Summer MBA Research Associate

2024 MBA Summer Associate – Social Enterprise & Small Business/Entrepreneurship

Samvid Ventures is seeking two MBA students for two Summer Associate role based in our New York office. One Summer Associate will report to the Program Director, Social Enterprise; the other will report to our Director who oversees our Small Business and Entrepreneurship work. This is a hybrid role, with 3 days a week in the New York City office and up to 2 days working remotely, for 8-10 weeks.

About the roles

Social Enterprise: The Social Enterprise program finds and supports organizations that serve low- and moderate-income communities. We operate an annual startup accelerator program to support early-stage founders building technologies to advance economic mobility. The accelerator runs in the fall and began in 2023. The Summer Associate will play a critical role in the development of 2024 accelerator program content and network of support.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Samvid Ventures has a longstanding commitment to support entrepreneurship through a variety of vehicles, including the Desai Sethi Accelerator at University of Michigan, the Desai Sethi School of Entrepreneurship at IIT-B, and other vehicles.

Both roles will include market and network research, outbound sourcing, synthesizing findings, and presenting work and recommendations to the internal team and leadership. A key competency is synthesis of information and data, and the ability to develop a coherent point of view and present the information to stakeholders to enable effective decision-making. Summer Associate candidates are encouraged to consider how the below activities align to their personal interests and development goals, and will contribute to determining final role scope.

• Identify and establish relationships with organizations, founders, and investors working to advance economic mobility and/or small business success and entrepreneurship
• Identify entrepreneur support organizations and networks strengthening low- and moderate-income communities
• Identify gaps in the ecosystem where founders could focus future ventures
• For social enterprise:
• Build content to deepen knowledge of accelerator participants about issues affecting low- and moderate-income Americans, including engaging with experts, sourcing guest speakers, creating asynchronous learning resources, coordinating topics and format to maximize relevant applicable learning
• Analyze available funding sources for startups and non-profits, including non-dilutive grants
• Compare models of venture building and entrepreneurship-in-residence to drive strategic direction for the social enterprise portfolio
• For small business/entrepreneurship:
• Complete iterative research sprints on the small business funding landscape, including opportunities for SV
• Assess strategically possible pathways and options for investment
• Engage with thought leaders, fellow funders, and possible delivery partners, to deepen knowledge and speed capital deployment

Who we’re looking for

The team values collaboration, intellectual curiosity, creativity, continuous improvement, a commitment to professional growth and development, and maintaining a service orientation in all we do. In its team members, Samvid Ventures looks for individuals who are motivated by excellence, will thrive in an entrepreneurial environment, and have demonstrated a strong impact-orientation through their work.

Qualifications

• Current MBA student

• Ability to identify information sources, gather and analyze data, and present findings to team members and external stakeholders

• Ability to communicate complex ideas effectively

• Detail-oriented and curious with the ability to prioritize and navigate ambiguity

• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with people at all levels in the organization

• Prior consulting and/or research experience is a plus

About the process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit applications via LinkedIn and email any questions to MBA@samvid.ventures with subject “Summer Associate.” Note that you will be asked to indicate whether you are interested in Social Enterprise, Small Business/Entrepreneurship or both.

If your resume advances, you will be asked to complete a brief (<15 min) video interview which should be completed within 48 hours of receipt. If you advance after the video interview, the final stages are a 1 hour simulation with Zoom debrief and reference checks.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Weeks: 8-10

Compensation: $1,000/week; Candidates are encouraged to apply for financial support from their university, typically available to students employed by 501c3 nonprofit organizations, including operating foundations.

About Samvid Ventures

Samvid Ventures is a philanthropic foundation committed to improving lives and advancing society through innovation in entrepreneurship, education, and wellness. We are headquartered in New York with a national footprint in programming. We apply technology and innovation to our initiatives across education and entrepreneurship to bring meaningful opportunity to individuals and communities with low to moderate income and wealth.