Ecosys4you_Internship in the Ruhr, Germany in summer 2024

"Being part of the Ecosys4you program has been an incredible experience. Interning at a Ruhr start-up gave me hands-on insights into entrepreneurship, new skills, and connections that inspire me to pursue my own business ideas." Amadei, 26

Four ambitious students, Erna, Amadei, Radoslav and Dimitar, from Slovenia and Bulgaria completed an 8-week adventure with the Ecosys4you internship programme, working hands-on with innovative start-ups in the Ruhr region. Organized by the dedicated Ecosys4you team, the programme took care of everything—from matching interns with companies to providing accommodation and public transport passes—ensuring the participants could focus entirely on making the most of their experience.

A huge thank you goes out to the forward-thinking start-ups that made this journey possible: Xingsys, Fairnica, Meicla Design, Aware7, and Shuhari. These companies opened their doors to the interns, offering them invaluable, real-world entrepreneurial experience. One participant even split his time between two start-ups, maximizing exposure to different industries and workflows.

Throughout the programme, the interns explored dynamic fields like cybersecurity, marketing, digital design, and fashion. Many of the start-ups were still in the early stages of their foundation, giving the students a front-row seat to entrepreneurship in action. Their tasks were as diverse as their talents, spanning digital design, customer management, business development, social media strategy, and even specialized projects in cybersecurity and AI.

To enrich the experience further, the internships were complemented by a vibrant social programme featuring weekly after-work meetups, regional excursions, and visits to local start-up ecosystem events. Highlights included attending ruhrSTARTUPWEEK, the “Senkrechtstarter Summer Night,” and participating in the ecosys4you Mind Mining Ruhr hackathon. These activities provided invaluable networking opportunities and a deeper understanding of the regional entrepreneurial landscape.

This was more than an internship—it was a glimpse into the world of start-ups, a hands-on learning experience, and an opportunity to shape the future alongside innovative minds.

We, the Ecosys4you team, are excited to continue this journey and looking forward to welcoming our next group of interns to dynamic start-ups in the vibrant city of Varna, Bulgaria. To enhance the experience, we conducted semi-structured feedback interviews with all participants and start-ups from the first round of the internship programme. Insights from our evaluation will be published on our website.