Venture capital internships
Hey guys,
I'm sure this question has been asked but I couldn't find it. I'm a junior at a small MN school. In MN we don't really have any major VC firms so placement coordinators at my school don't know much. I'm looking for a VC internship, and I've done my homework so I know their rare but I'm very determined. I currently have an internship at a wealth management firm so I would be looking for something summer 2013.
So where are these internships usually posted? Where should I look? Who should I call? I've gone through the job boards I usually use and I can't find much. Also, I'm obviously willing to re-locate because I understand there isn't much in MN. Any pointers or tips you guys have would also be appreciated.
Thanks guys!
Four points
1) Contact as many alumni as you can to learn about their paths and see who they can hook you up with.
2) Most VCs are in NYC and San-Fran/Palo Alto Area
3) Determination is commendable but it is moronic to have your sight set on something you barely understand in a field you have little to no experience with. Trust me all the articles you read barely shed light on the VC world. In addition, you haven't experienced the rest of the finance industry - why VC???
4) There is a paucity of spots for non-targets at VC firms, there are a paucity of spots for targets so get cracking and start networking!
VC internship in undergrad. Small Minnesota school. This is rich. I love this.
The kid is even willing to relocate! Go kid!
+1 for the SAT word. I don't think I've ever yet heard anyone use "paucity" in lieu of "scarcity".
For the OP, I'm assuming you go to a relatively selective school in MN like Carleton College, so you should have some alumni lurking around the industry. Start making connections as soon as possible. Coming from a small school is actually a gift in that regard, what alumni you have will be more likely to help you. Odds are you're going to have to volunteer your time, although of course you should apply to formal internship programs if you happen to come across them.
At the end of the day, don't let your "determination" cloud your judgement. Make sure to get a solid internship experience this coming in summer, whether in finance, consulting, VC, whatever it may be. The most common route to VC is entrepreneurship/startup experience so if that doesn't sound like you, make sure you hedge your bets in finance. Cheers,
IG
Obviously he didn't do very wall on the writing section either. Lol, are or is? Pick one for the grader's comprehension part of the test.
This is a tough goal, but why not go for it. Not to demoralize you but the 2 current interns at my fund are both top 10 MBA students, and those are unpaid positions. Just and fyi.
I'd take the advice of those above and spend the next 2 months going for it. BB internship apps for IB, S&T, ect will close early december. Make sure you get a good 5-10 internship apps in to these programs. You need to make sure, no matter what, you get a solid junior/senior summer internship, even if it isn't VC.
Best of luck.
Relevant internships for VC (Originally Posted: 03/20/2015)
Hi, i'm a sophomore hoping to break into VC at a junior level after graduation, and I would like to know what kind of internships would be relevant for breaking into VC, or that are noteworthy by "VC standards". Currently I have 2 unconfirmed offers for a summer internship with a young company/start-up that has been around for less than 3 years in business development, I would be doing marketing, sales, operations, basically it is a flexible gig that allows me to do whatever I want after I explore all the roles. The second offer would be less flexible, doing business research for an SME. Basically I could learn more about research skills and financial modelling, and more technical skills that are related to finance.
Would interning at a start-up/ young company and getting your hands dirty be more relevant in the VC context, or would the more conventional kind of internship be more highly regarded due to the technical skills that I pick up? What internships do VCs actually look for in a candidate? This would be my first internship, probably going to do 1 or 2 more before I graduate but I would like to take a step in the right direction.
Thanks!
I think you're definitely on the right track interning at a startup in a BD role this summer. I'm currently wrapping up my junior year and will be interning at a top tier VC in SF this upcoming summer. I spent last summer in a very similar role at a seed stage fintech startup and not only was it great experience, but it also helped me secure my VC internship.
Thanks for your reply, can i just ask if the nature of the business at the start-up actually matters? I will not be interning at a fintech startup, or anything related to finance. Also, could you share how you managed to secure the VC internship?
By the way, the poster above that mentioned Bay Area and NYC is a bit off. There is really more VC activity in Boston than NYC. Austin is another market to check out. There are some small MN based firms, and those will really be your best bet. This article mentions a few:
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/print-edition/2012/07/06/vc-fundi…
Venture Capital SA Positions? (Originally Posted: 12/22/2012)
Any VCs currently recruiting for SA positions for next summer? I've heard BVP and IVP sometimes take SAs, but I haven't heard anything this year. I also know there are several smaller shops that hire SAs but don't hire back for full-time, but I'm primarily focused on going somewhere with an opportunity to get a return offer.
Thanks.
I think you definitely need to aim lower in terms of VC caliber - and you probably need some kind of edge that a regular banker/consultant can't bring. 1 kid I know did it by publishing an industry magazine and now covers that sector at a VC fund. Another had sold his start up when he was a sophomore in college. I would probably focus on VC funds that recently spunout of a larger brand name. They probably have a strong team but still need analyst support
Also, this:
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/feature/the-7-venture-capital-fir…
Summer Internship - VC (Originally Posted: 12/25/2012)
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I think its a bit early. Most venture cap firms have veteran entrepreneurs and business people who have the business sense to know how to invest. If you are from Stanford why don't you try to get a start-up in the Valley and try for a VC internship the summer after.
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I think both would look great although there are so many established start ups and CS is in such big demand that I'm sure you can find something if you really tried and networked. I just wish I had that opportunity. I'm a senior a Dartmouth so it's straight into banking for me, too bad. If there's one advice I'd give you is that if you are a sophomore you can always do banking in your third or heck your senior year coming from Stanford, take chances and explore other opportunities.
MN has some decent growth PE, also Piper Jaffray has merchant banking.
VC Internship FAQs (Originally Posted: 07/10/2015)
Looking for a current/previous VC intern's insight into the recruiting/interviewing process and the activities that they experienced while on the job. Thanks.
s
Thanks for the response SouthStar, Is this a major market firm (NY,SF,CHI,LA) that you're interning with? Did you participate in any deal sourcing/due diligence of new investments?
Interested in this as well.
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