Work with the world’s best start-ups
A world-class internship program for ambitious high school students
Founded by Harvard entrepreneurs, Ladder Internships helps students work with top startups to build
real-world projects.
Our Impact
6200+
Applications
1200
Interns selected
50+
Host
Companies
$204,000+
In financial aid
Hear from some of our interns!
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Lan Nguyen
Interned at Vietcetera
“The program catalyzed both my intellectual and personal growth. If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding internship that matches your interests and skills, don’t hesitate to apply!”
Project: Creating machine learning models to boost the company’s subscriber base. -
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Khalid Hajj
Interned at Billion Dollar Startup Ideas
”This was my first real working experience, and I took away a lot of value from it. I also valued my direct interaction with Michael, the founder of my host company, who I found inspiring.”
Project: Building a business plan for a subscription-based AI start-up idea generator.
Our Hosts & Your Managers
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Dr. Samantha Scott
Founder & CEO,
JuneBrain
Stanford, USC & NIH alum
Meet a few of our Host Companies
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JuneBrain
Industry: Healthcare, Tech
JuneBrain is focused on improving remote monitoring in ophthalmology & neurology with a patented wearable eye-scanning device and SaaS platform. -
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Softenmind
Industry: Mental Health, Tech
Funded by glocal VC, Antler, SoftenMind aims to bring affordable and professional mental health services to Vietnamese people through using proprietary digital and AI tools.
Our Companies & Your Managers
Funded by
Studied at
Worked at
Available Fields
Machine Learning & AI
Software Engineering
Finance
Health Tech & Mental Health
Enviromental Science
Tech & Deep Tech
Non-Profit
Consulting
Media & Journalism
Program By The Numbers
Startup Internship Program
Number of sessions with the host company
8
Hours of work per week
5-10
Duration
8 weeks
CEO Internship Program
Number of sessions with the host company
8
Hours of work per week
5-10
Internship with high-growth start-up
Duration
8 weeks
Work directly with a startup CEO
The CEO/founder from FAANG-level company and/or top 20 university
(E.g., Facebook, Google, McKinsey, etc.)
University Internship Program
Our 8-week internship program offers university students the chance to work with startup companies on projects aligned with their interests! With a weekly commitment of 5–10 hours, it’s a flexible way to gain valuable experience.
Combination Program: CEO Internship Program + Mentored Research Program
This 8+15 week program combines a CEO Internship with a mentored research component, offering both professional work experience and the opportunity to complete a college-level research paper.
Program Timeline
Week 1
Meet with the company coach and define the project
Week 2
Work on the project with the company coach
Week 3
Finalize the first draft of the project, meet with the company coach
Week 4
Present the first deliverable to the company
Week 5
Meet with the company coach, define the second deliverable
Week 6
Work with the company coach on the second deliverable
Week 7
Finalize the project
Week 8
Present the final project to the company
What you will get out of this internship
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A real-world project
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Work experience at a top start-up
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A letter of completion by the company
The Application Process
Internships with real-world companies are challenging. That’s why we implement a selection process that helps us select only the best interns.
Submit application form
Interview
Receive application decision
Start the program!
FAQs
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Absolutely! Our team suggests company projects based on an applicant’s interests and notes from their interview. Details of the best fit projects are shared with students who have the final say in whether they wish to move ahead with the suggested match!
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Internships with real-world companies are challenging. That’s why we implement a selection process that helps us select only the best interns. For example, our summer 2023 cohort had over 700 applicants for just 70 spots.
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The program is fully online! Our team itself operates remotely across multiple countries.
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The internship will be fully virtual and will run for a period of 8 weeks. Interns usually require 10-15 hours a week to work on assigned tasks and to meet company management.
The program is designed to deliver tangible results without demanding day-to-day work! -
Yes, we offer full financial aid to those in need. Our sister programs, Lumiere Research Program and Veritas AI, have provided aid to over 150 students.
ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
Upcoming Application Deadlines
Summer Cohort Regular Admission Deadline: May 11th, 2025
Cohort timing: June 2nd, 2025