Virtual Internships matches students with top companies around the world
Summary
Remote work struck down barriers for many employees, and now Virtual Internships is doing the same for university students around the world by partnering with over 12,000 companies from 100 countries. The edtech startup announced today it has raised a $14.3 million Series A led by Hambro Perks, with participation from Sequoia India and Southeast Asias Surge, Arsenal Growth, Kaplan, Ascend Vietnam Ventures and STIC Investments.Virtual Internships uses AI to match students at scale with internships at companies ranging from startups to blue chips and guarantees a match within one month. Its host companies include AWS, Carrefour, Dentons, GAM Investments, Asian Development Bank and Bio Pharm Dongsung.Over 70% of interns work directly with a founders or C-suite executive and the platform also trains students before and during internships with an employability course called CareerBridge. It allows employers to create global talent pipelines, and universities or governments can support specific audiences, ensuring enhanced employability outcomes and better ROI.Before founding Virtual Internships, Nivern and co-founder Edward Holroyd Pearce launched CRCC Asia in 2006 to help students get internships in Asia, growing the business to more than 10,000 students. It also plans to add to its partnership development teams in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, along with emerging markets like the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.Nivern says Virtual Internships will focus on scalability and employability outcomes by further developing its matching process and working on a post-internship employability portal that will let companies find potential employees from its database of students and graduates.Virtual internships is addressing the needs of a more digital working world and providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to be part of the globalized economy, said Hambro Perks managing director Nicholas Sharp in a statement.