Be a driver of positive social change – this is my life aspiration. Contributing to the community by devoting my knowledge and talents to make a positive change in others’ lives has always been a deep passion of mine. During my MBA summer, I interned with the impact venture capital firm Ananda in Munich, Germany. Ananda backs early-stage impact startups with a focus on healthcare, sustainability, equality, and education. My internship enabled me to work at the intersection of business and social impact and allowed me to learn more about both the venture capital industry and sustainability. I am incredibly thankful for the support that I received from the Columbia Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change.

During my internship, I was responsible for identifying attractive early-stage investment targets and reviewing the inbound deal flow of Ananda, including looking at investment decks and judging business models. Furthermore, I supported the commercial and financial due diligence on potential investments and conducted impact assessments on existing portfolio companies. I performed quantitative analyses and developed a scenario analysis model for Ananda's fund IV using a Monte Carlo simulation. Lastly, I helped to introduce Ananda's "Founder Health Program," represented Ananda at startup events in Munich, and conducted a research project on female health.

The Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship Program was one of my highlights during the MBA and complemented my focus on Sustainability & Social Impact. The skill set that I learned during my MBA tremendously helped me to successfully complete my impact VC internship. The CBS class Foundations of VC introduced me to the world of venture capital and outlined all the basics of the industry. Furthermore, I was able to directly apply the knowledge I gained in classes such as Statistics, Business Analytics, and Finance. The class Strategy Formulation enhanced my ability to evaluate business models, understand industry dynamics, and identify competitive advantages.

All in all, the experience at Ananda Impact Ventures was truly inspiring and brought me one step closer to my long-term career goal. The internship illustrated to me that I draw energy from learning about new topics and that working on social impact projects fulfills me with joy and passion.