To foster entrepreneurship and increase exposure to different industries, Darden offers the Batten Venture Internship Program (BVIP) for 10-week summer internships between the First and Second Years.
This program supports Darden students as they pursue internships through a matching grant provided by the Batten Endowment. It promotes and supports student involvement with start-ups, venture capital (VC) firms, search funds, or recently acquired closely held enterprises (ETA).
Students gain entrepreneurial experience and companies with limited funds benefit from having access to talented MBA students for the summer.
How are Darden students prepared to succeed in an entrepreneurial or venture environment?
Darden was recently ranked No. 10 in Poets & Quants’ 2025 World’s Best MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship and noted for its high percentage of faculty teaching at least one entrepreneurship or innovation-focused course during the last academic year. Students take part in the Venture Capital learning series, Tech Learning series, ETA Learning series, competitions, and workshops throughout the year.
What types of projects can Darden students contribute to?
We’ve compiled a list of sample projects.
- Competitive assessments
- Brand and/or product strategy
- Operational analysis
- Planning and analysis development
- Market strategy
- Management function analysis
- Finance function analysis
- Business plan preparation and review
Is my company qualified to participate?
Qualifying companies are early-stage, start-up, search funds and search acquired businesses (ETA), venture or angel-backed companies with limited funds for an MBA intern salary. There is a strong preference for companies started/acquired in the last five years, but that is not a requirement. Darden’s Batten Endowment provides a $6,000 grant to match the company’s minimum compensation to the student of $6,000.
How do I begin?
You can get started immediately.
Darden is hosting an in-person and a virtual showcase on 24 February. Contact Michele Rankin, Career Center Senior Director, Marketing, Start-Ups, and ETA to participate in the showcases or to post your role.
Darden is accepting internship postings now through March.
