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AKIN
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Founders' Associate / Business Analyst (Internship)

BusinessInternshipDelftOn-site

Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX Delft, The Netherlands

Who can apply. We receive many applications for this internship, so we only consider candidates who meet all five:

  • Enrolled for a pre-master, master's or MBA at the start of the internship, at a Dutch university or at a university ranked in the top 200 by at least two of Times Higher Education, QS and ShanghaiRanking.
  • A STEM background (chemistry, biotechnology, materials, mechanical engineering, process technology or econometrics), or a business background with proven technical experience.
  • Familiarity with strategy consulting, venture capital, or a startup in deep-tech, biotechnology or materials, through a previous internship, a minor, a student project or a student club.
  • Fluent English. Dutch or German is advantageous.
  • The right to do an internship in the Netherlands without us applying for a permit.

About AKIN

AKIN is a Dutch biotech startup developing a novel enzymatic platform for rubber recycling (Kinfinity). We convert end-of-life rubber, including devulcanised rubber feedstock, into high-value chemical products and materials, targeting applications in tyres and industrial rubber goods.

The Role

We are looking for a Founders' Associate to work directly with our founders on the questions that will shape AKIN's next steps: which customers and partners to prioritise, and how to fund the next stage. You will own projects from the first question to the final recommendation, and your work will be used in real conversations with customers, partners and investors. You will also support the founders' ongoing fundraising and business development.

Key Responsibilities

  • Business cases: building the models behind commercial decisions, from market size and pricing to the economics of scaling up.
  • Customer and partner discovery: preparing and joining interviews with tyre and rubber-goods manufacturers, and turning each conversation into clear findings on their requirements, testing volumes and timelines.
  • Fundraising support: researching and prioritising investors, preparing pitch materials and investor updates, and getting the founders ready for each meeting.
  • Founder projects: taking on the strategic and operational work that lands on the founders' desk, from conference planning and grant applications to marketing.

What You'll Learn

  • How a deep-tech startup goes from lab to market: building business cases, techno-economic and carbon analysis, and pricing.
  • How fundraising works up close: investor research, pitch materials and preparing founders for investor meetings.
  • How to run customer discovery with tyre and rubber-goods manufacturers.
  • How grant applications, partnerships and operations come together in a company of this size.

We Bring

  • Direct work with the founders, and responsibility for real decisions from your first week.
  • Daily coaching and a growth path shaped around your goals.
  • A company that is scaling, with ample room to grow, take on new projects, and influence its development direction.
  • The opportunity to make a direct impact on sustainability in the rubber and tyre industries.
  • A flexible work environment that supports you while also expecting personal accountability.
  • A place where employees are valued regardless of background, beliefs, or identity.

This Internship Is for You If

This internship is not a route into a full-time role; we don't expect to hire full-time before 2028.

  • You want to start your own company one day and want to see how it's done first.
  • You're heading towards a role in the startup ecosystem, venture capital, or strategy consulting.
  • You have a STEM background and want to learn how new technology becomes a business, or move into business without losing the technical side.
  • You make things happen without a clear brief or complete data.

You Bring

All five points in "Who can apply" at the top of this page, plus:

  • Strong analytical skills: comfortable building a model in a spreadsheet and checking every number against a real source.
  • Clear, structured communication: able to turn research and interview notes into short, decision-ready documents and slides.

Advantageous

None of these is a strict requirement.

  • Familiarity with the rubber, tyre, chemicals or recycling industries
  • Experience speaking with subject matter experts and investors, and running several projects at once

Terms of the role

Compensation
€600 to €850 per month, depending on experience, plus travel reimbursement.
Availability & location
Full-time for four to six months, ideally six, including about three weeks of holiday. Open on a rolling basis: you can start in any of the coming quarters. At least 80% on-site in Delft.
Visa sponsorship
Not available for this internship.
Work authorisation
Required: see "Who can apply" at the top of this page.

If your application meets the role's stated requirements, you will hear back from us. We interview on a rolling basis. Because we receive many applications, we reply once we have filled the place for the quarter you chose, rather than within two weeks.

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