LADDER CAREER LAUNCHPAD

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The Summer Cohort Admission Deadline is April 5, 2026!

Work with the world’s best start-ups

A world-class career program for ambitious college students and young professionals

63% of our students come from Top 40 Universities and Liberal Arts Colleges

Our students come from these schools:

  • Brown University

  • Barnard College

  • California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

  • Columbia University

  • Cornell University

  • Emory University

  • Hamilton College

  • Harvard University

  • New York University

  • Purdue University - West Lafayette

  • Rice University

  • Stanford University

  • The Pennsylvania State University

  • Tufts University

  • University of California, Davis

  • University of California, San Diego

  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • University of Michigan (Taubman College)

  • University of Notre Dame

  • University of Pennsylvania

  • University of Southern California (USC)

  • University of Texas at Austin

  • University of Virginia

  • University of Washington

  • Wake Forest University

Our Companies & Your Managers

Funded by

Bessemer Venture Partners logo with stylized blue lines and bold text
Harvard Innovation Labs logo with a red square containing the letters 'Hi' and the text 'Harvard innovation labs' to the right.

Studied at

Stanford University logo with a red field and a green pine tree, accompanied by the text 'Stanford University' in maroon.
Harvard University logo with shield featuring three open books and the words 'Veritas' on each book.
The logo of the University of Pennsylvania featuring a shield with books, a serpent, and three circles, with the text 'Wharton University of Pennsylvania'.
Harvard Business School logo with shield and the word "Veritas"

Worked at

McKinsey & Company logo in black text on a white background.
Google logo with letters in blue, red, yellow, and green.
Microsoft logo with a colorful four-pane window icon and the word Microsoft in gray text
Text in blue reading 'Goldman Sachs' on a white background.

Our Hosts & Your Managers

  • A smiling woman with light brown hair and wearing a white crochet top, holding a product box labeled 'Rii', standing outdoors with green trees in the background.

    Rebecca Marie Caputo

    Co-Founder & COO,
    Rif Care
    UCSD Alum, Techstars Impact '23

  • A smiling man with blonde hair wearing a blue fleece jacket and a light blue collared shirt in an indoor setting.

    Luke Heine

    Founder & CEO,
    Fair Opportunity Project
    Harvard, YCombinator & Microsoft alum

  • A headshot of a smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a navy blazer and white shirt, against a dark background.

    Jeff Walsh

    Founder,
    Sooth.fyi
    Microsoft Startups Founders Hub, Dartmouth MBA alum, ex-Goldman Sachs

  • Smiling young man with glasses wearing a gray shirt outdoors with green plants in the background.

    Michael Bervell

    Founder & CEO,
    Billion Dollar Startup Ideas
    Harvard Business School & Microsoft alum

  • Portrait of a young man with short black hair, looking off to the side, with a background of a cloudy sky.

    An Luong

    Founder,
    Generative AI (in stealth mode)
    MIT & Stanford Alum, ex-Microsoft, Walmart Labs

Available Fields

A large, dark blue check mark.
A large dark blue check mark symbol.

Finance

Dark blue checkmark icon.

Enviromental Science

Non-Profit

Dark blue check mark.

Software
Engineering

A large, dark blue check mark icon

Machine Learning & AI

Consulting

A large blue check mark.

Health Tech & Mental Health

Large blue checkmark symbol.

Tech & Deep Tech

Blue checkmark symbol.

Media & Journalism

A large, dark blue check mark with a slight gradient.

Meet a few of our Host Companies

  • Logo with stylized blue brain outline and the text "JuneBrain" underneath.

    JuneBrain

    Industry: Healthcare, Tech

    JuneBrain is focused on improving remote monitoring in ophthalmology & neurology with a patented wearable eye-scanning device and SaaS platform.

  • A stylized illustration of a human head with a spiral inside and a star, in blue and white colors.

    Sooth.fyi

    Industry: Customer Insights and Analytics, AI

    Sooth.fyi leverages AI and data analytics to provide real-time customer insights, helping businesses enhance engagement and satisfaction through personalized experiences and predictive analysis

  • Silhouette of a unicorn head on a white background.

    Billion Dollar Startup Ideas

    Industry: Tech, Media

    Billion Dollar Startup Ideas is one of the world’s largest generators and aggregators of unicorn-level start-up ideas, with a reach of over 850,000 people.

  • Logo for the Fair Opportunity Project featuring a colorful hot air balloon with the words 'fair opportunity project' beneath it.

    Fair Opportunity Project

    Industry: Tech, Non-profit

    Recognized in Forbes, NYT, and the Harvard Education Review, Fair Opportunity Project sends free college application advice to 63,000 public educators and provides free 1:1 mentorship to hundreds of students.

  • Rif Care

    Industry: Feminine Hygiene, Sustainable Product

    Rif Care produces organic period products, prioritizing health and sustainability, with over 400k pads sold and a strong market presence.

  • Dark gray background with a minimal upward arrow symbol and the text 'In Stealth Mode'

    Generative AI (in stealth mode)

    Industry: AI, Data

    Stealth Mode: Incubator led by SE Asia's top Data & AI experts, building generative AI MVPs in 8 weeks, with a focus on applied ML and LLMs for production in Asia.

