Research and Thought Leadership Intern

About StrategyElevate

StrategyElevate is an integrated investment banking and business advisory firm partnering with startups, MSMEs, and corporates across FinTech, EdTech, and ClimateTech. The firm provides advice on fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, valuation, financial modelling, and growth strategy. StrategyElevate also publishes research reports and insights on India’s entrepreneurial and investment landscape.

The Opportunity

A research-driven thought leadership piece, to be published under the StrategyElevate banner. The role combines structured research and analysis with compelling written storytelling, and includes supporting the growth of StrategyElevate’s professional network and digital presence.

Key Responsibilities

A. Research-Driven Thought Leadership Piece

• Problem structuring: Translate assigned topics into clear research questions and hypotheses, and build a structured plan.
• Secondary research: Gather and evaluate data from industry reports, government and regulatory publications, databases, news sources, and academic literature, ensuring source credibility and accurate citation.
• Primary research: Support the design and execution of short surveys and structured conversations with founders, investors, and industry practitioners, and systematically capture insights.
• Analysis: Clean, organize, and analyze data in Excel, build clear charts, tables, and exhibits.
• Synthesis and narrative: Shape findings into a coherent storyline and draft a professional report.
• Review cycles: Incorporate feedback from the StrategyElevate team through structured review iterations.

B. Network and Audience Growth

• Channel growth: Support the growth of StrategyElevate’s LinkedIn pages and YouTube channel.
• Outreach: Identify and engage with founders, MSMEs, investors, and students.
• Content distribution: Repurpose key insights from the report into short-form posts and share content across relevant professional communities and forums.
• Tracking: Monitor basic engagement and follower metrics.

Skills You Will Build

• Consulting problem-solving: Hypothesis-driven thinking, issue structuring, and prioritization.
• Research best practices: Designing and running primary and secondary research, and assessing the quality and reliability of evidence.
• Analytical rigour: Working with real data to derive defensible, decision-useful insights.
• Storytelling and narrative: Structuring an argument, writing with clarity, and presenting findings in a professional, publication-grade format.
• Professional networking: Building and engaging a professional network and understanding how thought leadership content earns reach.

What You Will Gain

• Published credit: Your name and photograph featured in the final published report.
• Portfolio and resume value: A published, research-based report.
• Live exposure: Hands-on experience on a live project with an investment banking and advisory firm.
• Future opportunity: Potential for a Summer Internship in consulting, finance, or investment banking, based on performance and business requirements.

Requirements

• Strong research, analytical, and written communication skills.
• Working proficiency in Excel and basic data analysis.
• Self-motivated, organized, and able to meet deadlines.

Preferred

• Interest in consulting, investment banking, finance, or the startup ecosystem.
• Familiarity with LinkedIn and professional content, and comfort reaching out to new contacts.