Founder’s Associate: the CEO-style Internship
Imagine telling people you’re a founder’s associate and getting the classic “What’s that?” question. Well, that’s been my experience so far! The role might sound a bit mysterious, but I’m here to break it down for you in a simple way, as I discovered it in the last 6 months.
So what does a founder’s associate do? Shortly, it means interning as part of an exciting startup evolution, growing along with it. You get to work closely with the founders and CEOs of the company, with all the teams and in all kinds of projects, which means you’re right in the middle of all the action. It’s like getting a backstage pass to see how startups grow and make important decisions about their business. In DaVinci, it’s all about hands-on experience and learning along the way.
Now, something I hear a lot: “But you studied Biomedical Engineering, how does this fit?” That’s exactly what I thought too! But guess what? This role is all about learning and trying new things. It’s adding a splash of business to your science background. And honestly, where else would I get the chance to explore this side of things, if not in a start-up?
Interning in DaVinci is an exciting experience because there’s no day like the other. It’s a constantly changing environment that takes you horizontally through the company’s aspects, and my job is to support in achieving all goals.
Maybe one of the most transformative aspects for me is the full ownership that I received from the beginning. At first, it was a bit challenging to handle everything from start to finish without asking for approval all the time. But luckily, I’m part of an amazing team that supports me and encourages me to learn and grow with any occasion.
What’s really cool about this internship is that it’s not just about doing tasks; it’s about seeing the bigger picture. You know how you’ve been studying and working on projects related to healthcare and technology? Well, here’s the twist: I’ve realized there’s more to it than what meets the eye. It’s not just about creating cool medical technology; it’s about making sure it reaches the right people and actually helps them. And that involves not only engineering but also business and marketing skills, utopian concepts in the engineering field.
After 6 months in DaVinci, I’ve figured out how to manage my time well between work, uni and life, work smoothly with others in both sync and async ways, and challenge myself to speak up and think big.
On the flip side, one con I discovered about myself is that *maybe, sometimes* I tend to turn short ideas into longer stories. So, every day is a challenge to keep my thoughts short, like fitting them into a tweet (P.S. many thanks to those still putting up with me).
As for the responsibilities I had as a founder’s associate in DaVinci, it’s been a diverse mix. Some of them:
- Scouting AI leverage possibilities for future improvements internally and for the products;
- Developing and maintaining the DaVinci Healthcare Medium Blog, where you read this article (also check the others!!);
- Conducting recurrent market analysis covering diverse domains, seeking insights applicable or adaptable for our business;
- Working on an innovative project, aiming to make a positive impact on digital healthcare access, also serving as my dissertation paper subject;
If you’re ever feeling unsure about your career path or if you’re someone who doesn’t want to be boxed into one role, I totally recommend considering a role like this. And honestly, it’s okay not to have all the answers right away. Sometimes the most exciting journeys are the ones where you explore and learn as you go.
Looking back, I can’t help but smile at how far I’ve come in DaVinci. It’s not just a job; it’s been an incredible learning experience so far, discovering the digital healthcare domain, the people that need it, the entrepreneur in me.
