Venture Capital Internship

PledgeLA-VC-Internship-logo-2023-r1Plus

PledgeLA 2022 Summer VC Internship

PledgeLA, in collaboration with HBCUvc, is launching its fourth year of LA’s first-ever Venture Capital Internship program. Congratulations to our class of 2022 interns!

This in-person program provides promising students from backgrounds not well-represented in VC with tailored training and a 10-week, full-time paid summer experiential learning internship with some of the top VC firms in Los Angeles.

2022 Host Firms

Past Host Firms (2019-2021)

Requirements for Applicants

No prior experience in venture capital is required. Applicants should: have completed at least one year of college/community college before applying; be legally eligible to work in the U.S.; and be available for an in-person internship in Los Angeles in summer 2022.

This internship is intended for: 

  • Rising sophomores 
  • Juniors
  • Seniors
  • Recent college graduates (no more than 3 years after graduation)
  • Graduate students

As part of our mission to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are intentional in our outreach to candidates who self-identify as a person of color, women, LGBTQIA, first-gen college students, persons with disabilities, and/or other underrepresented minorities.

What to Expect

TRAINING

  • Selected applicants will spend two weeks learning the fundamentals of venture capital and entrepreneurship. One week during the spring of 2022, and another week just before you start with your VC firm.

PLACEMENT

  • The following eight weeks will include hands-on experience working alongside a group of LA-based investors in a venture capital firm.

Alumni Highlights

Since 2019, PledgeLA has placed 60 interns at VC firms in LA. Of these, 53% are now working in VC or tech-related roles.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the VC Internship experience:

Yes – interns are paid either an undergraduate-level stipend of $8,000 or a graduate-level stipend of $10,000 by their firms for the 10-week internship. To qualify for a graduate-level stipend, interns should be currently enrolled in or have already completed a graduate program at the time of their application.

Yes. Because interns are employed by our partner firms, international students must have received final authorization to work in the U.S. prior to the start of the program in June 2022. Finalists will be asked to provide non-expired documents as proof of their eligibility to work in the U.S. prior to receiving an internship offer.

The summer 2022 training and program will take place in-person in Los Angeles. Interns should plan to be based in the Los Angeles area for the duration of the internship.

We are unable to provide additional funding to assist with transportation or housing expenses. Depending on their placement firm, some interns may be permitted to work remotely or work a hybrid schedule that minimizes commuting.

This internship program is open to applicants who have completed at least one year of college (at a community college or university), current undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates of all levels up to three years after their graduation date. While some firms seek graduate-level interns only, the majority are open to undergraduate candidates.

No. While interest in venture capital, startups, and supporting entrepreneurs is part of what we seek in candidates, no prior experience at a VC firm is required.

It varies! Typically, interns check in on a daily basis with their supervisor, complete independent projects, join internal (and sometimes external) firm meetings, and more. It all depends on the lifecycle of your firm and its investment activity. We work with host firms to give interns rigorous work that puts them at the center of the action.

Most likely not. Unlike large internship programs at investment banks or consulting firms that hire cohorts of interns each fall, our internships are typically at firms that may not hire for open roles every year. But interns have definitely leveraged this opportunity to advance their careers – securing roles at portfolio companies, accelerators, and other venture firms. Check out our alumni highlights above to get a sense of this.

For Applicants:

Stay tuned for updates about the 2023 application cycle!

For VC Firms:

Complete this short form to receive updates about hosting an intern in the 2023 program.

2023 Timeline

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon!

August 30

Applications Open

August 30
September 9
October 4
October 15

Early Application Deadline

October 15
October 21

Early Applicant Feedback Session

October 21
October 31

Applications Close at 11:59 PM PT

October 31
November 15 – 19

First Round Video Interviews

November 15 – 19
December 6 – 8

Final Firm Interviews

December 6 – 8
December 13

Interns Selected

December 13

2022 Program

April & May

Spring Training

April & May
June 13

In-Person Training Week in LA

June 13
June 20

First Week at VC Firms

June 20
August 12

Internship Ends

August 12

Our Partners

Press & Program News