Closing date for applications: 31 March 2017!
Time is running out for students to apply for a place on Impact Hub Geneva’s summer 2017 internship program.
Now in its third year, the Summerpreneurship program provides talented students with the opportunity to gain experience working with impact-driven startups in Geneva for at least 3 months of the year, from June to August. It also includes a parallel summer academy placement at the Impact Hub center near Cornavin for one day per week, where students are given the chance to develop their entrepreneurial, creative and sustainability skills, through workshops, career development sessions, and mini-hackathons.
What is Impact Hub Geneva?
Created in 2015, Impact Hub Geneva provides a space where entrepreneurs and innovators come together to prototype new models for a society that works for all - connecting sectors, industries and cultural background. They offer access to an inspiring working space, a vibrant learning community, startup incubation programs, inspiring events and innovative workshops and courses.
With 200 members in Geneva and over 10,000 members worldwide, the organization provides a trusted community of like-minded peers, partners, and supporters to exchange thoughts and collaborate on projects. Their members include value-driven entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, activists, creatives, investors, freelancers and mentors who work together, share ideas and resources. They work at Impact Hub Geneva, attend and produce events, run their own workshops, access funding and mentorship, find co-conspirators and partners, participate in social networks, build campaigns, launch companies, prototype and test products…
Summerpreneurship
The Summerpreneurship program is just one of the many initiatives created by Impact Hub Geneva that encourages collaborative working between enthusiastic, socially aware students and their entrepreneurial counterparts in business. Asked why students should consider applying for a Summerpreneurship, Program Coordinator, José Silva, told knowitall.ch,
“Our program provides a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the start-up scene and gain valuable work experience where they can be inspired to make a difference and leave their mark on the world. Essentially lots of fun, it also provides successful candidates with a chance to start building their career network before they have even left university, and gives them a competitive edge when they eventually start the job-hunting process.”
How does it work?
Local start-up companies have already been invited to join the program and submit their internship offers to the organization. At the time of writing, there are 10 companies on board with 14 placements available, although this could increase during final discussions. Anyone studying at university, with permission to work in Switzerland, is eligible to apply to the program before midnight on 31 March. So, if you are an undergraduate in the UK, or on a Masters program in the USA, you can apply, providing you are eligible to work in Switzerland.
To find out more about the program, there will be a special “warm-up” meeting on 23 March at Impact Hub Geneva, where potential applicants can meet former students and start-up businesses involved in the program. There will also be the possibility to take part in open and particpatory workshops, which will give attendees a taste of what to expect on the program. Click here for more details.
You can also find out more about the internship positions available, and select your 5 favorite positions to begin the application process, by submitting your details here.
Selection process
After Impact Hub Geneva has conducted a pre-selection process, successful candidates are then invited to attend a “Meet & Match” meeting on 10 April, where they can meet start-ups in a fun speed-dating format and convince them that they are the perfect match for the job. Start-ups then get to decide which candidates they would like to meet again for a longer follow-up interview, scheduled to take place before 30 April, when the successful candidates are announced.
Whilst attendance at both these events is strongly encouraged, especially if you study locally, the 23 March event is not mandatory and other options (e.g. Skype interviews) can be put in place to enable candidates to meet prospective employers if they cannot attend on 10 April.
Students should note that any negotiations regarding issues such as potential salary or work location are made directly between the candidates and the start-ups. Impact Hub Geneva is not involved in this process. Successful candidates will, however, receive a free 3-month full-time membership of Impact Hub Geneva, during the course of the program. So, like many entrepreneurs already working at the center, students will have the option to work from the Hub during the period of their internship, if this is aligned with their employer.
Program feedback
Asked what they thought of last year’s programme, this is what the interns had to say:
- 100% want to become an entrepreneur, join a startup or work in the innovation sector
- 100% were satisfied with the experience and would recommend it to a friend
- 80% stayed involved with their startup after the end of the program
- 70% felt able to bring entrepreneurial, creative and sustainable thinking into their future job
With such positive feedback, it's easy to see the benefits of this entrepreneurial program for students. If you agree, then don’t waste time sending in your application before the deadline of 31 March 2017!
Impact Hub Geneva
https://geneva.impacthub.net
Summerpreneurship
Deadline for applications: Midnight 31 March 2017
https://geneva.impacthub.net/summerpreneurship4students/
Students click here for more information.
Warm-up meeting
23 March 2017, 18h to 20h
https://geneva.impacthub.net/event/summerpreneurship-warm-up/
Meet & Match meeting
10 April 2017, 18h to 20h
Summerpreneurship Program Manager
José Silva
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
