BrainMind

Internship at the Intersection of Neuroscience and Entrepreneurship


The BrainMind Ecosystem is a collective of top brain scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and other doers and thinkers who aim to advance ideas in neuroscience, psychology, brain health and vibrancy, optimized learning, and other cutting-edge BrainMind topics. Members of this unique group are patient, risk-tolerant, and passionate about the brain and the mystery of human consciousness, in addition to being individually at the top of their respective fields.

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 The Internship - Cambridge, MA

Each summer, 10-12 carefully selected undergraduate students from top schools around the country come together in Cambridge to learn, grow, and be immersed in the nexus of brain science and entrepreneurship. The BrainMind Internship Program gives students the unique opportunity to get involved with BrainMind programs through summits and discussions, as well as networking opportunities and personal projects. As students learn to manage special projects, they develop both hard skills (market research, data analysis, etc.) and soft skills (critical problem solving, collaboration). Students will grow their networks and develop their personal and professional skills through mentorship with experts in neurotechnology, investing, startups, and more, continuing even after the summer.

Students are not only encouraged but also empowered to explore and develop their unique ideas within the program's framework. As a result, numerous participants have extended their concepts, establishing successful companies or impactful non-profits.

BrainMind interns come from a variety of backgrounds and interests. What unites them all is a passion for the brain, entrepreneurship, and social impact. These topics are at the heart of the internship.

 

The Advanced Special Projects Team is taking a hiatus for summer 2025 and is not accepting applications at this time. Please check back in Fall 2025 for open applications. In the meantime, learn more about the program below:


The BrainMind Internship is the perfect starter course on how to be a student entrepreneur. While BrainMind provides incredible exposure to myriad fields within neuroscience, the BrainMind internship also offers many opportunities to get involved in companies addressing the social determinants of health, impact investing, philanthropy, AI, and social entrepreneurship.
— Chloe Duckworth, Founder of Valence VIbrations/USC'23/BrainMind Intern 2020

You get the opportunity to be more than just an “intern”; you’ll have the chance to take on projects of your own and really learn how to manage real-world issues and how to work with teams of like-minded people. I got to explore many of my interests (and find completely new ones) while learning and meeting the best people
— Jonathan Arnold, Stanford'23/ BrainMind Intern 2021

This internship was the most valuable experience I have had in my academic life. I gained skills that will carry throughout my career and discovered more about myself than I thought possible. I can’t recommend this internship enough.
— Mia Caldwell, Harvard'24/BrainMind Intern 2022

BrainMind is filled with bright and hardworking students, as well as a management team whose number one priority is to help you grow as an entrepreneur, a teammate, and someone with the ability to make a lasting impact on the world.
— Aymen Kabir, Havard'21/ BrainMind Intern 2020

This program is strategically crafted to empower students in their career journey, providing them with a robust foundation to excel in their chosen paths. 

Former interns have transitioned from our programs to achieve remarkable and varied accomplishments. They have effectively translated the skills acquired during this program into gratifying and influential careers. Many even used connections or mentors fostered during the internship to launch their careers.

 12 Week Internship Curriculum

Get to know more about the organization, future projects, and our impact while meeting other interns.

Learn to effectively communicate in professional settings, understand expectations and norms when networking with professionals.

Develop and expand your teamwork skills through presentations and workshops


Learn how to efficiently and effectively manage teams across different settings.

Expand your own ideas and learn how to transform them into real projects.

Learn firsthand from founders about what it takes to start your own organisation.


Practice crafting impactful presentations while presenting your own ideas.

Learn the fundamentals of investing and impact investing, and what you should be doing now to prepare for your future.

Learn and ask questions about the pros and cons of different grad school options.


Research and connect with potential mentors to aid in your reaching your career goals.

Foster a deeper understanding of ethical and empathetic approaches to guide and inspire teams in the realm of innovation and collaboration.

Reflect on your growth, goals, and aspirations, fostering introspection and sharing insights to cultivate personal and professional development.

Sample Week:

We Asked One Of Our Intern’s to Reflect On Their Personal Week. Here’s What It Looks Like:

  • 11am-12pm: Standups - Share What You Accomplished Last Week, What You Plan to Work On, and Any Roadblocks You Have Encountered

    12:30pm-1:30pm: Tutorial on "Managing Up" and Developing Proper Leadership Skills to Manage a Team

    3:30pm-4pm: Ecosystem Investor Search Check-In

    4pm-4:15pm: Follow Up GrayMatters Health Team Meeting for Investor Search

    7pm-7:30pm: BrainMind NYC YouTube Check-In With Intern Team

  • 10am-11am: Lecture on Professional Networking and Career Development

    11:30am-1:30pm: Discussion with Harvard Law School Professor Noel Roycroft About the Legal Formation of Startups

    1:45pm-2:45pm: Neurotechnology Consulting Info Session with NTX Services

  • 11am-11:30am: Networking Call with a Potential Mentor to Learn More About Designing Your Own Startup in the HealthTech/BioTech Industry

    12pm-1:30pm: Student Tutorials -- Present Your Own Pitch for a Startup with the Possibility of Leading a Team of Interns Throughout the Summer to Carry Out Your Idea

    2pm-3pm: Presentation of Your Team's Investor Search Findings to Founder of Non-Invasive BCI Startup

    3:30pm-4pm: Meeting with Diana About Personal Project on Neuroethics Page on BrainMind's Website

    8pm-10pm: Winning Trivia Night at Dugout Cafe with the Interns (Optional Social Activity)

  • 9:30am-11am: Zone of Genius Exercise - Understanding Your Personal Strengths

    12pm-1pm: Guest Mentorship Session with Benjamin Stecher, Discussing the Future of Neuroscience and His Impactful Work with Tomorrow Edition

    3pm-3:30pm: Investor Search Check-In With Hayley

    4pm-4:45pm: Networking Call with Potential Mentor

    8pm-10pm: Paint Night! (Optional Social Activity)

  • 11am-12pm: Student Led Session -- Discover The C.O.D.E. to Your Unique Brain Type with Jim Kwik's Online Assessment and Participate in a Mini Neuroethics Debate

    1pm-2pm: Anna and Hayley's Office Hours -- Meet to Discuss Current Pitch Competition Ideas

    2pm-3pm: BrainMind Projects + Goals Overview

    3:30pm-4pm: Meet with Diana and Humanity Neurotech to Discuss Future Funding for their Startup

    7pm-8:30pm: Dinner at Atlàntico with Interns (Optional Social Activity)



Internship Alumni

Program Graduates 


The BrainMind program has served more than 100 students over the course of the past seven years. Each summer, BrainMind handpicks 10 students to be apart of the Advanced Special Projects Team. These students are meticulously chosen for their academic prowess, remarkable personal skills, visionary thinking, and an unmatched commitment to leveraging entrepreneurship and STEM for the betterment of humanity.


Camila Dangot, Brown

Eva Dorr, Harvard

Reem Omar, University of Chicago

Zihan Wang, Johns Hopkins

Lauren Hyoseo Yoon, Northwestern

Shreya Singhvi, UC Berkeley

Yug Yadava, Rowan University

Serena Zhao, Harvard

Chloe Duckworth, USC

Maria DiMartinis, Harvard

Wonuola Obasa, Harvard

Abraham Dada, Harvard

Setu Mehta, Stanford

Brian Nguyen, Stanford

Vinh Tonm, Stanford

Seung Hyeon Shim, MIT

Sofia Vera Verduzco, Stanford

Jake Pappo, Harvard

Kriti Achyutuni, UC Berkeley

Song Moua, Stanford

Anna Riggs, Santa Clara University

Timothy Domashevich, Baylor

Melissa Hummel, MIT

Ian Cataluna, Johns Hopkins University

Lenae Joe, Stanford

Patrick Song, Harvard

Lyna Kim, Stanford

Joanna Li, Columbia

Aymen Kabir, Harvard

Suveer Kothuri, Miami of Ohio

Shavonna Jackson, Harvard

Isaiah Nawaz, Brown

Dakota Lawlar, Stanford

Will Savage, Cornell University

Sophie Ishiwari, University of Pennsylvania

Mia Caldwell, Harvard

Anna Peters, Harvard

Cesar Rodriquez, USC

Carolyn Huynh, Duke

Ali Makani, Harvard

Manciana Cardichon, Harvard

Jonathan Arnold, Stanford

Brandon Palacios, Harvard

Vanessa Sims, Stanford

Isaac Schaider, Stanford

Trenton Chang, Stanford