During the cohort, each winning startup participating in the accelerator will be provided two paid interns who will work ~20 hours/week for eight weeks (can be negotiated with founder) during the accelerator to substantively augment and advance the exciting work being done. In turn, these students will be paid $3,000.00 each to learn by doing, as they develop a variety of skills and witness first-hand the inner workings of a startup.
In February, there will be a Shark Tank-type event (including food) in which ~5 finalist intern candidates will go before a small panel of judges to demonstrate their suitability for the program. During this event, each winning founder pitches their business, each winning intern shares their experiences, and we provide additional opportunities for founders and interns to get to know one another. This is always an exciting opportunity for students and founders. Afterward, both founders and interns will rank their preferences, and we will match up founders and interns accordingly.
All UMSL students are eligible. The most competitive applicants will be able to demonstrate:
UMSL is the only public university in the region to carry dual AACSB accreditations for its business and accounting programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
