Startup Academy

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Spend your summer in San Francisco interning with a startup!

Startup Academy is a cutting-edge, fully funded academic program that immerses students in full-time, real-world internships with startups. Students spend the summer living and working together in Silicon Valley – the global hub of entrepreneurship and innovation – working on real projects with real impact. Startup Academy is a partnership between Lehigh@NasdaqCenter and the College of Business made available to all students across the university – any major can apply!

During this 10-week internship, students gain practical experience by spending up to 40 hours per week interning with early-to-mid stage startups based in Silicon Valley or anywhere around the world, developing their entrepreneurial mindsets and skills. Students selected into the program are paired with startups across various industries, as they work alongside founders and business leaders on mission critical projects. Interns add meaningful value and produce a number of resume-ready deliverables for the company.

In addition to the internship, students will take a 1-credit course featuring Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and industry leaders. This enables students to put classroom knowledge into action in real-world business environments while expanding their skill sets and network. Students will also receive an industry mentor in their professional area of interest who will provide additional guidance and coaching.

Startup Academy participants receive housing in San Francisco and a $4,500 stipend that is expected to subsidize travel costs (to/from San Francisco), living expenses, and tuition for the 1-credit course. Living in downtown San Francisco offers incredible networking and social opportunities. Students will be provided coworking space where they can work remotely for their startups, collaborate with the rest of the cohort, network with other players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and participate in community events.

Being a part of Startup Academy was such an amazing experience. This program has so many valuable parts to it, from learning about startup culture and living in San Francisco to making connections through the Lehigh@NasdaqCenter. If you are considering applying, I would definitely recommend!
Startup Academy Graduate

2024 Program Timeline

  • Applications open: October 16, 2023
  • Applications close: November 13, 2023
  • Finalists notified and invited to interview: End of November 2023
  • Participants selected and notified: Early December 2023
  • Startup Academy begins: May 27, 2024
  • Startup Academy concludes: July 26, 2024
  • Residence in San Francisco: ~May 27 - July 26, 2024 (subject to housing)

INFO SESSION DATES

Stay tuned for summer 2025 info session dates