15 Bay Area Entrepreneurship Internships for High School Students
If you are interested in business, startups, finance, marketing, product development, or social impact, practical experience can show you which parts of the field actually fit your strengths.
What do Bay Area entrepreneurship internships involve?
The Bay Area is a strong place to look because it connects startups, technology companies, public agencies, nonprofits, healthcare systems, and small businesses in one region. That means Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students can look different from one program to another: you might work on a startup project, support a city department, or explore business operations in healthcare.
Why pursue an entrepreneurship internship in the Bay Area?
Many local programs are paid or stipend-based, while a few structured startup programs charge tuition but offer financial aid. Since eligibility can be specific by city, school, grade level, or neighborhood, checking each program's application page before applying pays off.
Below are 15 Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students to consider. For related opportunities, check out our guides on business internships for high school students in California and entrepreneurship internships for high school students in Silicon Valley.
Quick Look
10 paid, local internships: Enterprise for Youth, San José Works, SF YouthWorks, KP LAUNCH, Project Pull, and others, most tied to Bay Area residency.
1 fully virtual, entrepreneurship-focused option: Young Founders Lab, the only program on this list built around launching a real startup rather than interning at an existing organization, with need-based financial aid available.
1 program requiring the oldest minimum age: the Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship, requiring you to be a senior and at least 18 before the internship starts.
1 program with no GPA requirement at all: the Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy, making it accessible regardless of academic record.
Most city-run programs (SF YouthWorks, Project Pull, MYEEP) are restricted to San Francisco residency or attendance requirements.
15 Bay Area Entrepreneurship Internships for High School Students
1. Meta Summer Academy
Location: Menlo Park, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend amount varies by year
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Program Dates: June 15–July 24
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: You must be a high school sophomore, a full-year resident of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City, and have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Meta Summer Academy gives you early exposure to how a major technology company operates across both technical and non-technical roles. During the six-week program, you learn about coding, financial literacy, art and media, networking, and career exploration. You also meet Meta employees and executives, which can help you understand career paths in product, operations, design, engineering, and business. The program requires a transcript and one recommendation form from a teacher, counselor, school official, or community leader. If you are comparing Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students with a technology focus, this option stands out because it combines workplace exposure with structured skill-building. You should note that eligibility is narrow, so it is only a fit if you live in one of the listed communities.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops
Cost/Stipend: $2,900; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: 4-week program starting tentatively June 5
Application Deadline: Early Decision: March; Regular Admission 1: April; Regular Admission 2: May
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Young Founders Lab is a startup bootcamp where you work toward building a revenue-generating startup or nonprofit that addresses a real-world problem. You participate in live workshops, ideation exercises, case studies, skill-building sessions, and panel discussions that introduce you to business fundamentals. The program is founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs, and mentorship may come from entrepreneurs and professionals with experience at companies such as Google, Microsoft, and X. You work through practical startup steps such as problem selection, customer thinking, business modeling, and pitching. Among Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students, this is a virtual option for students who want a structured startup-building experience rather than a traditional workplace placement. Since the program charges tuition, you should review financial aid options before applying.
3. Enterprise for Youth Paid Internships
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; interns are paid, with current internship pages listing $20/hour and some specialized placements listing $29.31/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; placement depends on available internship sites
Program Dates: June 8–July 31, with some optional extensions from September–November
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Bay Area youth; some placements have additional requirements, such as being a current public high school junior
Enterprise for Youth connects you with paid internships across San Francisco employers while also requiring professional development workshops. Depending on your placement, you may work with a business, nonprofit, arts organization, public agency, or local employer. You are expected to complete internship hours, communicate professionally with your supervisor, and attend weekly workshops that build job readiness. The program matches placements based on your application, interests, and available positions, so your exact role can vary. You may also build skills in communication, time management, customer service, and professional follow-through.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote; work from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $2,490; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; past summer cohort example listed 700+ applicants for 70 spots
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; standard startup internship runs 8 weeks
Application Deadline: Spring: January; Summer: May; Fall: September; Winter: November
Eligibility: Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective remote startup internship program where you work with a high-growth startup on a real project. The program includes fields such as technology, AI/ML, health tech, finance, marketing, journalism, consulting, and nonprofit work. You work with a company manager and a Ladder Coach, then present your work to the company at the end of the internship. Ladder’s program structure includes project definition, weekly work, feedback, and a final deliverable, so you are expected to produce something concrete. This is one of the virtual Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students that can still connect you to startup-style work even if you are not commuting locally.