6200+

Applications

Our Impact

1200

Interns
selected

50+

Host
Companies

$204,000+

In financial aid

Program By The Numbers

Ladder Career Launchpad

Number of sessions with the host company

8

Hours of work per week

5-10

Duration

8 weeks

Program Timeline

Week 1

Meet with the company coach and define the project

Week 2

Work on the project with the company coach

Week 3

Finalize the first draft of the project, meet with the company coach

Week 4

Present the first deliverable to the company

Week 5

Meet with the company coach, define the second deliverable

Week 6

Work with the company coach on the second deliverable

Week 7

Finalize the project

Week 8

Present the final project to the company

Hear from some of our students

  • Frederick P.

    Freshman at Cornell University
    Interned at First Principles

    “Ladder gave me valuable startup experience and industry insight. The program is immersive, fast-paced, and a great opportunity for anyone seeking hands-on learning beyond traditional internship platforms. Highly recommend!”

    Project: Working on SpendSight in an AI-First Capacity

  • Justin X.

    Junior at the University of Virginia
    Interned at Savvy Cooperative

    “The internship was well-structured and helped me grow professionally. Communication with mentors and peers was key. I found the opportunity through my economics professor and appreciated the supportive environment.”

    Project: Pricing Strategy For New Product Offering

  • Brayden C.

    Freshman at University of Southern California
    Interned at SmartSolar

    “Ladder matched me with a great interviewer and unique opportunities tailored to my interests. The process was smooth, insightful, and I wish I’d known about it in high school!”

    Project: Founder's Office Internship

  • Taylor G.

    Junior at the University of Notre Dame
    Interned at First Principles

    “Being part of the robotic football club led me to this opportunity. My advice: stay open-minded about projects and companies, and take full advantage of mentors—they’re invaluable for industry insight.”

    Project: Working on SpendSight in an AI-First Capacity

  • Madelyn H.

    Senior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    Interned at Mattermore

    “I found my internship on Handshake—it was super easy! Although my first placements weren’t a match, I appreciated the support. Real-world projects boosted my experience and portfolio. Highly recommend!”

    Project: Crafting a Cross-Channel Campaign for Social Impact

  • Young woman with shoulder-length dark hair standing on a busy city street smiling at the camera, with people walking in the background.

    Norah C.

    Sophomore at Babson College
    Interned at NexusEdge Education, Inc.

    ”My experience with Ladder has been amazing, everything has been so easy and simplified with the help of Stephen and my company CEO has been immensely welcoming. I feel like I'm gaining so much valuable experience without feeling overloaded, which was really important to me due to travel and academics throughout the summer.”

    Project: Expanding Market Reach through Strategic Business Development

  • A smiling young woman with glasses taking a selfie in a library.

    Triparna P.

    Rising Freshman at KCL
    Interned at Cosun

    “Working with Cosun as a part of the Ladder Internships program has been nothing short of a memorable experience. My understanding of key roles such as social media marketing and product research has been expanded under the guidance of my manager. Being challenged to build on existing skills to excel at my tasks has helped me realize my true potential.”

    Project: Product Research


  • Yi L.

    Sophomore at the University of Toronto
    Interned at Inner Peak AI

    “Ladder connected me to a meaningful internship in teen mental health. I learned valuable skills, enjoyed presenting my work, and recommend strong communication with mentors. Highly recommend Ladder to students!”

    Project: Wellness Content Development

What you will get out of the program

  • Close-up of technical drawing with a pencil and ruler, showing measurements and architectural details.

    Real-world working experience at a top start-up

  • A man gives a presentation to an audience in a modern, loft-style conference room with brick walls and large windows, with the word 'PROOF' displayed on the wall behind him.

    Tangible project output on the resume

  • A document with an signature, printed text, and a red circular seal or stamp on a white background.

    Reference Letter from your start-up founder or manager

The Application Process

We implement a selection process that helps us find the best-fit project for you.

Submit the application form

Interview

Receive an acceptance decision

Start the program!

FAQs

  • Absolutely! Our team suggests company projects based on an applicant’s interests and notes from their interview. Details of the best fit projects are shared with students who have the final say in whether they wish to move ahead with the suggested match!

  • We have many applicants each year. For example, our summer 2023 cohort had over 700 applicants for just 70 spots. We implement an interview process that helps us find you the best-fit project and company.

  • The program is online, so we accommodate students all over the world.

  • The program will be fully virtual and will run for a period of 8 weeks. Students usually spend 10-15 hours a week to work on assigned tasks and to meet company management.

    The program is designed to deliver tangible results that will make you stand out in your career journey.

  • Yes, we offer full financial aid to those in need. Our sister programs, Lumiere Research Program and Veritas AI, have provided aid to over 150 students.

ARE YOU UP FOR LAUNCHING YOUR CAREER?

Upcoming Application Deadlines

Summer Cohort Admission Deadline: April 5, 2026
Cohort timing: June 1, 2026

Apply Now