Summary
Shloka Ashok is a Class XI student of Greenwood High International School, Bengaluru
InternMee was started during lockdown and has already helped 10,000 students get internships
A Class XI student of Greenwood High International School, Bengaluru, has developed a platform called InternMee that connects school students with companies offering internship, leadership and volunteering opportunities. More than 10,000 school students have already bagged internships through this platform.
Shloka Ashok had always dreamt of starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur. During the lockdown, she stumbled upon an idea that helped her realise her dream.
“Our interactive platform connects midsize to large corporations, student-run organisations, start-ups, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from various sectors with high school students from across India. Organisations have the opportunity to engage and interact with today’s youth through our platform. Young interns provide valuable support and assistance to the employees of these organisations,” Shloka said.
“In 2020, I considered what was preventing me from becoming an entrepreneur at the age of 15. I realised there is no age limit and that I can start my organisation,” the budding entrepreneur said.
How it started
When the pandemic broke out in 2020, Shloka wanted to start an internship to hone her skills and gain experience working in a professional setting. “I wanted to make sure that I got an internship based on my merit, skill, and ability, so I looked for opportunities on other platforms. However, I discovered that there was no platform for high school students to find internships. It made me realise that there is a problem that needs to be solved, and thus the idea for InternMee was born,” Shloka said.
Shloka began working on the concept in September 2020 and started talking to a lot of start-up founders to find out what the organisations can offer. She also started speaking to her peers to find out what the students want.
“My friend Tara Kapur joined me as a co-founder and we worked on the concept. In December 2020, we will finally launch InternMee. The entire platform is run by high school students. “At first, they were sceptical, but as we grew they realised they were doing a good job. I was able to help them understand what high schoolers are capable of,” said the 16-year-old.
Challenges of running a start-up
Everyone was working from home and communicated primarily through WhatsApp or phone calls, so it was difficult to ensure that everyone is on the same page. “Our entire organisation is run by high school students. We have to attend all our online classes and finish assignments on time. We usually don’t work during class hours,” the teenager said.
Striking a balance
Managing classes and start-up work can be difficult at times. “InternMee had to be fitted in during my free time. It was difficult at first, but it soon became a daily routine. My teachers have mentored me and InternMee was written about in our school’s social media pages,” said Shloka, who wants to study Business and Economics.
Plans for the future
“Our platform is currently available in 75 countries, but we are primarily based in India. In the future, we hope to expand to other countries, particularly the USA, Europe, and Australia,” Shloka said.
Last updated on 27 Jan 2022
