Startuplifers

Purpose and goal

Startuplifers is a non-profit program that offers internships for talents from Swedish and Finnish universities at startups. The startups are located in the US. The vision is to be available to all students in Sweden, and to be the best choice for recruiting talent. The purpose of the organisation is of course still the same and with the support Vinnova has been providing we are, despite a few re-organisational problems during the project time, on the right track to reach our goals.

Expected results and effects

Using the support that Vinnova has been providing during the project time, Startuplifers has had the opportunity to run the operations and expand and also develop here in Sweden. The interest in the Startuplifersprogram has been growing and there is a big increase in applications to the program from the students in Swedish universities. The program has had the opportunity to develop and are now working in a different structure than in the beginning. The new organisational structure is something we believe is more scalable in the future.

Planned approach and implementation

Startuplifers is built up by two organisations, Finnish and Swedish. In the beginning the Swedish team recruited talents, expanding the network of startups and also matched the students with the startups. Today the Swedish team is instead a branch out from the Finnish organisation, focusing on marketing and recruiting great students from Swedish universities. The Finnish team are handling all the recruitment and connections and matches with the startups. If there is a match Startuplifers still uses KILROY for the visa process.