What is TEC?
Since 2009, the True Entrepreneur Corps program has been bringing undergraduates from across the country to the San Francisco Bay area to spend the summer with our portfolio companies and learn firsthand what it is like to work at a startup. For students interested in technology and startups, it can truly be a life-changing experience.
Do not just take our word for it. For a firsthand account of the TEC experience, check out the TEC Program Blog to see what students in 2009, 2010 and 2011 had to say about their summers.
In addition to working for one of our portfolio companies, students participate in a weekly speaker series at the True office in San Francisco. Small discussions with company founders, investors, and others from the True network give program participants the chance to meet and learn from many of today’s brightest and most accomplished minds in technology.
TEC participants also conduct research projects during the summer to deepen their exposure to technology and the venture capital process. In 2010, students researched and prepared recommendations based on Steve Jobs’ comments at the recent 2010 All Things D Conference indicating that “The Post-PC Era” had arrived. And, in 2011, they dug into an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of open and closed platforms.
In addition to providing full immersion in the startup and entrepreneurial process, TEC is designed to provide a great foundation for your future. The short-term benefits are clear: in the past three years, more than a dozen TEC participants have continued to work with their respective companies after the program’s conclusion. Over the long term, we are confident that what you learn during TEC and the relationships you build with the people you meet will pay dividends for many years to come.
Who is the TEC program designed for?
We are looking for smart and hardworking students with a passion for technology and entrepreneurship. Students with any major and/or educational interest are encouraged to apply.
TEC is designed for undergraduates who are about to begin their junior or senior years of study. Unfortunately, we do not accept applications from graduate students. Previous interns have come from schools including Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, Boston College, Babson, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, and Brown.
When and where does the program take place?
TEC 2012 runs from Monday, June 4 to Friday, July 27. All participants are paired with companies in the San Francisco Bay area and should expect to live nearby.
Please contact us at TEC [at] trueventures [dot] com or on Twitter at @trueventuresTEC.
