Startups
UChicago Career Advancement offers in-depth and immersive experiences that position you to explore opportunities with startups. This includes founding a startup or joining an existing startup.
At UChicago, you have the opportunity to work with coaches and advisers for startups. Meet mentors through Career Advancement, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Polsky Exchange. Connect with likeminded students through Friday night Hack Nights and many student organizations. Develop your startup through the College New Venture Challenge, building a team, business direction, and pitch for funding. Work as a paid intern through the Metcalf internship program and the Polsky Summer Accelerator.
Explore the resources below to chart your path to a successful career in the startup world!
Sold on a career in startups?
Find the role that's right for you:
- Revolutionize waste reduction and support environmental causes by launching your own startup
- Become a founding member leading a support function like technology, strategy or finance by joining a startup
1-5 Day Long Experiences
Pitch Competitions
Participate in pitch competitions for startup funding anywhere in the world. Career Advancement provides support for students to attend pitch competitions including MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Princeton Tiger Launch, and Rice Business Plan Competition.
Career Treks
Learn directly from founders and investors how the startup community works and how you can get involved through a Trek visit with employers such as Impossible Foods, Sequoia Capital, and Tovala.
Specialized Programming
Attend workshops that demystify getting involved with startups and developing skills including ideation, customer discovery, team building, and pitching your business.
Month-Long Experiences
College New Venture Challenge
Found or join a team to participate in the College New Venture Challenge. Students take a 10-week class at the Booth School of Business covering all aspects of building a startup, participate in multiple sessions pitching their startup to founders and investors, and compete for $100,000 in capital.
Metcalf Internships
Experience substantive internships throughout the academic year and into the summer with many startups such as Luminaid, Cubii, Fronen, Quevos, and Meal Flour through UChicago's Jeff Metcalf Internship Program.
Year-Long Experiences
Student Organizations
Develop your ideas and skills as part of a Registered Student Organization (RSO) with an entrepreneurship focus, such as ILC Entrepreneurship, Rockefeller Business Management, Midway Ventures, or LTF Venture Capital.
Mentorship
Access a wide range of mentors for one-on-one coaching and advice from Entrepreneurs in Residence, Venture Capitalists in Residence, and Polsky Exchange Mentors in Finance, Legal, Marketing, Technology, & Industry-specific fields.
Venture Capital Exploration
In addition to finance classes for undergraduates at the Booth School, explore the funding side of entrepreneurship through programs and competitions, including Private Equity and Venture Capital 101 Workshops and the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC).