Is undergrad startup internship helpful for future VC recruiting?
Hey guys,
I am an international student currently doing my 2nd year at a LAC. I have several offers for this summer and I am only considering two options.
a) a tech start-up internship in NYC
b) BB back in my country (Asia)
While my goal is to work at a BB in the US after undergrad, I am also very interested in business roles at start-ups and VCs. I understand it's difficult to get a VC job right out of undergrad so I am wondering which option would be better. Which internship offer should I take? Thanks
start up, if in nyc, will help you land a job in nyc more
I would take what you plan on doing in the future. Since you said, your goal is BB; then, go for BB in your home country. Next year, try to get an internship at BB in NYC, London, Chicago, or some financial center; and, after graduation you should be able to land a BB job. After 2-3 years at BB, you can switch to any industry and do whatever, or you will be able to launch even your own startup or be a partner of a startup.
Totally depends on the startup. Uber is a startup, but so is my friend's fuckup younger brother's "company." The quality of the opportunity can vary quite a lot. I would say categorically that you haven't given enough information about either opportunity (is the BB for IB?), but if your goal is BB IB -> VC, then I would rank the range of possible opportunities as follows:
1.) Name brand startup (Series C or later w/ major VC investors) in a product role. 2.) Foreign BB in a front office role.
(big gap)
3.) Name brand startup in a strategy or bus dev role (partnerships, etc.). 4.) Name brand startup in a finance or operational role. 5.) No-name startup in a product role. 6.) Foreign BB in back office role.
(big gap)
7.) Other roles at a no-name startup.
Can you explain why the start-up focus should be on a product role? What makes that different from strategy or business development if the long term goal is VC
Took an internship abroad at a tech startup, possible to break in to VC after this is over? (Originally Posted: 10/20/2015)
Just a quick background of myself:
-Attended a non-target in the US in a big city with a low GPA (3.16) with a BSc in Finance -3 years of FP&A experience, a.k.a. not relevant -no relevant internships during my time at school
I took an opportunity at a tech startup based in Hong Kong that's launching an app in India, for India. Anyways, I was fortunate enough to come in at the end of the startup's seed funding and at the simultaneous middle of what they called their Pre-Series A funding. They say Pre-Series A because they got a VC fund to come in at the end of their seed round, the fund fell in love with the idea, and closed the funding deal with them. At the moment we are putting a halt on the funding and are focusing on product launch which happens in several weeks. After launch, the plan is to open up the next fundraising stage (which I hope I'm still here for), which is what they will call their Series A round.
Anyways, I guess what I'm asking is based on what I've told you, will any VC fund look at this experience as positive, with me being on the other end of it? Do I stand any sort of a chance?
Without knowing more, I'd say you stand a chance, but not a good one. It's going to depend a lot on the type of role, how you spin it, and how you generally present yourself. Unless your startup really hits it big and gets some great brand name recognition, you're just not the typical candidate VC firms are looking for.
The biggest thing you can do between now and whenever you want to get into VC is network. A lot. Get to know as many people as possible and form meaningful relationships. Not just with VC's, but with everyone in the Tech community, both in your geographical community and back in the States.
If you're asking if you can get into a decent US VC fund after this experience, I would be highly skeptical. I don't mean to be negative but most VC funds don't do a ton of hiring out of undergrad (or even bschool) anyway and if they do it's kids with absolute rock star credentials-Stanford/Harvard, incredible grades and internships/pre-MBA experience, STEM types with finance knowledge, etc. Try, ask the VC's you've worked with, but don't put all your eggs in that basket and spin your wheels.
Why not stay with this startup or parlay it into another company? Take this opportunity, work your balls off, add something to the team and make yourself valuable. And then if you don't/can't stay use the network you can develop there to get something else. If you're working in HK and there's an Indian app I'd imagine you have a link to HK or India so be geographically agnostic unless you really want the US. And there's a gigantic Indian presence in the Valley so work that angle.
If your goal is definitely VC try to get top notch industry experience and see if VC is an option or get into a top MBA program with that experience, but understand that getting into VC is very difficult. Tons of people want it and they come with incredible backgrounds. I'm not in VC but I know a decent amount of VC and senior tech people and I'd personally go for industry experience. But I'd be interested to hear from VC's.
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