While the majority of the WashU campus is quiet over summer break, the Skandalaris Center is buzzing with entrepreneurial activity! On June 2, we kicked off our annual 10-week summer programs, which provide WashU students and recent graduates valuable experience working within the St. Louis startup ecosystem.

Skandalaris Center Managing Director II Luscri welcomed participants and encouraged them to let this be a summer of curiosity. “This is a chance to do things you wouldn’t get to do in your academic classes,” said Luscri. “Lean in to trying things you’ve never tried before, and remember that working for a startup can mean doing a little of everything.”

Twenty startups, founded by students and recent alumni, are taking part in this year’s Launchpad Accelerator Program. This immersive program is structured to enhance entrepreneurial skills, provide essential resources and tools, and accelerate venture development. The companies will have access to co-working space, intern support provided by the Skandalaris Center, and programming tailored specifically for early-stage startups. The Launchpad founders have chosen to spend their summer in St. Louis, dedicating themselves full-time to their companies with the goal of advancing their ventures to the next level.

Additionally, 12 St. Louis area startups are participating in the Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP). These companies will host Skandalaris-sponsored interns, providing them with valuable real-world experience working with an established startup. SkIP internships range from marketing and social media to software engineering and everything in between.

The Skandalaris Center is dedicating over $200,000 in intern funding to support both WashU and St. Louis companies throughout the summer. Each startup founder was responsible for conducting interviews and selecting their intern(s) based on the needs of their company. Interns will gain valuable insights into the startup world and acquire valuable experience. Additionally, they will participate in curated weekly programming that will enhance their skillset and introduce them to the St. Louis entrepreneurship community.

Stay tuned throughout the summer to learn more about our Launchpad and SkIP startups, and please join us for a variety of Summer with Skandy events featuring speakers from the St. Louis startup ecosystem! For more information, visit our events page.

The summer will culminate with the Skandalaris Summer Expo on Wednesday, August 6. Join us to celebrate the Launchpad companies and learn about their growth throughout the summer program. We hope to see you there!