The Entrepreneurial Internship provides students with hands-on experience supporting the growth of an early-stage company. Interns work directly with founders and small teams (typically 0-10 employees) to help solve real business challenges while gaining exposure to the day-to-day realities of launching and scaling a venture. Unlike traditional internships with narrowly defined responsibilities, Entrepreneurial Interns contribute across multiple functions based on the needs of the business. Projects may include customer discovery, operations, product development, marketing, sales, research, business strategy, process improvement, or other high-impact initiatives. This internship is designed to develop an entrepreneurial mindset through ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and experiential learning. Career Readiness Competencies Take initiative to learn new tools, systems, or procedures on the job. Maintain a positive, growth-oriented mindset when facing challenges. Adjust tone and approach based on audience (e.g., peers vs. supervisors). Present ideas or updates in a clear and organized manner. Analyze problems and propose practical solutions. Break down tasks into steps to complete work more efficiently. Support founders and leadership teams with strategic and operational initiatives. Contribute to projects that help the company develop, launch, or scale products, services, or operations. Conduct customer, competitor, and market research to support business decisions. Assist with customer discovery, user feedback collection, and validation activities. Help identify opportunities to improve business processes, efficiency, or customer experience. Participate in planning, problem-solving, and cross-functional team meetings. Assist with project management, documentation, and execution of key initiatives. Develop presentations, reports, and other business communications. Adapt to evolving priorities and contribute wherever the business has the greatest need. Demonstrate professionalism, initiative, and ownership while working in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment. Current BGSU undergraduate or graduate student. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to think critically and solve problems independently. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. Interest in entrepreneurship, innovation, or startup companies. Willingness to learn, adapt, and take initiative.

Preferred Qualifications:

Coursework or experience in entrepreneurship, business, engineering, marketing, design, computer science, communications, or related disciplines. Experience working on collaborative projects. Familiarity with market research, customer discovery, or project management. Interest in startups, innovation, product development, or business growth. Additional Information Entrepreneurial Internships are coordinated through the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.