Fresh Talent, Big Impact: How Interns Can Help Startups Thrive

Startups are engines of innovation, agility, and ambition—but they often run lean. In this fast-paced environment, bringing interns on board can be a game-changer. Far from being just “extra hands,” interns inject new energy, ideas, and capabilities that can propel a startup to new heights. Here’s how fresh talent can make a big impact on your company’s journey.

Fresh Perspectives Fuel Innovation

Interns often come from diverse academic backgrounds and bring the latest knowledge and skills from their studies. Their fresh eyes can help startups challenge assumptions, spot inefficiencies, and spark creative solutions to business problems.

When Optima Planner brought on social media marketing interns, the interns suggested channels such as Pinterest that had previously been overlooked. In addition, since they were closer in age to the target demographic, they created lots of new content for TikTok and Instagram utilizing the hottest new songs and viral trends, which resonated well and increased engagement. 

At Ford, interns tasked to grow the Bronco brand developed the Bronco Off-Roadeo, a network of immersive off-road training grounds that has drawn over 65,000 outdoor adventurers nationwide and has been so successful that it’s been awarded the 2025 Marketing Disruptor of the Year award by Newsweek.

Boosting Productivity Without Breaking the Bank

Additionally, startups typically operate with limited resources. Interns provide a cost-effective way to expand your team’s capacity, taking on projects or routine tasks that free up core staff to focus on strategic priorities. They can also fill skill gaps, resolving immediate needs as the business grows. 

UCLA Anderson MBA interns have delivered measurable, high-impact results for the companies they’ve worked with. Their contributions range from developing a go-to-market plan that attracted over 2,000 users within the first two weeks of launch to boosting monthly active users by over 300% in just three months through process optimization and innovative adoption strategies. 

When The Grandstand Project needed customer feedback for strategic direction, a market research intern crafted and conducted a survey that garnered 125 responses, providing key insights instrumental to assessing demographic data, price ranges, and more. 

Additionally, since this internship took place through Trylrun, Trylrun took care of managing the internship process—from sourcing candidates to providing a structured curriculum with weekly deliverables. Thus, the founder was able to reap the benefits with minimal time and stress.

Expanding Your Network and Reach 

Interns often have strong connections to universities, student organizations, and emerging talent pools. They can help startups tap into these networks for brand visibility and potential partnerships.

To spread the word about Hebel & Co’s halva, social media marketing interns took to their college campus, offering product samples and filming reaction videos. This led to broadened awareness, education, and engagement, in-person and online. 

Building a Talent Pipeline for the Future

Internships are also a proven way to identify and nurture future full-time employees. By working closely with interns, startups can evaluate their skills, cultural fit, and growth potential in a real-world setting, reducing hiring risk and making for a more seamless onboarding experience.

Interns can also become brand ambassadors and advocates, expanding your network and improving your reputation. 

Hiring Interns for Startup - Final Takeaways

Interns can provide extra help, and so much more. New ideas, energy, and connections can lead to unexpected benefits and outsized returns for your startup’s future. 

Find the thought of having interns daunting? Trylrun makes it easy, providing you with the interns, the projects, and the guidance. Learn more here.