Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · New York City, NY, USA
Remote externship platform offering professional experience and skill-building for students, with fully managed programs for companies.
Extern has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Extern.
Extern was founded in 2019 by Matt Wilkerson (Founder/CEO).
Extern has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Based in New York, New York, Extern provides fully managed remote externship programs connecting university students with real-world corporate projects. The platform facilitates three-to-eight-week professional experiences requiring ten to fifteen hours weekly, handling all recruiting, onboarding, project assignments, and mentorship on behalf of corporate clients. By integrating skill-building in emerging areas like generative artificial intelligence, the business model allows enterprises to boost innovation capacity while sourcing early-career talent. Operating with a workforce of 30 employees, the enterprise has raised $3.12 million in total funding from venture backers including Y Combinator and Foundation Capital. The organization serves a diverse customer base across the technology, finance, and healthcare sectors, facilitating remote workforce initiatives for notable clients such as PwC, Meta, and Pfizer. Originally operating under the name Paragon One, Extern was founded in 2019 by Matt Wilkerson.
Key people at Extern.
Extern was founded in 2019 by Matt Wilkerson (Founder/CEO).
Extern has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Extern's investors include Altair Capital Management, LAUNCH, Seven Seas Partners, Jeff Xiong, Jimmy Lai, Altair Ventures, Foundation Capital, Learn Capital, University Ventures, Y Combinator.
Extern has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in May 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2017 | $2M Seed | — | Altair Capital Management, LAUNCH, Seven Seas Partners, Jeff Xiong, Jimmy LAI, Altair Ventures, Foundation Capital, Learn Capital, University Ventures, Y Combinator | Announced |
Extern is a platform that offers *professional experience anytime, anywhere* through structured, remote externships that connect students and career seekers with real-world projects and companies. It provides practical training on in-demand skills, soft skills development, and exposure to multiple industries, enabling participants to build relevant work experience and accelerate career growth. Extern serves students, educational institutions, and companies by facilitating project-based learning and talent sourcing, addressing the gap between education and workforce readiness while driving economic growth[5][8].
Extern was founded to bridge the disconnect between traditional education and professional work experience by creating accessible, flexible externships that can be completed remotely. The platform emerged from the need to provide students, especially those outside elite internship pipelines, with meaningful, project-based work opportunities that build skills and professional networks. Early traction includes partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and startups, enabling students to work on impactful projects such as customer research, product validation, and market analysis, often under expert mentorship[4][5].
Extern rides the trend of *remote work, digital upskilling,* and *talent democratization* in the evolving workforce landscape. The timing is critical as companies face talent shortages and seek cost-effective ways to innovate and scale projects, while students demand flexible, meaningful experiences that prepare them for competitive job markets. Extern influences the broader ecosystem by creating a new talent pipeline, reducing barriers to entry for underrepresented groups, and helping companies harness emerging generations’ insights and skills to stay competitive[4][5].
Extern is poised to expand its impact by deepening partnerships with corporations and educational institutions, broadening the range of industries and skills covered, and integrating advanced technologies like AI to enhance training and project matching. Trends such as hybrid work models, lifelong learning, and increased focus on diversity and inclusion will shape its journey. As Extern scales, it may become a critical bridge between education and employment, influencing how companies source talent and how students launch careers in a rapidly changing economy[5][8].
Extern’s mission to provide *professional experience anytime, anywhere* remains central, positioning it as a transformative platform in workforce development and innovation.
