my internship at nina capital: from BARCELONA to STANFORD and back
who I am and how I joined Nina Capital
AUGUST 2021
By Marta Munté
I have been sailing since I was 5 years old, and was a part of the Spanish Pre-Olympic Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games. My name is Marta Munté, I was born in Catalonia, Spain, and I am studying economics at Stanford University, where I continue to pursue my passion for sailing.
Because of my unwavering dedication to the sport, prior to this year I had never had the opportunity to dedicate my summer to an internship. But it was clear to me that this was my year. It was time to embark on my journey to explore the “real world” and discover what I love. And I couldn’t have had a better immersion!
Nina Capital is a specialized, early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in the intersection between healthcare and technology. I remember reading a 2020 article in “La Vanguardia” about the firm and its inaugural fund and showing it my mom, while saying: “Look Mom, the founder of this VC firm was at Stanford for many years! It is so exceptional what she is building here in Barcelona. I hope to meet her someday!”.
A few months later, when I started looking for my summer internship, it was inevitable that I thought about working at Nina Capital. I was aware that it is a very professional firm and that most interns who work at Nina Capital have a healthcare background or direct experience. As someone without much prior experience, I was conscious that it might be difficult to enter the internship selection process; but challenges are my favorite part of life so I figured it was worth a try.
I decided to contact the company through their website. Much to my surprise, Marta-Gaia Zanchi (Managing Partner and founder of Nina Capital) personally responded and presented me with the opportunity to enter the selection process for this internship. After several emails and some interviews, I had the honor of receiving an offer to be part of the team during the Summer of 2021.
During my three months at Nina Capital, I worked as an Analyst Intern on two projects.
My main project — A research study focused on gender diversity in the Private Equity and Venture Capital industry in Spain.
Nearly all Analyst Interns at Nina Capital come to the firm having studied a life sciences degree or worked in the healthcare industry prior to their experience. I did not have either, but was lucky that Nina Capital was recruiting for a very special research project that did not require a life sciences or healthcare background. This was going to be my main focus and the activity to which I dedicated most of my internship.
Before I describe the project, I want to express my gratitude to my project partner, Nicole Van Allen. I can’t imagine having done this study without her, and she is without a doubt the best partner I could have had. Thank you Nicole! And thank you Marta-Gaia for giving me the opportunity to learn from her.
Specifically, I was tasked with working on a gender diversity research study led by Nina Capital in collaboration with Level 20, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving gender diversity in the European Venture Capital and Private Equity industry. My goal was to assemble a new, first-of-its-kind database with information about Private Equity and Venture Capital professionals based in Spain, that we could then analyze to have a granular and accurate picture of the state of gender diversity of the industry.
After weeks of hard data collection, crunching results, and complementing all with industry interviews, we all worked together to write a Whitepaper that will be released after the Summer (be sure to keep an eye out for it — it’s a good one, I promise!).
This project has provided me the invaluable opportunity to learn how to do a research study and lead conversations with industry experts. The level of independence and responsibility that I have been given is something very difficult to find elsewhere, and without a doubt, it has been the factor that has allowed me to learn and grow the most during these months. Nina Capital is undoubtedly a place where the voices of all members are heard and valued.
My secondary project— Support in day-to-day activities related to data management and investment operations.
In addition to conducting the research project, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of investment analysis. My main responsibility was data entry in support of the firm’s efforts towards dealflow generation and screening, coupled with secondary research to inform investment operations. It was my first exposure to the investment world, and a great learning opportunity.
In addition to working on my projects, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in weekly team meetings. There, I not only had the honor of learning from the team, but also felt that my opinion was heard and valued.
Some personal reflections on my experience at Nina Capital.
I remember the nerves that had me at the edge of my seat on my first day. On the way to work I was thinking: “What will the place be like? What about the team? Will I be up to the task?”
I met Marta-Gaia at 8:30 in the morning to start to familiarize myself with the office and with my projects. I rang the doorbell and she greeted me with her charismatic smile and natural warmth.
The first thing we did that morning was a tour of the office. It is a magical place to work. Light, transparency, and cooperation are the words that came to my mind when I saw the structure and brightness of the space. After taking a tour, we got down to work and Marta-Gaia presented my projects to me. At that moment, I had a mixture of feelings — excitement and nervousness, a lot of nervousness. As the rest of the team began to arrive, my nerves began to diminish, everyone was so friendly, greeting me with great affection. From the first moment, the team made me feel like one more of the group.
Although it initially seemed difficult, the experience was getting better and better as the days went by. I felt more and more comfortable with the team and with my projects. I fell in love with the routine and the atmosphere of the place filled with brilliant, hard-working people. The positive energy was palpable.
My internship at Nina Capital has been my first immersion into the working world.
Prior to it, I was completely unfamiliar with the world of Venture Capital, and it has been such a pleasant surprise! Although I still have many years of experimenting and discovering where I fit in, these months here have unequivocally left their mark on me. If anyone reading this is considering entering the world of Venture Capital, my message is loud and clear: go for it!
Before I finish, I would like to thank Marta-Gaia for the opportunity and her trust. Thank you for believing in me, for opening your doors and welcoming me every morning with your beautiful smile. Working with you is a constant source of learning and it would be an honor for me to keep in touch. You are and will always be a role-model to me. Stanford and Barcelona will always unite us.
I don’t want to say goodbye without also thanking the entire Nina Capital team for their advice and their eternal willingness to help. For treating me as one of the group and accepting and valuing my way of thinking. It has been a real pleasure to share this summer with you and I hope we can keep in touch.
As a personal note, I encourage everyone to visit Barcelona and Stanford University. My two favorite places on the planet.
With much love and best wishes,
Marta Munté
