Witnessing the Economic Growth of Medellin
By: Dipon Biswas, CAS ’26
GRIP: FinTech in Medellin
Prior to arriving in Medellin, I had constantly heard about the city’s immense economic growth in recent years. New startups were flourishing and the city could now look to a much brighter future than ever before. In this exciting time I had the privilege of working for a corporation that is right at the heart of this economic growth. During my 2 months in Medellin I worked with a corporation called Ruta N, a venture started by the mayor’s office of Medellin dedicated to the technological and economic development of the city. As a venture capital intern for Ruta N I was able to witness firsthand the ongoing economic growth of the city and have a direct impact on the progress.
Much of my work consisted of identifying global venture capitalist funds and connecting them to new startups in Medellin. This was an incredible opportunity for me as it allowed me to directly communicate with investors and also allowed me to practice my Spanish as I communicated with founders of the startups. In addition to this I gained a lot of technical skills in relation to the calculations required to value a lot of these startups. Overall, it was an eye-opening experience that introduced me to the world of venture capital within a new economic center of Latin America.
Before beginning the internship I was interested in identifying differences in work culture between Medellin and New York where I live. Not just in Medellin, but across all of Colombia the work culture seems to be a lot more relaxed and employers seem to prioritize breaks to a much greater extent than what is seen in the United States. It was a nice change of pace to not constantly have deadlines breathing down my neck. My colleagues and supervisor were incredibly supportive and attempted to spend their lunch breaks with me and my fellow interns nearly everyday. These were the moments that I cherished the most during my internship as it allowed me to partake in cultural exchanges with my colleagues. While they would practice their English, I would practice my Spanish. They would bring me to local restaurants and get me to try dishes that I had never tried before. It pushed me beyond my comfort zone and for that I am very grateful.
In terms of my long term career goals and path this internship has certainly shifted my perspective on a lot of things. While money is certainly an important factor, I have learned that work life balance is something that is of immense importance to me as well. I truly enjoyed coming into work everyday in Medellin because I was never overly stressed or overwhelmed by work. I was able to work at my own pace, which is how I enjoy doing my work. I have also learned about how vital it is to have a supportive work environment that will push you to do your best. I had amazing colleagues who did their best to make me feel welcome in a country that I had never been to before and without them I probably would not have had such a good experience.
The Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer. Participants gain career-enhancing experience and global exposure that is essential in a global workforce.