This summer, we've gotten to know Agathe and Liam, two students from France. Tag along to hear more about their perspective on being an intern at Worldfavor!
Agathe, a Parisian at heart, is a master's student at Dauphine University, specializing in management and organization. After exploring open innovation at Michelin and venturing into the world of Venture Capital (VC) where she was exposed to the investor's perspective on startups, Agathe wanted a more hands-on experience. During her gap year, she decided to travel to Stockholm, where her passion for technology and interest in startups led her to Worldfavor.
Liam, another Parisian native, is a master's student at Audencia Business School, specializing in corporate finance. Liam’s internships in finance and banking provided him with a solid foundation in analytics. Liam interest of ESG data analytics led him to explore opportunities within the ESG tech field, which eventually led him to Worldfavor.
The internship Experience
Agathe and Liam actually applied for one internship spot, but our CSO Sofia and Growth Manager Disa were super impressed with both of them (and saw that they'd make a great team!), so they offered two internships instead.
“I think the first sentence when I arrived was “Wow, it’s amazing”- The office is really nice and something that motivates you. And of course, the top 1 thing to mention is the people at Worldfavor. During my full internship I felt surrounded, supported and recognized, from day one.” - Agathe
“Everyone was really friendly when I arrived. This is my first experience in a start-up, and everyone feels very committed to the goal of making the world more sustainable. It’s also super cool to be working with people with really interesting backgrounds.” - Liam
The mission
Agathe’s and Liam's internships consisted of two main responsibilities. About 20% of their time was devoted to ad-hoc analysis. The other 80% was centered around supporting Worldfavor's European expansion strategy through data gathering and analysis. This involved studying the demands of different countries, evaluating market depth, and considering legal, sustainable, and digital factors.
“It was amazing to be able to work on a mission that had such a great output for the company and such an interest for us. This mission allowed us to get a strategic perspective and to be in touch with all the teams." - Liam
"I liked that we had a lot of freedom on how to go about the mission, that we could choose our own methodology while still getting the help we needed. Also, there were two of us on this project, which really helped. We complement each other well." - Agathe
The final presentation
Two months went by quickly, and on Thursday the 10th of August it was time for the final presentation. Liam and Agathe presented their market research analysis in the format of a cookie talk*.
“I feel really proud about our work and this final presentation. We knew what we were talking about and we knew that our work was valuable to all the teams and since people are kind, there was no reason to stress about it." - Liam
“When Sofia suggested that we could present it as a cookie talk, we saw it as an opportunity. We had been working hard with the project for two months, we knew it inside out. We were happy to present it, it would have felt as if something was missing if we had not done the final presentation." - Agathe
*Cookie talks are a Worldfavor tradition where any team member can share their interests and insights with colleagues. These informal presentations encourage open discussions on diverse topics, from tech trends to personal hobbies. The only requirement? Bring cookies and an appetite for knowledge-sharing! It's a great way to connect, learn, and of course.... eat cookies!
Work culture differences
When asked about differences in work culture between Sweden and France, Agathe and Liam highlighted the work-life balance, decision making, and pressure as the most differentiating factors.
"I don’t know if it is specifically Worldfavor or if this applies to all of Sweden, but the work culture here is so cool. Everyone at Worldfavor was so nice and so kind. For instance, if anyone were to stay after 5pm here, they would get at least 5 people telling them not to stay too late." - Liam
"In Sweden, you almost always highlight the good things, instead of underlining the bad, and you're more indirect when it comes to feedback. Sometimes that makes the decision making progresses a bit slow. In France, the decision making processes are more efficient. The pressure is also very different. It's difficult to assess because we come from the Finance sector in France with different company sizes, which is hard to compare to a Swedish tech start-up. Here the atmosphere is relaxed and usually very chill. You feel really confident and well accepted at work." - Agathe.
Highlights of the summer
We asked Liam and Agathe if they wanted to share some highlights from the summer spent at Worldfavor. Agathe mentioned the summer party and the all-hands meetings as a few of her highlights. Liam mentions the final presentation, and the fact that there are so international people working here.
And lastly, what would be your best Stockholm advice for someone new to the city?
"Don't be afraid to leave the city. The real advantage of Stockholm is to be so close to nature." - Agathe
"Don't forget to visit Stockholm during the winter! It's really cool seeing the city under the snow". - Liam
Thank you so much, Agathe and Liam, for bringing your expertise, enthusiasm and energy to Worldfavor. Your work have left a lasting impact, at Worldfavor, and we're so happy to have spent the summer with you!
Are you looking for an internship? Head to our career page to look for open positions!
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- Career page
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