A group of venture investors and entrepreneurs who love the growth and potential of New York City’s startup scene, but think it could benefit from an infusion of talent, today launched an initiative to draw top tech students to the big apple.
The NYC Turing Fellows program will grant scholarships to the brightest students in computer sciences and engineering from the U.S. and Canada, while matching them with paid summer internships at some of New York’s hottest tech startups.
Named after Alan Turing, an early pioneer in computer science who created a number of critical techniques for breaking German ciphers, including the Enigma machine, during WWII, the program was organized by: a venture partner at Canaan Partners, Warren Lee; Brian Hirsch, managing partner at GSA Venture Partners; Mike Hudack the chief executive and co-founder of blip.tv; and Brendan Dickinson an associate at Canaan Partners and MBA student at NYU Stern.
Undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and computer science are eligible to apply for the fellowship online, via NYCturingfellows.org before February 7, 2011.
Fifteen finalists will be selected by a jury of local investors and entrepreneurs. Fellowship winners will get the aforementioned summer internship, and $5,000 in cash upon completion of their work, on top of their summer salary. The intern-fellows will also be required to attend mentoring and networking events throughout the summer, held by startups, universities, venture and law firms in the city.
The rock-starry list of startups that agreed to interview qualifying NYC Turing Fellows, and put them to work this summer includes: