Best. summer. ever.
The Desai Accelerator Internship Program is a win-win: our portfolio companies get to work with talented students like you, and you get to experience the intensity and innovation of startup culture. This isn't just an internship—it's an accelerated education in entrepreneurship.
The Desai Accelerator Internship Program is a win-win: our portfolio companies get to work with talented students like you, and you get to experience the intensity and innovation of startup culture. This isn't just an internship—it's an accelerated education in entrepreneurship.
60 Projects. Infinite possibilities.
Over 12 transformative weeks, our intern cohort of ten exceptional students delivers high-impact projects (typically 60-80 in a summer) for our entire cohort of startups. Previous interns have built market-ready products, conducted breakthrough research, and developed strategies that generated millions in revenue. Projects have included:
Strategic Growth
Market research and competitive analysis
Customer acquisition strategies
Business model optimization
Market research and sizing
Technical Innovation
AI/ML solutions development
Frontend and backend development
Mobile application creation
Product design and prototyping
Design Challenges
Interactive prototype development
Customer discovery interviews
UI/UX assessment and design
Logo design and brand development
Previous interns have a lot to say about Desai.
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“There is a lot of ambiguity but to see a study turn into something tangible and make an impact with my research was so rewarding."
Emily Lin
MSI‘26
UX Design & Research -
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"My brain was always active and energized, I felt excited to come into work."
Niranjana Venkataramanan
MBA ‘26 -
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“My education at U-M, partnered with my experiences at Desai, felt like the whole lifecycle. I was finally able to take what I understood from courses and apply it to real life situations."
Rexell Kurniawan
BS Computer Science ‘26
Minor in Entrepreneurship -
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"The weekly design team meetings were GREAT. 10/10. I felt so supported and it definitely exceeded my expectations of the program."
Anna Kim
MSI ‘26
UX/UI Design & Agile Research Development
FAQ
The 2025 intern cohort: Ninja Venkataramanan, Lauren Hahn, Rexell Kurniawan, Nor Danish Nor Hisham, Jaryl Shao, Emily Lin, Andrew Nguyen, Anna Kim, Aaryaman Rathi, Stella Peng
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Competitive compensation for domestic and international students
Real-world projects for your portfolio
Direct mentorship from entrepreneurs
Extensive network access within Michigan entrepreneurship ecosystem
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The Desai Accelerator internship is 12 weeks. The 2026 program runs from June 1–August 21.
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Passion for entrepreneurship and innovation
Technical skills relevant to startup needs
Collaborative mindset and rapid learning ability
Commitment to excellence and impact
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Our 90+ interns have gone on to positions at many companies including:
FAANG companies
Palo Alto Networks
Lyft
Slack
pwc
Deloitte
NBC Universal
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No! We consider applications from all colleges and schools at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.
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Unfortunately, no. You must be a currently-enrolled student to qualify for the Desai Accelerator internship program.
2026 Selection Process
Applications for the 2026 internship are now closed.
Consideration timeline:
Application deadline: Sunday, February 1, 2026
First round interviews: mid-February
Second round interviews: early-mid March
Offers extended: End of March
Internship Term: June 1–August 21, 2026