Internship in your own startup
Are you considering starting your own business or have you already taken the plunge and started your own business? Then an internship in your own startup might be something for you.
Our internship program is an opportunity to get hands-on experience testing and building a business and using your academic skills while getting ECTS-credits. If you have an idea for a business that you would like to test or have an existing business you want to develop further, this internship is for you.
You become part of a cohort of students from the entire university, in a program consisting of workshops, business development and reflection sessions.
The application deadline for the program is May 30, 2025
You get
- An opportunity to work on the startup of your dreams
- Hands-on experience building a business
- Learn from a group of versatile entrepreneurs who are all trying to develop a business
- Collecting and converting insights into actions
- An understanding of who you are, what you know, your resources and how to use this as a foundation for the business you want to build
- Basic understanding of business models and how you can use them to create a viable business
- Constructive feedback throughout the process from both peers and business developers
- Pitch training
What does The Kitchen provide?
The Kitchen supports your journey with a tailormade internship program.
You become part of The Kitchen’s Community and get access to all our member services:
- Workshops
- Office space, meeting rooms, photo lab, podcast lab, kitchen and other facilities
- Open desk services such as lawyers, accountants, designers etc.
- Access to applying for AU Launch grant
- A community of likeminded entrepreneurs
What does the internship program consist of?
The internship program consists of a series of mandatory sessions that take place physically at The Kitchen.
Program designed for the cohort of intern
1.1: A full sprint week where you work on validating assumptions about your business idea, your customers, work on a prototype and defining your position in the market.
1.2: Specialized workshops
1.3: A full week of pitch training ending with individual presentations in front of a panel.
Business mentoring
You will have access to business mentoring throughout the program.
Reflection sessions
Session focusing on your entrepreneurial journey and your learnings throughout the program.
Work on your idea
In between workshops and sessions you will have plenty of time to use your new tools and work on your startup.
What will you learn?
- Different ways of contacting customers, stakeholders, partners etc.
- Collecting and converting insights into actions
- An understanding of who you are, what you know, which resources you have and how to use this as a foundation for the business you want to create
- Basic understanding of business models and how you can use them to create a viable business
- To act constructively in feedback sessions
- To present your case
- How to use formal and informal network relations
What to consider and what does The Kitchen expect from me?
We expect you to be responsible for your own progress and to help your peers. Through the internship program you are presented to a variety of tools. Your job is to put this into action in order to move forward.
This internship program requires you to be ready to work independently and structure your own time. In return your entrepreneurial skills will grow, as well as your project management competencies.
For all technical aspects and questions about creating a business such accounting, legislation, tax, banking etc. we refer to the Open desk partners where accountants and lawyers are ready to help you.
All the planned activities in the internship are mandatory and take place physically in The Kitchen. If you are following additional ECTS-credited courses we expect you to prioritize the activities in The Kitchen equally. We require a minimum of 80% attendance throughout the entire program.
Who is eligible for this type of internship?
Internship in own startup requires internships (also know as project placement or projektorienteret forløb) to be part of your academic regulations.
Some field of studies have specific courses called ‘Projektorienteret forløb I egen virksomhed’ (Eg. at Department of Management at BSS and at Digital Design and Information Science on Arts), while other field of studies allow internship in own startup via the ordinary internship course.
Please check with your board of study or internship supervisor whether you are eligible or not.
How to sign up for the internship program?
- Check your eligibility
Make sure you are eligible to do an internship in your own startup in accordance to your academic regulations. - Contact an academic supervisor
Identify an academic supervisor from your field of study and outline the specific goals you want to achieve during the internship. The academic supervisor must approve the academic relevance of the idea/business you will be working on. - Contact the internship coordinator at The Kitchen
Send an email to the internship coordinator to apply for the internship program. (No later than May 30, 2025) - Receive application details
From the internship coordinator at The Kitchen you will receive a link to the application form and instructions for completing the process. - Complete the application
Fill out the form and the attached application template. Once completed, save the template as a PDF and upload it with your application. - Application review
Your application will be assessed to determine if you are invited to a follow-up conversation. - Follow-up conversation
If invited, you will have a conversation to discuss your idea, your goals, and your readiness for the program. - Receive your decision
After the conversation, you are notified by email if you have been accepted into the program. - Finalize your internship contract
If accepted, The Kitchen will sign your internship contract as your project host. - Prepare for the program
Before the start of the program you receive detailed information about the program.
Important deadlines
May 1-5: Course registration
To do an internship in own startup, you must register your project placement in the Student Self-Service system (STADS).
When the course registration is open, choose ‘Projektorienteret forløb’/’Project placement’.
If you are a student in the MSc in Economics and Business Adminstration (cand.merc.) programme at Aarhus BSS, you can choose the course ‘Project-based Internship in Your Own Startup.
If you are a student at the department of Digital Design and Information Science you can choose the course ‘Project placement – innovation and entrepreneurship,
May 30: Application deadline for the internship program with The Kitchen
You must have contacted the internship coordinator in The Kitchen before May 30.
August 15: Upload of project placement agreement
If you are a student at BSS your project placement agreement must be handed in no later than August 15. Students from Arts must upload their agreement before the internship starts.
FAQ
Do I need a CVR number to intern in my own startup?
No, The Kitchen doesn't require CVR to be accepted to the internship program. Some fields of studies may require this, so enquire with your academic advisor if you are in doubt.
How much time am I required spending on my internship?
That depends on the amount of ECTS you get for your project placement. The more ECTS you get the more hours you are required to spend. Your academic advisor can guide you on the specifics in your field of study.
When do I start my internship?
The internship program starts in the beginning of the semester and runs from approximately September 1 to December 1.
What are the requirements for my exam if I intern in my own startup?
You can find information about your exam in connection with project placements in your academic regulations.
Can I continue at The Kitchen after my internship?
Yes, you can! We actually hope that you do. You do not have to do anything to continue at The Kitchen after you finish your internship. As long as you are a part of Founders’ Community, you can access all the services at The Kitchen.
Can I pay salary to myself while interning in my own startup?
No, as in any other ECTS-credited internship you cannot receive salary.
Do I need to have an idea to intern in my own startup?
Yes, you do have to have an idea to do an internship in your own startup. The idea does not need to be fully developed, but we require that you have made some initial considerations about what your idea is, how it brings value to your potential customers, and whom your potential customers could be. These are also some of the questions you will have to answer when applying for the internship program.
