Startup Internship Program - Bali

It was my first time travelling to Asia by myself, so I was a little nervous but very excited. From arrival I felt welcomed, from the driver that picked me up at the airport to the hotel in Ubud that we stayed in for the first weekend. The whole cohort was lovely, and all people wanting to improve themselves and gain something from this experience.

Despite the high cost of the program plus flights, it was one of the best months of my life. I got the chance to work with incredible people, and the kinds of people that move to Bali to create and work on startups are all people I enjoyed learning from. All this was done while learning and exploring a different culture and land, and getting actual professional experience. Plus, what better way to work is there than being able to jump in a pool, lay by the beach, or go surfing when it's all getting a bit much, or simply after a long day of work?

You end up doing so many things you never expected to do. I had never done yoga, surfed, been on a scooter, trekked up a volcano in the middle of the night, or climbed down a cliff to reach one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Not just in terms of exploration, but professionally, I met so many ambitious individuals just going out there and doing what they want to do, ignoring that fear we all have to start something new without anyone knowing if it will work out or not. On top of all that I made good friends, including my boss, whom I'm still in touch with and working for on a voluntary basis (yes, I enjoyed it so much I am now working for free when I can, primarily on weekends...)

I would highly recommend the experience. You would have to save a little bit, which is one thing I would like the program to see is making it a little more accessible. However, I cannot disagree that every bit of that money was well spent and well worth it, and if I could afford it I would have stayed another month more!

I am so grateful that I applied to Start Me Up and got to live/work in Bali for a month! I worked remotely for a start up in London and developed marketing as well as international communication skills. We traveled on weekends to neighboring Indonesian islands and I got to immerse myself in the culture. The mentors were amazing and will go out of their way to help you. I left feeling like I had grown as an individual and had connections to extremely intelligent and genuine women. I haven't had an interview yet where they haven't asked me about Bali and the skills I learned there. If you’re thinking of applying to Start Me Up, you definitely should because you'll get a lot more out of it then just a good traveling experience.

My one tip: Go into this program wanting to get the most out of every moment, you'll regret it if you don't. Say yes to everything and jump into the Bali life style of bare-feet.

I worked 4 weeks in Bali and 2 weeks in Thailand for a Blockchain Consultancy that was also based out in Canggu, Bali; it provided the perfect platform to learn what it takes to run a startup, put together financial models and grasp SEO. It helped me develop the skills and knowledge to start my own company using the Lean Startup method as well as being a valuable addition to my CV.

I can't recommend this program enough; if you want to learn, meet like-minded individuals and have a great work-life balance, this is for you.

A day in the life included getting up early to train at Body Factory (arguably best gym I've ever been to), working until lunch, going on an adventure with friends to an amazing food spot, finishing tasks off in the afternoon from the pool and then going on an amazing night out with the best people.

Being in Bali with Start Me Up was an experience I will never forget. Coming from a business background, there is always the same path you are supposed to follow. However, Start Me Up allowed me to go off the beaten part and explore different career paths that I did not know existed. During my time here I was surrounded by amazing individuals who inspired me to move forward with my personal projects. In 2 months in Bali I learned more than a full term in University and I will definitely recommend this to people who are not sure of what they want for their future as you can explore so many industries with Start Me Up. Overall, I would definitely recommend this experience to everyone, and the personal and professional growth I acquired is something I will always be thankful for

My internship program with Start Me Up has really inspired me to do so many different things with my career. I interned with Nomad Habits, a photographer, I helped with social media management as well as working on her online course in digital photography. This program has made me feel much more equipped to go forth with ideas I have and things I want to do in my life! As a current marketing student at the University of West of England, I have learned more about digital marketing here in Bali that in my first year of university. I enjoyed being able to work and travel simultaneously, I got to visit Green school which was an amazing experience, visit Uluwatu and Nusa Penida, explore local foods and cultures all while learning a variety of new things.

I did a one month internship in Bali, I was working with a fintech company but also attended workshops which have presented me with fantastic skills. It is a great opportunity to learn , work and experience a new part of the world. I would recommend this very highly and have had such a great experience. It is also a perfect opportunity to meet and work alongside likeminded people, who quickly turn into close friends. I was mainly working from Dojo- a co-working space in Canggu and found that the environment and people were extremely inspiring. The structure of the internship is such that I was able to manage my own time and still do things which i wanted to do while learning. We took several weekend trips to explore neighbouring islands and areas of bali.

At university, it seemed like the only career option I had was to enter the corporate world. The Start Me Up internship proved me wrong and gave me an all-access pass to a world I didn't even know existed. Working remotely from paradise from some of the best co-working spaces in the world alongside industry professionals was a dream come true.

The SMU team not only helped me select the perfect internship but also supported me every single step of the way before, during, and even after the internship. During the internship, I was also encouraged to pursue other interests in my free time and was also granted access to workshops on different areas ranging from UX Design to Brand Building.

This program has honed so many of my skills and has helped me become a more well-rounded individual. I am so grateful for the people I've met and the experiences I've had. I absolutely recommend that you sign up for this program and go see the magic of Bali yourself!

After graduating from business school I had decided I wanted to save some money and do some traveling before getting into the business world. It was an intimidating decision, so when I came across the opportunity to travel while gaining value career experience I couldn't say no. I worked for a publishing start up in Bali for one month and at the end of the internship they offered to extend my contract and make me a paid remote employee of the company! I've now been working for them while traveling South East Asia for the past 5 months.