5. Genesys Works Bay Area
Location: Bay Area partner companies; Genesys Works Bay Area is based in Oakland, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid internship after training
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; Bay Area site reports 103 high school internships and 22 corporate partners
Program Dates: 8 weeks of summer training between junior and senior year, followed by a paid year-long internship during senior year
Application Deadline: Students generally apply during fall or winter of junior year through partner schools
Eligibility: High school juniors attending partner schools; additional requirements may apply through your school
Genesys Works Bay Area combines business technology training with a paid internship at a partner company. You begin with eight weeks of summer training focused on information technology, business operations, professional communication, resumes, interviews, teamwork, and public speaking. If you complete training successfully, you may be matched with a paid, year-long internship at a corporate partner. The Bay Area site lists partners and advisors connected to organizations such as Patelco, Cisco, YouTube, PwC, Cloudflare, Accenture, Okta, and other business and technology employers. You also receive college and career coaching during the internship year.
6. San José Works
Location: San José, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid work experience
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Summer; exact placement dates vary
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Youth ages 14–18 with barriers to employment may be placed in paid work experience; youth ages 16–29 may access broader employment and career services
San José Works connects young people with paid work experience and career pathways in high-growth sectors. The program specifically names information technology, finance, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and construction as focus areas. You may receive job readiness support before being placed with an employer or organization. For business-minded students, the finance and technology pathways can help you understand how local employers structure projects, manage teams, and train early-career workers. Since placement details vary, you should check the youth application page for current openings and deadlines.
7. SF YouthWorks
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid at $19.18/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; not specified
Program Dates: Summer and school-year opportunities
Application Deadline: Summer application currently closed; school-year deadlines are typically around September
Eligibility: Rising juniors, rising seniors, and graduating seniors interested in public service
SF YouthWorks provides paid job readiness workshops, training, and internships across San Francisco city departments. You may be placed with departments such as the Public Utilities Commission, Public Library, or San Francisco International Airport. The program is public-service focused, but it can still be useful if you are interested in operations, project coordination, public finance, transportation, communications, or civic entrepreneurship. You also participate in professional training designed to build workplace skills for college and future jobs. You should apply early because city youth programs often close once placements fill.
8. Mayor’s Youth Employment & Education Program
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid at $19.18/hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June–August for summer internships; school-year options may also be available
Application Deadline: Summer applications are typically due in early April
Eligibility: San Francisco youth; commonly serves 9th and 10th graders, with some additional leadership roles for older students
MYEEP gives you paid work opportunities, academic support, and workplace readiness training. The program includes pre-employment training and workshops that help you learn how to enter a workplace, communicate with supervisors, and build confidence. You may be placed with local organizations, businesses, or community partners depending on your neighborhood and program site. If you are early in high school, MYEEP can be a first step before applying to more selective internships later. It is relevant to Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students because it helps you build the basic workplace habits that startup, business, and public-sector roles expect. You should check the program site or neighborhood provider for current eligibility and application windows.
9. Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy
Location: Primarily virtual; optional in-person capstone at Bay Area Metro Center in San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend and certificate provided after completing the full program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited enrollment; selective
Program Dates: Thursdays in July, beginning July 2; optional final session July 31
Application Deadline: April 27
Eligibility: You must live in the Bay Area, attend a local high school, be at least 15, and have completed 9th grade by the start of the Academy
The Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy introduces you to public-sector careers through transportation, housing, air quality, environmental justice, and regional planning. You attend weekly expert-led seminars with agencies such as MTC, ABAG, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the Bay Area Air District. You complete quizzes, take part in discussions, and prepare a capstone presentation on a local issue. While this is not a traditional company internship, it offers exposure to how public agencies plan, fund, and communicate large regional projects. For students interested in civic entrepreneurship or social impact, it is one of the more accessible Bay Area entrepreneurship internships for high school students because GPA is not considered. You also leave with a completion certificate that can support future college, vocational, or job applications.
10. SSIP CityWorks
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid summer internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; not specified
Program Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students from San Francisco’s southeast neighborhoods, starting after junior year
SSIP CityWorks is a paid summer internship for high school students from San Francisco’s southeast neighborhoods. You may work with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission or private engineering firms connected to the Sewer System Improvement Program. The program gives you access to mentors, supervisors, and professionals who work on large infrastructure projects. Although it is rooted in public infrastructure, it can also expose you to finance, communications, human resources, information technology, project management, and other operational roles. This makes it useful if you are interested in how large public works projects are planned, staffed, and communicated to communities. You should check SFPUC’s youth employment page for the current application process and exact deadlines.
