During my summer at ResilienceVC, a seed‑stage venture capital fund investing in financial‑technology start‑ups that enhance financial resilience, I worked across firm strategy, operations, and investments. On the operations side, I evaluated customer‑relationship‑management and AI‑enabled tools, developed a transition plan, and mapped processes for investment, fundraising, marketing, and portfolio reporting to identify areas for streamlining. Strategically, I analyzed how peer funds evolved in stage, geography, sector, and size to inform ResilienceVC’s positioning for its second fund. On the investment front, I developed a thesis on agentic AI for small and medium‑sized businesses, explored opportunities in education finance, participated in sourcing and screening through pitch events and founder calls, and researched policy levers that could unlock opportunities for portfolio companies. Collectively, these activities furthered ResilienceVC’s mission to back entrepreneurs who improve net income generation, risk mitigation, and asset building for low‑ to moderate‑income Americans and small businesses.

My MBA coursework provided a strong foundation. Investing in Social Ventures offered frameworks for sourcing and evaluating mission‑driven enterprises, which I applied in developing the agentic AI thesis and screening companies. Impact Investing taught me to consider limited partners’ expectations and fund positioning, guiding my analysis of peer funds. Strategy Formulation informed my evaluation of fund size and sector trade‑offs, while Foundations of Entrepreneurship helped me assess founder‑market fit and early go‑to‑market strategies. Experience with the LEO Impact Fund at Columbia sharpened my diligence and collaborative decision‑making skills, mirroring the venture work I did at ResilienceVC.

One challenge was performing market research with limited reliable data. Some problems had intuitive links to small‑business stability, but evidence was scarce, so I had to synthesize insights from fragmented sources and evaluate their credibility. Balancing operational projects and investment work also proved demanding. The operations work required structured, internally focused problem solving, whereas investment activities demanded agility and judgment. Additionally, assessing nascent fields like agentic AI was complex because of scarce use cases, and researching policy levers meant navigating a dynamic regulatory environment. These challenges reinforced the need for prioritization and creative problem solving.

The internship gave me a holistic view of a mission‑driven venture fund. I saw how strategy, operations, and investing are deeply interconnected: a differentiated fund strategy depends on efficient processes, and strong operations create space for thoughtful investment decisions. I honed my critical‑thinking skills by developing an AI thesis and participating in collaborative deal discussions. The experience underscored the importance of policy awareness for fintech start‑ups and strengthened my resolve to pursue a career at the intersection of social enterprise, technology, and economic mobility. I am grateful to ResilienceVC for the mentorship and exposure to founders who are redefining financial resilience.