An internship should be more than a line on a CV. It should challenge your assumptions, accelerate your learning and give you the confidence to make a genuine contribution.

Earlier this year, Matthew Barnes joined Venturebeam as an intern, working across growth capital, investor engagement and investment projects. We sat down with Matthew to discuss what surprised him most, the lessons he’s learned, and the advice he’d now give to someone starting their own internship.

• Matthew, could you start by telling us a little about yourself and what you were doing before joining Venturebeam?

Early in my second year at Trinity College Dublin, I was managing a €70k Pharmaceuticals portfolio for Trinity Student Managed Fund, and working as an Off-Cycle analyst at VentureWave Capital. Through VentureWave, I met EMEA CEO Kevin Holliday at the Impact Ireland Conference 2025. Kevin and I got on well, and I asked him to hire me, as I wanted more direct exposure to dealmaking and capital raising. 

• Before joining, what did you expect the internship would be like? Looking back, what assumption about Venturebeam or the venture capital industry turned out to be completely wrong?

The hardest part of venture in my experience has not been picking winners, it has been matching. My misconception was that companies are queuing up at the VC’s door for capital. That isn’t always the case. The difficulty lies in matching the correct company to an investor of best fit. This is particularly relevant in running a platform model.

• One thing that often surprises people is the level of responsibility they’re given. What kinds of projects have you been involved in, and which have been the most rewarding?

Please share one or two examples that can be discussed publicly.

Responsibility came fast. EMEA CEO Kevin gave me goals rather than task lists: Find 50 companies that belong on the platform. The ‘how’ was up to me. That gave me the opportunity to own the sourcing pipeline end-to-end, screening companies against our criteria, qualifying them, running outreach, and building the tracking sheet for all Target companies. 

The most rewarding part has been leading calls with founders and CEOs. It has taught me to prepare thoroughly, to listen actively, and to think on my feet and ask insightful questions.

Owning the process has taught me a massive amount and improved my output. Credit to Kevin for allowing me to do so, he has taught me a lot about leadership and delegation. 

• Venturebeam works at the intersection of commercial growth and measurable impact. Has seeing investment decisions up close changed how you think about balancing financial returns with positive impact?

Prior to this internship my implicit assumption was impact investing meant accepting some financial discount. Watching investment decisions take place I now think the opposite. A company on Venturebeam’s platform has to clear the same commercial bar as any other deal, impact just adds a constraint. 

An example that springs to mind is medical diagnostics. A company that detects disease earlier and more cheaply is not balancing impact against returns. Every improvement in impact boosts product utility which drives revenue.  Impact is structural to the business model. 

• Finally, what’s one piece of advice you probably would have ignored six months ago, but would now insist on sharing with someone starting their first internship?

Ask for feedback early, much earlier than you think. My instinct was to prove myself and let the work speak for itself. I now think that was wrong, as you first need to understand how the work is perceived, and with earlier feedback you can avoid weeks repeating mistakes and instead correct them early. Shorten the feedback loop. 

At Venturebeam, we believe the best internships go far beyond observation. They provide the opportunity to take ownership, challenge assumptions and contribute to real projects alongside founders, investors and industry leaders.

The best internships aren’t defined by how long they last, but by how much they accelerate learning. When people are trusted with meaningful responsibility, supported by experienced colleagues and encouraged to think independently, they develop skills and confidence that stay with them throughout their careers.

Thank you, Matthew, for everything you’ve contributed to Venturebeam so far. We look forward to seeing where your journey takes you next.