Global Innovation Initiative (GII)
Gain hands-on international internship and career experience through a global network of industry and program partners.
About
The Global Innovation Initiative connects students with international internship, career development, and professional experiences through a range of global partners and programs. Opportunities may vary by location, industry, and format, and are designed to help students build practical skills, expand their professional networks, and gain meaningful experience in an international setting. Most opportunities are compensated, allowing students to gain valuable career experience abroad while exploring different industries, organizations, and professional environments.
Humboldt Internship Program - Berlin, Germany
Spend three months working inside a Berlin research lab or startup. The Humboldt Internship Program places students at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin for an English-language internship of 30–35 hours per week, working alongside researchers or startup founders.
Students participate in online preparation sessions before departure, an in-person workshop during their first week in Berlin, and receive individual supervision throughout the program. Upon completion, students receive 15 ECTS credits and an official transcript documenting their work.
What Could You Work On?
Projects change each year and span engineering, technology, science, entrepreneurship, and business. Tandon students participating in Summer 2026 worked on projects including:
- Artificial Intelligence & Software: Building a feature for an AI agent platform at a Berlin software startup using Python, Flask, and LlamaIndex.
- Real Estate & Investment: Conducting financial modeling, capital structuring, and testing an LLM-based due diligence tool at a proptech venture.
- Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Supporting sales and marketing for a sustainable modular housing company during its go-to-market phase.
- Physical Chemistry Research: Working within Humboldt University's Department of Chemistry to measure atmospherically relevant nanoparticles using Rayleigh scattering.
Who can participate?
The program is open to advanced undergraduate students beginning in their second year, master's students, and doctoral candidates. Applications for Summer 2027 open in November
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Africa (ESSEC Business School) - Rabat, Morocco
Spend three weeks exploring innovation and entrepreneurship in Morocco. Based at ESSEC Business School's Africa campus in Rabat, students examine how businesses, startups, and new technologies are developing across African markets while experiencing the region's business environment firsthand.
The program combines classroom learning with company visits and excursions to cities such as Casablanca and Tangier, giving students an opportunity to experience Morocco's business and innovation ecosystem beyond the classroom.
What Will You Explore?
Coursework introduces students to the economic, technological, and cultural forces shaping business and entrepreneurship across Africa. Topics include:
- Doing Business in Africa: Explore the opportunities, challenges, and rapidly evolving markets shaping business across the continent.
- Startups & Entrepreneurship: Examine emerging ventures, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and new business models.
- Artificial Intelligence & Innovation: Consider how technology and AI are influencing companies and industries across African markets.
- Culture & Business: Develop a deeper understanding of the Arabic and Muslim cultural context that influences business and professional life in the region.
Who can participate?
The program is open to undergraduate students in any major, with all instruction offered in English. Students earn 4.5 NYU credits, which are applied toward a free elective.
Summer 2027: July — exact program dates to be announced.
Priority Application Deadline: March 1, 2027
AI Innovation Accelerator (AIIA) Technical Fellowship - New York, NY
Work directly with an international AI startup on real technical and product challenges. The AI Innovation Accelerator (AIIA) is an eight-week NYU program supporting Korean AI startups as they prepare to enter and grow within the U.S. market.
The program is led by NYU Stern and the Global AI Frontier Lab in partnership with Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT. Tandon students participate as Technical Fellows, bringing their engineering and technical expertise directly into the startup accelerator environment.
What Will You Do as a Technical Fellow?
Technical Fellows work directly with an accelerator startup throughout the summer, applying their technical knowledge while gaining firsthand exposure to how early-stage AI companies develop products and enter new markets.
- Work directly with an AI startup on real product, engineering, or technical questions.
- Apply your Tandon experience to challenges facing an early-stage technology company.
- Gain exposure to startup operations, including product development, technical decision-making, and market strategy.
- Complete a midpoint reflection and final project documenting your experience and contributions.
- Build international professional experience while working at the intersection of U.S. and Korean technology ecosystems.
Applications for the next summer cohort open in January.
Contact
Tandon Global
tandonglobal@nyu.edu