NYC Startup and VC Internship Programs

Four people sitting in a modern office, engaged in a casual meeting. They are using laptops and holding papers. The setting includes a coffee table, plants, and a kitchen area in the background, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Addressing Disparities in Tech and VC

The Startup and Venture Capital Internship Programs address disparities in the tech and venture capital (VC) workforce by providing New Yorkers across the five boroughs with on-ramps to good-paying jobs in the city’s tech and funding ecosystems. The programs also support business growth by providing New York City startups and VC firms with the capacity to host interns, expand their teams, and strengthen their businesses.

The internship programs provide New York City students—with a focus on City University of New York (CUNY) students—with paid 10-week internships across the city’s startups and VC firms, as well as with professional development and mentorship.

A diverse group of interns from NYC Startup Internship Program pose for a group photo in front of a screen displaying logos for Company Ventures, Blackstone, LaunchPad, NYCEDC, and CIV:LAB. They are in a room with large windows and potted plants.

NYC Startup Internship Program

Providing NYC students with paid work opportunities, professional development programs, and industry mentorship across the city’s vast tech-enabled startup ecosystem.

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The programs expand upon the early successes of a startup internship pilot that NYCEDC supported during the summers of 2022 through 2024, which placed 166 CUNY students into paid internships with 84 New York City startups.

A Strong Tech and VC Ecosystem

New York City is the world’s second-largest tech and startup ecosystem, valued at $694B. Given the rapid and continued growth across tech and venture businesses, employment, and wages, NYC’s tech sector remains one of the best opportunities for New Yorkers seeking middle- and high-wage jobs.

Tech & VC in NYC

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By The Numbers

360K+

Jobs in NYC’s tech ecosystem

Three people in a modern office: one seated man with a laptop, a woman standing beside him with a coffee cup, and another woman smiling and holding a tablet. They appear engaged in a casual discussion.
By The Numbers

25K+

Tech-enabled startups in NYC

A group of people are working at desks with computers in a bright, modern office space. Large windows provide natural light. There are stacks of files and office supplies on the desks.
By The Numbers

1,200+

Active NYC VC and other investment firms

Three people working at computers in a modern office with large windows. The setting is bright due to natural light. The focus is on a person in a sweater and glasses in the foreground, with others concentrated on their screens in the background.
By The Numbers

360K+

Jobs in NYC’s tech ecosystem

A group of people are working at desks with computers in a bright, modern office space. Large windows provide natural light. There are stacks of files and office supplies on the desks.
Three people in a modern office: one seated man with a laptop, a woman standing beside him with a coffee cup, and another woman smiling and holding a tablet. They appear engaged in a casual discussion.
By The Numbers

1,200+

Active NYC VC and other investment firms

By The Numbers

25K+

Tech-enabled startups in NYC

Three people working at computers in a modern office with large windows. The setting is bright due to natural light. The focus is on a person in a sweater and glasses in the foreground, with others concentrated on their screens in the background.

Gaps in Tech and VC Employment

However, not all New Yorkers have benefited equally from the growing presence of tech and venture capital firms in New York City. Black and Latinx workers, combined, account for approximately 21 percent of NYC’s tech talent, despite representing approximately 43 percent of NYC’s overall workforce. Nationally, less than 18 percent of investment decision-makers at VC firms are women, and just nine percent are Black or Latinx investment professionals.

A diverse group of people, some standing and some kneeling, smile for a group photo in an indoor setting. They are at an event for the NYC Venture Capital Internship Program, with name tags visible on their clothing. A screen in the background adds context to the meeting.

NYC Venture Capital Internship Program

Providing NYC students with paid work opportunities, professional development programs, and industry mentorship across the city’s broad network of venture capital firms.

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The Startup and Venture Capital Internship Programs are in direct response to private-sector workforce gaps and seek to support inclusion and representation across New York City’s startup and funding ecosystems.

New York City is a global leader in tech and home to the greatest collection of talent and entrepreneurs in the world. To build an even stronger tech sector that more fully represents all of New York City, we need to connect more young people from diverse backgrounds to career pathways in industry, and that is exactly what this exciting project will accomplish.

Maria Torres-Springer
First Deputy Mayor

Get in Touch

Contact: [email protected]

Whether you want to host interns, provide mentorship, or offer professional development, there are plenty of ways to get involved.