CUNY IAR Co-Creates Inaugural NYC Venture Capital Internship Program

NEW YORK, NY—The inaugural NYC Venture Capital Internship Program (VCIP), co-created by the City University of New York (CUNY) Industrial & Applied Research Division (IAR), along with tech community networking platform Supermomos and early-stage venture fund Everywhere Ventures, kicked off on June 9, offering the first city-backed venture capital internship program. The initiative, which seeks to increase engagement of New York City college students in venture capital—particularly those from underserved communities—offered 23 placements including 20 students from across CUNY’s schools. The program is funded in part by the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

On June 9-13, 2025, VCIP launched at CUNY @ Amazon in midtown Manhattan with a one-week intensive bootcamp, where more than 50 VC representatives attended to help students prepare for their internships. VCIP includes a ten-week paid summer internship at a leading NYC VC firm, a $7K stipend for the duration of program, access to top VCs and a network of smart, ambitious peers, and mentorship from experienced investors and startup ecosystem leaders.

“This program offers an exceptional opportunity for New York-area college students, many of whom might have previously found barriers to enter the VC arena,” said John Blaho, PhD, Director of CUNY IAR. “This is a competitive program seeking to level the playing field for entry to the elite world of venture capital—we had more than 675 applicants. That 85% of interns derive from CUNY colleges is a clear statement that our students can hold their own among top talent from New York’s best colleges and universities. I’m excited to see these CUNY student ambassadors show the VC world what they can do.”

To encourage student applications in advance of the launch, CUNY’s Industrial & Applied Research Division conducted deep outreach among CUNY campuses including New York City College of Technology (City Tech), the College of Staten Island, Brooklyn College, Lehman College, and others - with a particular emphasis on engaging students in STEM majors.

“Participating VCs are impressed by the quality of the students,” said Ariella Trotsenko, Director of Entrepreneurial Training Programs at CUNY IAR and one of the operators of VCIP. “In their introductions at the first day of the bootcamp, many of the students expressed interest in how the government plays a role in innovation. We’re excited to show them all the assets of the New York entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

The original proposal called for only 10-student placements, but due to the overwhelming interest from students and demand from firms, additional sponsors and hosts committed the necessary resources to expand the program. Recognizing the strength of the cohort structure and the program's design, several firms proactively sought ways to participate, including independently sourcing the resources needed to host students. Participating VCs include Blue Ridge Labs @ Robin Hood, Thomson Reuters Ventures, Visible Hands, Commonweal Ventures, Watershed Ventures, L’ATTITUDE Ventures, MetaProp, Everywhere Ventures, Streetlife Ventures, Vamos Ventures, Antler, Open Opportuity Fund, 25 Madison, Loeb, Newlab, AIN, PlumAlley, Divergent HQ, Lockstep, Interwoven, and RXR Arden Digital Ventures.

Among other programs, the students learned about the National Science Foundation (NSF) created New York I-Corps Hub, which is led by CUNY’s IAR. The Hub runs various entrepreneurial training programs, events, and courses through our lead university, partners universities and affiliate universities. IAR focuses on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across all CUNY campuses and throughout the New York area.