For students interested in being a part of the next big idea, a startup hub is hosting its second internship fair today and Wednesday.
Nine startup companies will be at the event, looking for marketing, sales, graphic design and software development interns.
The fair is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. both days at the Starter Space Gainesville offices, located at 308 W. University Ave.
Karthik Shanadi, a 22-year-old UF economics senior, is one of the fair’s organizers and the owner of an offshoot company of Starter Space. He said he expects about 150 students to show up to the fair.
Shanadi will also be recruiting for Gator Lab, a program that connects students with the entrepreneurial industry. The lab is recruiting students to work on startup projects that could eventually turn into businesses.
Already existing startups will be recruiting as well, like Good, Inc., which created the bar inventory tracking app Partender.
“We’re looking for all different types of majors and backgrounds,” said Eric Pheterson, Good, Inc., founder and UF alumnus. “I want people with raw talent who (want to) create new things.”
UF digital arts and sciences senior Matt O’Dea attended Starter Space’s first internship fair in Fall and said he is looking forward to making new connections at this week’s fair.
“It’s more about getting to know the company rather than selling yourself,” O’Dea, 22, said. “Meet everyone, and take advantage of the fact that at the internship fair you don’t talk to a recruiter, you talk with the CEO of the company.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 1/28/2014 under the headline "Local internship fair aims to recruit startup-savvy students"]