Start Me Up gives you a great insight into the remote working scene and the atmosphere at the co-working space is truly one of a kind. You are encouraged and supported to work on developing your own skills and interests in your free time and there are multiple skill building and networking events you can attend every week.

The team are very friendly and supportive throughout the entire process. If you are at all nervous about traveling in Asia this program is a great soft landing to begin your travels. They are genuinely invested in making sure you are getting value from your internship and are incredibly open to any feedback or concerns you have.

I wish I could go back and do it again!

I'd been studying for an MBA after a previous career in finance, and I was looking to go abroad and get some startup experience. Start Me Up looked completely different to anything else I'd come across so I decided to go for it.

Traveling to Bali from the US is a fairly big change of scenery, but getting to have that experience with others as part of a cohort was a great experience. Alongside getting to sample Bali's culture, I got to visit and work from several of the island's top-rated co-working spaces. I met, worked alongside, and learned from many uniquely talented business professionals from all over the world. Start Me Up held workshops in areas like UX, and I attended others on topics ranging from marketing to business development. It was hands-on and completely different to the way many of these subjects are taught at school. I learned a lot in a very short space of time, and I am 100% satisfied by the experience. I highly recommend it.

Whether you stumbled upon StartMeUp because you need a summer internship, a school-time getaway, or just an interesting experience during a gap year of some sort, I would highly, highly recommend you take the plunge. The internship itself was incredible: entering on ground-level with some incredible start-ups is the opportunity of a lifetime if you let it be. But that was just the tip of the iceberg, and I didn't even realize it! The amazing folks, whether it's your StartMeUp cohort, the supportive staff (s/o to Zo and Adisty), or the incredible Dojo community, increase your experience return 10x times - through the lifelong network and friendship you'll form. On top of that, you cannot ask for a more beautiful location. Try being unhappy while working three minutes away from the beach, I dare you!

I went into the internship not knowing what I really wanted to do in the future. I wasn't really into coding initially but decided to give it another go because I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do in the future at that point.

I got into the program and learned React Native and the basics of UX design. This really opened up my eyes to the possibilities and opportunities in these two fields, especially coding. My mentor was a great teacher and very patient. I worked in a co-working space which provided an awesome environment to learn from others about all sorts of things like crypto, e-commerce etc. Again this opened up my mind to different things and as a consequence I started having ideas for projects and business.

Great experience

This internship was amazing. If you get the opportunity to do it, I strongly recommend it. You’ll get the chance to meet some good people and also work remotely. The people in the program are very supportive. During the internship I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I really wanted to do. The company your are working for will guide, I mean it helped knowing what I liked and what I would like. Working in a co working space is so fun, every body is super friendly and open minded. This internship helped me develop a business idea. Once you’ve done it, you really want to continue exploring the world and work freelance. I’ve been home for 2 days and I already want to go back to Bali. It’s very motivating when the people pushed you to do your ideas and don’t judge it.

Start Me Up was an amazing experience and I learned far more than I thought I would. Bali is a beautiful place and the program exposes you to a whole new way of working in a completely different environment. I got to work with a Dutch fintech startup and improved my skills in data analysis and web development and even got the opportunity to learn UX design from scratch. Additionally, the workshops we had on how to have ideas and start our own businesses were incredibly motivating and inspiring and I've left the program with many ideas and projects that I want to pursue further. Finally, the support from Clare, Adisty and the rest of their team was amazing and consistent throughout the program. The whole month flew by so quickly, I ended up being very sad to leave.

I stayed in Bali for a month, doing an internship with an online programming platform that teaches Vue.js.

Getting to work in co-working spaces like Dojo and Hubud was an eye-opener into how many people are combining travel with work, running the majority of their business remotely, and freelancing while surfing on the side.

It gave me more options for how I wanted my career to pan out, and how different things could actually be.

I got to better understand the strengths of collaboration, joining forces with people of different backgrounds, and learn more about web development along the way.

In the future when I start my own business, I will definitely visit Bali at least once a year for the sense of community, focus, and network, not to mention the spiritual/ conscious aspects of the place.

Without Start Me Up's support and guidance throughout the program, it would have been harder for me to get accustomed to the culture and lifestyle difference.

Thank you Start Me Up!

I wanted to wait till my excitement and awe wore away before I wrote a review and I'm proud to say I still reminisce about my time in Bali.

I started talking in Clare in March with hopes of coming by Bali in the summer. I finally took the leap late August and it was perhaps one of the best decisions of my life! I had the choice of taking part of a project in Sustainable Social Impact or Blockchain and Cryptotechnology and I decided to merge them both. In just four short weeks I went from simply being an English teacher from Spain to recieving an invitation to take part in the second ever international forum for Blockchain at the UN's World Investment Forum in Geneva. However; I feel my biggest accomplishment to date is the huge network of support I've built through learning how to navigate an international coworking hub.

From the minute I landed on the tiny island I bonded with the people in my cohort, my mentor and had a chance to get to know Clare herself. From climbing mountains to long treks in rain or shine, there's so much of Bali that this program allows you to explore. But even the lush backdrop of this exotic locale could not compare to abundance of knowledge I acquired through simply listening and engaging both locals and expats around Canggu. Some of which I've reconvened with in other parts of the world!

Ultimately Clare does her best to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the support given to them during their program, but I especially advise interested students, young professionals or those aimlessly wandering like myself to understand that YOUR experience is YOURS for the making. I'm glad I took the time to tire myself out every day with excursions or workshops. Take avantage of this opportunity to completely reinvent yourself or try something new and scary.

I know I did. Many times. And I was made better for it.

Thank you so much to the StartMeUp crew!