ONAMI Venture Fellows
Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
Work on real deals, not case studies
Most venture internships have students watching from the sidelines. This one puts you inside the deal. ONAMI invests pre-seed and seed capital in Oregon deep tech startups, and the diligence you produce as a Fellow goes in front of the people making the investment decision.
ONAMI (Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute) backs early-stage companies in life sciences, clean energy, advanced materials, and semiconductors. We fund them, accelerate them, and connect them to federal initiatives like NSF Regional Innovation Engines and EDA Tech Hubs. Fellows work inside that pipeline, paired one-on-one with an ONAMI Entrepreneur in Residence.
What you'll actually do
Run due diligence on companies ONAMI is evaluating: size the real market, pressure-test the financials, figure out whether the business model holds up.
Work directly with portfolio founders on pitch preparation, financial models, and growth strategy. These are working scientists building companies, and they use what you produce.
Research the deep tech and early-stage VC sector using AI tools, your university library, and primary sources.
Sit in on investment discussions and see how experienced investors weigh risk when the money is real.
Help connect early-stage investment with federal funding competitiveness, working with ONAMI and your university's tech transfer office.
What you'll leave with
A working knowledge of how seed-stage investment decisions get made. You'll know how to structure a diligence memo, build a bottom-up market model, and read a startup's financials for what they don't say. You also leave with a network of founders, investors, and EIRs across Oregon's innovation economy who know your work firsthand.
The details
Up to 10 Fellows selected per year. Small on purpose.
About 4 hours per week, for up to three academic terms.
Remote, with in-person opportunities in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene.
This is an unpaid internship. Academic credit may be available through your institution.
What ONAMI commits to you
We can't pay you, so here's exactly what you get instead:
You'll present your diligence work to ONAMI leadership, the people making the investment decision. That is something you can add to your resume.
Complete the program in good standing and your Entrepreneur in Residence will write you a recommendation and serve as a job reference.
First look at paid roles and projects at ONAMI portfolio companies, plus introductions to our co-investor network in and outside Oregon.
The ONAMI Venture Fellow title, a completion certificate, and a public cohort announcement on our website and LinkedIn.
Travel and event expenses covered for in-person days in Portland, Corvallis, and Eugene.
Who should apply
Business students, graduate students, and anyone serious about entrepreneurship, venture finance, or innovation-driven companies. A science background helps, particularly in life sciences and healthcare, energy and cleantech, or advanced materials, semiconductors, and optics. You don't need prior VC experience. You need to be analytical, curious, and reliable.
How to apply
Email ONAMI's Chief Startup Officer, Skip Rung (skip@onami.us), copying Executive Director Jay Lindquist (jlindquist@onami.us). Include a resume and a short note on why this program.