11. KP LAUNCH
Location: Oakland and medical offices across Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California market
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid 8-week summer internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; not specified
Program Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Application period typically opens in November or December
Eligibility: Northern California residents in a Kaiser Permanente designated service area; specific high school eligibility should be confirmed on the current application
KP LAUNCH offers paid internships for young adults interested in healthcare, business, technology, community leadership, and administration. The program includes direct work experience, professional and personal development workshops, mentorship, networking, and exposure to senior leaders. You may work on projects that connect healthcare operations with business, communications, data, technology, or community service. This can be a good fit if you want to see how a large healthcare organization manages real-world operations while serving local communities. You should confirm current high school eligibility because some KP internship pages separate high school, college, and young adult programs.
12. County of Santa Clara Student Internship Program
Location: Santa Clara County, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid; pay varies by student intern classification
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Depends on department needs
Program Dates: Year-round, depending on department needs
Application Deadline: Rolling/as needed; applications may be reactivated or renewed after six months
Eligibility: For Level I, you must be a high school student enrolled in regular high school, an alternative vocational high school, or a high school equivalency program; a minimum 2.5 GPA and U.S. work authorization are required
The County of Santa Clara Student Internship Program lets you assist professional and technical employees under close supervision. Your exact tasks depend on the department or agency where you are placed, so business-related work may include administration, outreach, public relations, technology support, or community services. The program can be used throughout the calendar year when departments need interns. To apply, you submit a county job application, transcript, and proof of enrollment or current course schedule. Since current Level I postings may not always be open, you may need to sign up for alerts or contact departments directly.
13. Project Pull
Location: San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid summer internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; not specified
Program Dates: 8-week summer program
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: San Francisco high school students and recent graduates; exact current eligibility should be confirmed on the application page
Project Pull has provided paid summer internships for San Francisco high school students at SFPUC and other city departments for more than 20 years. During the eight-week program, you explore careers in architecture, business, engineering, and science. You work with city employees and learn how public departments manage projects, services, and long-term planning. For a business-focused student, the value is in seeing how budgets, operations, communications, and technical teams work together inside government. The program also offers mentorship, which can help you ask practical questions about career paths and workplace expectations.
14. CLA High School Internship Program
Location: Select CLA offices, including California locations when available
Cost/Stipend: Paid 4-week internship
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; cohort size varies by office
Program Dates: June 15–July 16, with a break June 29–July 3
Application Deadline: Applications are currently closed; future deadlines vary by cycle
Eligibility: You must be 16 or older by the start of the program, authorized to work in the U.S. without employment-based visa sponsorship, able to attend all four weeks in person, and have reliable transportation
CLA’s High School Internship Program introduces you to accounting, consulting, wealth advisory, and professional services. You learn about the industry through an interactive case study, client-service examples, shadowing, and team projects. You may observe how professionals work with businesses, manage financial questions, solve client problems, and communicate recommendations. The program is in person, runs Monday through Thursday, and provides interns with a laptop during the experience. This is a useful option if you are interested in the finance, accounting, or advisory side of entrepreneurship rather than launching a venture yourself. Since applications close early, you should join CLA’s talent community or monitor the careers page before the next cycle opens.
15. Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship
Location: Partner companies across the U.S.; Bay Area placements depend on partner needs
Cost/Stipend: Free to apply; paid full-time internship if placed
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive; EBF hosts a class of about 150 new and returning Fellows each summer
Program Dates: Minimum 8 continuous weeks, generally starting in May or June
Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed September–April; placement decisions are typically completed by May 15
Eligibility: You must be a high school senior or undergraduate graduating in spring or later, plan to attend or attend a four-year accredited U.S. college or university, have at least a 3.0 GPA, be at least 18 before the internship starts, and be authorized to work in the U.S.
The Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship connects you with paid roles in media, entertainment, technology, and related business functions. EBF specifically includes business tracks such as sales, public relations, marketing, and human resources, along with content and innovation pathways. If selected and placed with a partner company, you work full time for at least eight weeks and may continue as an EBF Fellow in future summers through college. The program reviews applicants based on partner company needs, so placement timing and location can vary. This is a strong fit if you are interested in entrepreneurship through media, tech, audience growth, communications, or business development. It is best for older high school students because you must be a senior and at least 18 before the internship begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there Bay Area entrepreneurship internships open to students outside the region?
Young Founders Lab is fully virtual and open to all high school students nationwide, unlike most programs on this list, which require Bay Area residency. It lets you build a real revenue-generating startup with mentorship from professionals at Google, Microsoft, and X.
2. Which programs don't consider GPA when reviewing applications?
The Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy explicitly does not consider GPA, making it accessible to a wider range of students interested in public-sector careers.
3. Which program is restricted to the oldest age group?
The Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship requires you to be a graduating senior and at least 18 years old before the internship begins, making it the most age-restrictive option on this list.