“Trust is a key aspect of the culture.”
Marie Hammermeister, a Business Administration student at Humboldt University Berlin, worked as an intern at Endeit’s Berlin office for four months. How did she experience her time on the DACH team? What were her favorite moments and what is her advice for future interns and working students? Marie reflects, “I always felt like I was an equal and valued part of the team.”
During my studies and especially since moving to Berlin, I developed a strong interest in the startup ecosystem. When I planned my practical semester, I decided to apply for internships both in a startup and a VC fund. After evaluating different options, I chose to intern at an early-stage venture for my first internship and a later-stage fund for my second. I thought this would give me the opportunity to gain valuable insights into different stages of the startup lifecycle. I learned about Endeit by listening to an episode of the Startup Insider podcast, where the DACH Partner Philipp Schroeder discussed the final closing of Endeit’s €300mio Fund III. I really appreciated how he described Endeit’s company culture and their later stage Series A and B investment scope.
My work at Endeit was very diverse. For example, I supported the outbound deal-sourcing process, conducted several sprints to examine specific market segments closely, and was involved in various companies’ data room analyses. This also included supporting in the preparation of respective company assessment reports that we would discuss with the whole group, including the Dutch, Nordics, and DACH team. In all of my tasks, I felt trusted and given the opportunity to work independently, which allowed me to bring my own ideas and knowledge to the table and take on responsibility for my own projects.
In the last months, I have been able to analyze many different ventures. This taught me a lot about what to look for when evaluating a company outside in, including its value proposition and its business model, but also where to dig deeper on a KPI level. Doing so, I gained very valuable insights into the broader European VC ecosystem, different market segments, and dynamics.
The environment at Endeit is both challenging and supportive, fostering open communication and personal growth. Trust is a key aspect of the culture, and I have always felt like an equal and valued part of the team.
“Trust is a key aspect of the culture.”
Always be open to new challenges and work on as many different projects as possible. Don’t hesitate to show initiative and share your knowledge. During my internship, I was not limited to following instructions; I was encouraged to participate actively, propose new ideas, and express my viewpoints. However, in my personal opinion, you should make sure that you find a fund you genuinely find interesting and want to work for in the first place. I would recommend listening to podcasts and reading about the funds you’re considering. This really helped me to understand the culture and projects and how they align with my ambitions.
This June, my Endeit colleagues Hubert, Soulaimene, Martijn, Sophie, and I teamed up for the ‘Walk with ME’ event, which is a 50km charity walk in The Netherlands to support Meningitis and Encephalitis research. It was a very challenging but also extremely rewarding team-building experience. It’s a day I definitely won’t forget.
I am very grateful for my four months at Endeit. I learned a lot and feel like it brought me significantly closer to the career I envision. I will miss the company and the people and sincerely hope our paths cross again soon.
Marie Hammermeister
Endeit refers to the following statement in connection with the sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR), available here.
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