London Intern 2026

Role Overview: Intern

Location: London

Duration: 6 months, start date flexible (ideally June or September 2026)

About Illuminate

Illuminate Financial is a specialist venture capital firm investing in early-stage Enterprise AI & Fintech companies. With teams across London, New York, and Singapore, we combine capital with unmatched connectivity to global financial institutions, helping visionary founders build and scale.

Standardised themes:

• AI & Enterprise Tech


• Payments & CFO Stack


• Digital Assets Infrastructure


• Financial Markets Infrastructure


• Private Markets, Wealth & Asset Management


• Energy and Climate Fintech

About the role

We are looking for a 6-month Investment Intern to join Illuminate’s deal team. This role offers hands-on exposure to early-stage venture investing in fintech and enterprise software, working closely with our Partners and investment team.

As an intern, you will support the team in sourcing, researching, and evaluating investment opportunities, while building an understanding of the venture capital process from initial founder meetings through to investment decisions.

You will help identify promising startups building category-defining B2B solutions and assist the team with market research, company analysis, and ecosystem mapping. The role also involves engaging with the broader fintech ecosystem, including founders, investors, and industry experts.

This is a highly collaborative role where you will work closely with the investment team across deal sourcing, thematic research, and portfolio support, while developing practical skills in venture investing.

The role also requires curiosity about technology and product development, as well as comfort using modern data platforms and AI-enabled tools to support research and analysis.

About you 

You are intellectually curious, analytical, and excited to learn about venture investing and the enterprise fintech ecosystem. You are interested in understanding how innovative startups are built and how investors evaluate emerging technologies and markets.

You enjoy researching new sectors, analysing companies, and forming thoughtful perspectives on market opportunities. You are proactive, organised, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where you may contribute across multiple projects.

You are also collaborative and open to feedback, eager to learn from experienced investors while contributing positively to the team.

What to expect in the role: 

Pipeline & Investments

• Support the team in sourcing and screening early-stage investment opportunities.


• Conduct research on startups, founders, and emerging fintech sectors.


• Assist with market mapping and identifying companies within priority themes.


• Help prepare materials for founder meetings and internal discussions.


• Conduct initial company analysis, including product, market, and competitive positioning.


• Support due diligence through research, data gathering, and expert calls.


• Assist with preparing investment materials and internal briefing documents.

Thematic research

• Support the development of investment themes through market research and landscape analysis.


• Monitor fintech and enterprise software trends and emerging technologies.


• Contribute to research notes, sector briefings, and internal knowledge sharing.


• Help map ecosystems around key subsectors and technologies.

Portfolio support

• Conduct research to support portfolio companies (markets, competitors, potential partners).


• Help identify relevant customer, partner, or talent introductions where relevant.


• Assist with preparing portfolio updates and internal reporting materials.


• Support preparation for portfolio meetings or board materials when required.

Network & ecosystem

• Help maintain and expand Illuminate’s ecosystem coverage across founders, investors, and industry participants.


• Assist with preparing materials for ecosystem meetings and events.


• Contribute to thought leadership initiatives, including research and blog content where relevant.

Skills & Traits we value 

• Strong academic background or relevant internship experience in finance, consulting, technology, startups, or venture capital.


• Interest in fintech, enterprise software, and financial services innovation.


• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise information clearly.


• Curiosity about technology and product development.


• Comfort working with data, research tools, and modern AI-enabled tools.


• Clear written and verbal communication skills.


• Highly organised with strong attention to detail.


• A proactive attitude and willingness to learn.


• A collaborative, team-oriented mindset with strong integrity and work ethic.

Illuminate’s Core Values 

• Curiosity – We foster innovation, inquisitiveness, the ability to enable and unlock solutions and a thirst for knowledge.


• Challenge – We encourage positive dissent and people who challenge decisions to ensure multiple perspectives and diversity of thought. These values allow us to stay adaptable and nimble and in turn make informed and better decisions.


• Commitment – We believe in accountability and long-term relationships and partnerships. Ownership, goal alignment and helping to raise the Illuminate game are paramount.


• Collaboration – We are a team, and we only succeed as one. Communication and combining our mutual knowledge are paramount.


• Continuous Learning - We embrace a mindset of perpetual growth, constantly seeking to expand our knowledge and skills. Learning is not a phase but a core part of who we are, enabling innovation and adaptability. The journey should be fun and educational.
  

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to fostering a culture where everyone regardless of background, ethnicity, or gender feels welcome. If you are excited about this role, but do not 100% meet all the qualifications listed above, we would still encourage you to apply. We recognise that a variety of different skills, strengths, and experiences can add a lot of value to our team.

Closing Date: 10th April 2026*

*We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications