Summer Intern/Associate

Summer Intern/Associate: Accelerator Program Development

TAU Investment Management | New York, NY; hybrid | Summer 2026

About TAU

TAU is a sustainability-focused private equity firm based in New York. We are building an accelerator program for Viva Voce, a portfolio company reimagining inclusive, sustainable fashion retail. The accelerator will support a curated cohort of existing microbrands; small but operating businesses already part of the inclusive fashion ecosystem. The goal is to help these founder-led brands become stronger businesses through mentorship, operational scaffolding, and pathways to growth capital.

The Role

We are looking for someone to help turn a high-level program concept into launchable architecture. You will design the curriculum, map mentors to modules, build the application framework, and prepare materials for leadership and board review.

The central design constraint is that participating founders run their businesses largely on their own. Therefore, the program must be high-value and light-touch; structured enough to drive real progress without demanding time from people who do not have it.

You will work closely with TAU’s Chief of Staff and operating team, with exposure to senior stakeholders across TAU and the Viva Voce ecosystem.

What You’ll Do

· Benchmark comparable accelerator, consumer, and sustainability models for structurally relevant insights.

· Design the program architecture: cohort size, duration, application/invitation process, selection criteria, founder commitments, expected outcomes

· Build the module map: sustainability, supply chain, inclusive sizing, manufacturing, brand positioning, capital readiness, founder operations

· Identify and map mentors, advisors, and subject-matter experts to each module from TAU’s network and the broader ecosystem

· Design the founder journey: onboarding, diagnostics, working sessions, office hours, milestone reviews, end-of-program outcomes

· Develop founder-facing materials: application, brand diagnostic, milestone trackers, mentor briefs, program calendar

· Support thinking on program economics: what brands receive, what TAU / Viva Voce asks in exchange, including data-sharing, marketplace participation, and other strategic participation structures

· Prepare the foundational accelerator framework and main deliverables for leadership, the incoming CEO, and board review.

Who You Are

· MBA candidate, recent graduate, or strong operator/builder with relevant experience

· Ideally, have experience with an accelerator, incubator, venture studio, consumer startup, fashion/retail company, sustainability organization, or investment platform

· Genuine interest in fashion, consumer brands, and sustainability

· Comfortable building structure (frameworks, decks, processes, timelines)

· Strong research, synthesis, and presentation skills; can work independently without heavy supervision

What This Offers

Direct exposure to a founder-led brand at an inflection point, working alongside an experienced operating team with access to TAU’s advisor and operator network.

Details

· Duration: ~3 months, June–August 2026

· Location: New York/hybrid

· Commitment: part-time

· Compensation: TBD

· Start date: Flexible, ideally early June

To Apply

Send a brief note and your resume to [email protected]. Tell us about a program, curriculum, or operational framework you built or contributed to, what worked, and what you’d change.

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given before June.