Founder Associate Intern (m/f/d)

Note: Occasional business travel to Berlin may be required.

Founder Associate Intern (m/f/d)

Location: Dusseldorf / Hybrid

Start: As soon as possible

About Us

We are a Germany‑based defense technology startup developing mission‑critical systems for defense against drones, missiles, and other airborne threats. Our team builds real‑world systems at the intersection of hardware, software, sensing, and operations.

As an early‑stage company, we operate in stealth mode and place strong emphasis on ownership, engineering rigor, rapid iteration, and close collaboration across disciplines. This is a unique opportunity to join a defense deep‑tech company at an early stage and work directly with leadership on topics that are critical to company building.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Founder Associate Intern to work closely with the CEO on a broad range of strategic, operational, and day‑to‑day business topics.

This is a high‑exposure, high‑ownership role for someone who wants to understand how an early‑stage defense startup is built from the inside. You will contribute to strategic initiatives, support business‑critical operational work, prepare presentations and decision materials, and help drive execution across the company.

The role combines analytical work, project coordination, and hands‑on support in the daily business of the CEO. It is well suited for someone who is highly structured, fast‑learning, proactive, and excited to work at the intersection of strategy and execution.

Your Responsibilities

• Work directly with the CEO on strategic, operational, and organizational topics
• Support the preparation of presentations, briefings, internal documents, and decision materials
• Conduct research and analysis on markets, customers, competitors, technologies, and strategic priorities
• Help structure and drive cross‑functional projects across business, product, and operations
• Support fundraising, partnership, recruiting, or business development related workstreams as needed
• Prepare materials for internal and external stakeholders, including partners, investors, and candidates
• Take ownership of recurring and ad‑hoc tasks that are important for the company's progress
• Help improve internal processes, coordination, and execution speed across teams
• Assist in the day‑to‑day business of the CEO and help remove operational bottlenecks
• Contribute wherever needed in a fast‑moving startup environment with changing priorities
• Support coordination for occasional business travel to Berlin and related follow‑up tasks when required

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's degree, ideally in Business, Economics, Management, Finance, Engineering, Political Science, International Relations, or a related field
• Strong analytical and structured thinking
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Strong presentation skills and confidence in creating clear, high‑quality slides and documents
• Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and handle a broad range of tasks
• High attention to detail, reliability, and a strong execution mindset
• Strong proficiency with PowerPoint or Google Slides and Excel or Google Sheets
• Interest in startups, defense, deep‑tech, and company building
• Comfortable working in an environment with ambiguity, speed, and high expectations

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous internship experience in startups, consulting, venture capital, private equity, strategy, operations, or high‑growth environments
• Strong interest in defense, security, geopolitics, or industrial technology
• Experience supporting leadership, founders, or cross‑functional projects
• German language skills are a plus, but not required

What We Offer

• Direct exposure to the CEO and close involvement in company‑critical topics
• A broad role with visibility across strategy, operations, and company building
• High ownership from day one
• The opportunity to work on meaningful defense technology with real‑world relevance
• A steep learning curve in a fast‑scaling startup environment
• Hybrid work model with base in Dusseldorf
• Dynamic and flexible work setup
• The chance to grow with the company over time

Who You Are

• Ownership‑driven: You take responsibility and proactively move topics forward
• Hands‑on: You are willing to work on both strategic questions and operational tasks
• Adaptable and resilient: You thrive in fast‑changing environments with incomplete information
• Structured and reliable: You bring order, clarity, and follow‑through
• Collaborative: You work well with different people and functions across the company
• Mission‑aligned: You are motivated by contributing to high‑impact defense technology