Be a VIP: Applications Open for Spring 2024 Venture Intern Program

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Since launching in 2020, the Venture Intern Program has provided more than 200 students exposure to the workings of early-stage ventures and the Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Applications are now open for the spring 2024 Venture Intern Program, which pairs undergraduate students with early-stage ventures, entrepreneurship support organizations, regional accelerator programs and investor networks across Northwest Arkansas for a semester. 

Led by the U of A Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, VIP is the "gateway to the world of startups," according to Estefania Lanz, a senior finance major and intern from the fall 2023 cohort.   

"(VIP) doesn't just provide internships; it offers a dynamic, hands-on experience where you become an integral part of a startup team, with many industries available to learn from," Lanz said. 

Lanz spent two semesters in the program, first working with FR8relay in spring 2023 before joining FORGE in the fall. 

Lanz said she "wholeheartedly" recommends VIP, not just for the skills it provided to help her excel at her internship, but because it has helped her prepare for navigating life after college. 

"From unlocking financial success to empowering change through data storytelling and analysis, all the workshops and opportunities that this program offers have equipped me well for my future," Lanz said.  

Since launching in 2020, VIP has provided more than 200 students exposure to the workings of early-stage ventures and the Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

This interdisciplinary group of students, representing diverse majors from six colleges, has also supported over 180 startups and support organizations since the inception of the program. 

VIP includes a paid, 12-week assignment with a host organization, as well as supplemental training opportunities, cohort meetings and coaching/support from experienced mentors.   

Applications for spring 2024 close Oct. 20 at 11:59 p.m. Students should be prepared to wear many hats and maintain a high degree of professionalism and autonomy. In exchange, they can expect direct access to founders and an opportunity to play an essential role in a highly dynamic environment. 

VIP has been well received by students in part because "it gives an authentic hands-on experience of what it is like to build an organization from the ground up," according to Jason Riley, OEI's program manager for Venture Internships. 

"Entrepreneurship goes beyond just starting a business or organization; everything starts with a problem. Once a problem has been identified, entrepreneurs think creatively about how to solve that problem, based on their own skillset and community or market needs," Riley said.  

"That's what makes VIP special; it gives students an experiential learning opportunity unique to the startup environment."  

About the U of A Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation creates and curates innovation and entrepreneurship experiences for students across all disciplines. Through the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub, McMillon Innovation Studio, Startup Village and Greenhouse at the Bentonville Collaborative, OEI provides free workshops and programs — including social and corporate innovation design teams, venture internships, competitions and startup coaching. A unit of the Sam M. Walton College of Business and Division of Economic Development, OEI also offers on-demand support for students who will be innovators within existing organizations and entrepreneurs who start something new.