During my internship at Coffee Elf I worked on projects to advance the company’s vision, business strategy, and fundraising. One of my main responsibilities was developing a techno‑economic analysis and financial model to project operations at scale. I also worked extensively on the pitch deck, creating slides on the problem statement, market strategy, and environmental benefits. Coffee Elf aims to reduce waste and emissions in the coffee and cosmetic industries by extracting oil from spent coffee grounds to replace ingredients with larger carbon footprints. As the company remains in the lab stage, my work helped the founder evaluate scaling and prepared investor‑ready materials.

My internship allowed me to apply knowledge from my first semester in the Sustainability Management program. I drew on my introduction to life‑cycle assessment (LCA) to conduct a preliminary LCA for Coffee Elf’s oil and identify ways to reduce the product’s carbon footprint. I will deepen my understanding by taking an advanced LCA course. Coursework on pitching climate‑oriented businesses taught me to articulate a company’s value beyond environmental benefits. Using this approach, I created a pitch deck highlighting Coffee Elf’s B2B value proposition, investor appeal, and environmental impact.

A major challenge was learning new skills quickly. Developing a techno‑economic analysis and financial model required competencies I had not yet fully developed. I often questioned which metrics to include and how to project scaling pathways. I relied on online resources and frequent consultations with the founder to ensure analytical rigor. Similarly, conducting the LCA was challenging, especially when technical issues arose with the software. I eventually built the LCA manually in Excel. These experiences taught me to be resourceful and proactive. They also strengthened my communication skills as I regularly sought feedback and clarified expectations.

This internship offered a valuable opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in sustainable business and startup operations. My role was multifaceted, which helped me develop diverse skills and understand early‑stage company culture. I discovered that I thrive in environments where I am continually learning. Through market research, industry analysis, and technical modeling, I developed a deeper understanding of the coffee and cosmetic industries and became more motivated by mission‑driven work. The experience clarified the organizational culture I seek and equipped me with practical tools for my next career step.