come Together at Leading Alternative Investment Conference on January 31, 2026

Keynote speakers include Mar Hershenson, Pear VC; Joshua Kushner, Thrive Capital; Kim Lew, Columbia Investment Management Company; Verdun Perry, Blackstone; and Craig Packer, Blue Owl Capital.

The Venture Capital & Private Equity Club, the largest student club at Harvard Business School, will hold the 32nd annual VCPE Conference on Saturday, January 31, 2026, on the Harvard Business School campus in Boston.

The conference will feature prominent keynote speakers known for their thought leadership and expertise in venture capital and private equity. These include Mar Hershenson, Pear VC; Joshua Kushner, Thrive Capital; Kim Lew, Columbia Investment Management Company; Verdun Perry, Blackstone; and Craig Packer, Blue Owl Capital.

Featuring more than 20 panels and 90+ partners and principals from nationally renowned private equity and venture capital firms, HBS’s VCPE conference continues to maintain itself as one of the nation’s leading alternative asset conferences. The conference will include panels on timely trends, including AI in VC, AI in PE, Crypto & FinTech, and The LP Perspective. Additional panels include Real Estate, Private Credit, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Infrastructure & Energy Transition, and Recruitment in PE.

“Featuring distinguished keynote speakers and timely discussion-driving panel sessions, the 32nd annual VCPE is poised to deliver leading insights into the rapidly evolving private equity and venture capital landscape. Each year, the conference serves as a singular forum through which students gain direct exposure to prominent VC and PE practitioners, while allowing industry professionals to engage with the exceptionally talented individuals who will lead the next generation of the field,” said John Dionne, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School and Faculty Chair of the VCPE Conference.

“Students look forward to the VCPE Conference throughout the year because it offers rare access to industry thought leaders. They are excited to dive into timely topics, explore emerging trends across VC and PE, and gain insights on what it takes to become the professionals who will shape the industry’s future. We want to thank our speakers, sponsors, faculty chair Professor Dionne, and the entire VCPE Conference team for helping to create such an opportune and exciting event,” said conference Co-Presidents Jay Nam, Rahi Punjabi, and Talha Minhas (HBS ’26).

Sponsors for this year’s event are Ropes & Gray, Simpson Thacher, Kirkland & Ellis, Fried Frank, Akin, Mosaic, Freshfields, Clifford Chance, Dechert, Carta, IncQuery, and Atlantic.

To view the conference agenda and the complete list of panel discussion topics and speakers, please visit www.thevcpeconference.com.

To purchase tickets, please visit: http://vcpe26.eventbrite.com/

Additional Information

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