Student-driven internships support students who are recruiting their internship host and shaping internship efforts with startup companies or venture capital firms. Students can find opportunities by joining relevant mailing lists, reading entrepreneurial blogs, engaging local entrepreneurial groups, and reviewing investments from venture capital firms. When contacting companies that sound promising, students should emphasize their unique skills and talents and suggest how an internship would be in the company’s best interest. The Zell Lurie Institute will provide a salary match of up to 50% of the intern’s salary for a 12-week internship ($9,600 for graduate students and $6,000 for undergrad students). Visit the ZLI Internships Canvas site for the necessary application documents. Graduate students must be first-year or equivalent for evening and dual degree students, undergraduate students must be sophomores or juniors.

Requirements for an Internship

Eligible host companies must be in the early growth phase of business development, preferably with less than 50 employees, and secure financial backing through outside funding or internally generated cash flow. A venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies may also serve as a host company, though students should perform work for the firm itself and not for the portfolio company.

The focus of the 12-week internship should be based on the host company’s goals and identify how the student will help the company achieve those goals. The work performed by the intern should give the student a significant opportunity to contribute to the success of the host company while developing her/his entrepreneurial skill set. Internships with venture capital firms should provide the student with an investor’s perspective of entrepreneurship.

Program Expectations

• Internship Plan: During the second week of the internship, the intern will write an internship plan that describes what the job focus will be for the summer and what value will be gained from the internship. It should clearly detail the student’s individual goals for the summer and the goals of the host company.
• Thank You Letter: Each intern is assigned to a specific Institute donor who provided funding for the internship program. In the middle of the summer, the intern will write a thank you letter to the designated supporter.
• Internship Wrap-up: Students are requested to share their experiences after the internship to help ZLI improve the experience for future participants.

Application Reuirements

• Obtain an offer letter from the host company using Zell Lurie’s offer letter template
• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but those received by early March will have a much higher likelihood of being funded

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 14th at 11:59 PM.

APPLY HERE

The Summer Student Accelerator is a 3 month-long program designed for entrepreneurs who have moved past the ideation stage and clearly understand their customers and the problems they are solving. Participants will join a community of up to five startups, receive mentorship from a Zell Lurie Board of Advisors and experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and work with a dedicated intern to support their efforts. In addition, each team will receive $10,000 in funding. The self-led program gives entrepreneurs the freedom to drive their ventures forward with expert guidance and resources.

Program Expectations

• Weekly meetings: Interns will meet with an assigned staff mentor at the Zell Lurie Institute to discuss the progress and roadblocks of launching their business.

• Board Meetings: Each startup team will have its advisory board comprised of a Zell Lurie Institute staff member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and Startup Mentor. Teams will meet with the board 3 times throughout the summer and will present their progress in the middle of the internship and at the end.

• In-person kickoff (early May): Students accepted into the program are required to participate in programming from May 5-7th, 2025. Students will be introduced to the cohort, and their advisory board, and receive support from their peers and mentors. Students can either continue the internship remotely or in person after the kickoff.

• Thank You Letter: Each intern is assigned to a specific Institute donor who provided funding for the internship program. In the middle of the summer, the intern will write a thank you letter to the designated supporter.

• Internship Wrap-up: Students are requested to share their experiences after the internship to help us improve the experience for future participants.

Application Requirements 

• Resume
• Pitch deck: include the problem you’re solving, your solution, the business model, the progress you’ve made so far, your next steps, and the team.

Applications must be received by Sunday, March 9th at 11:59 PM. After the deadline, ZLI will connect with students on whether the application has been approved for self-hosted funding. Only complete applications submitted to ZLI will be selected for review.

APPLY HERE