Internship REVIEWS

==================

Alice Vu

Project Associate, 2024

Alice’s internship experience:

With a background in sustainable finance and experience in cleantech, I joined Apricum with moderate expectations, given my familiarity with the industry and consulting. However, the company exceeded them, offering a depth of learning in cleantech that I hadn’t encountered before. Apricum’s commitment to high standards and excellence allowed me to work on a BESS project within a large team, participate in client meetings, contribute to proposals, and support the transaction advisory team. It’s a fantastic place to deepen expertise in cleantech and best practices within a collaborative, supportive environment. For instance, initiatives like chat clubs and Apricum’s training sessions were invaluable in building hard skills that will stay with me throughout my career.

What stood out most for me was Apricum’s international team and the strong camaraderie that extends across offices. Mentorship is actively encouraged, and the freedom to express ideas is both rare and rewarding. While the workload can occasionally be intense, work-life balance is respected and prioritized in the Berlin office, which I found essential.

I recommend this internship for anyone seeking to join a dynamic and vibrant company working for the energy transition.

Work experience:

Finergreen, Paris
Lazard Frères Gestion, Paris
HEC Junior Conseil, Paris
FinStart, Paris

Education:

CEMS Master in Management, CEMS Global Alliance
Master in Management, HEC Paris
Lycée Sainte-Geneviève, ECS Preparatory Classes

Languages:

French
English

Francesco Bruzzone

Project Associate, 2024

Francesco’s internship experience:

During my 10-week tenure at Apricum, I had the opportunity to engage in diverse projects that deepened my understanding of the renewable energy and cleantech sectors.

One notable project involved assisting a major European utility in divesting its 1.5 GW renewable portfolio in Greece. This entailed comprehensive market analysis, evaluating EU policy impacts, and identifying potential investors, which enhanced my skills in data sourcing and market research organization.

Another significant project focused on developing a business proposal in the chemical recycling sector. I analyzed global plastic demand projections and delved into chemical recycling technologies, gaining insights into environmental regulations and market trends.

Additionally, I contributed to formulating a market entry strategy for a multinational company aiming to enter Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy market. This required evaluating enabling institutions and technologies such as solar, wind, BESS, hydrogen, CCUS, and electric vehicles, providing me with a comprehensive understanding of the region’s energy transition landscape.

Throughout these projects, I honed my abilities in presenting complex information succinctly using PowerPoint and ThinkCell.

The collaborative and fast-paced environment at Apricum, coupled with mentorship from experienced consultants, significantly enriched my professional growth.

Work experience:

Hitachi Rail STS, Italy
University College Dublin, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Education:

MBA, IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain
Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, University of Genoa, Italy
Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Genoa, Italy

Languages:

Italian
English
Spanish

Peder Fröling

Project Associate, 2024

Peder’s internship experience:

After spending a year working in industrial decarbonization and green steel, I developed a strong interest in cleantech and sustainability that I wanted to explore further. I saw consulting as the perfect way to gain broad exposure to these industries, and Apricum turned out to be an ideal fit for this ambition.

During my three-month tenure at Apricum, I had the chance to work on a diverse range of projects and proposals. These included performing an investment due diligence for a greenfield industrial facility, developing a market entry strategy for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) integrator, and conducting technical due diligence for a carbon sequestration company. As a project associate, I was given significant responsibilities from day one, managing key consulting tasks such as market sizing, commodity pricing analysis, policy and regulatory risk assessment, competitor analysis, and M&A target searches within the cleantech sector. The work was challenging and fast-paced, but it provided me with a wealth of knowledge and experience in a remarkably short period.

I had the pleasure of joining Apricum at their headquarters in Berlin, a city that was new to me. From the start, I felt welcomed and quickly connected with the team and my colleagues. I was impressed by the team’s depth of expertise, which offered me direct access to valuable industry insights and a deeper understanding of current market and technology trends.

For anyone interested in cleantech and sustainability and who’s seeking a dynamic, collaborative work environment, I highly recommend Apricum. My time there has been one of the most enriching learning experiences of my career.

Work experience:

H2 Green Steel, Stockholm, Sweden
Swedish Armed Forces, Karlsborg, Sweden

Education:

MEng Materials Science & Engineering, Imperial College London

Languages:

Swedish
English

Constantin Gamperl

Project Associate, 2024

Constantin’s internship experience:

My three main goals for my summer internship were getting to know consulting, getting to know the renewable energy and cleantech industry and getting to know the day-to-day processes within a top consulting firm. I could not have been at a better place than Apricum to achieve these three goals! The young and energetic team made me feel welcome from day one and I really felt like a valued and integral part of it.

During my time at Apricum, I worked on two projects related to the electricity grid and lightweight solar modules; two areas in which I did not have any prior experience. However, this was not a problem at all as my colleagues were very helpful and considerate in explaining all the technicalities. And I am especially thankful for the trust that was placed in me from the very beginning, allowing me to take part in client presentations and to lead interviews with industry experts. In addition, having a mentor who takes the time to show you around and gives you regular feedback really made this an invaluable learning experience!

Work experience:

Peak Pride Management, Vienna, Austria
FinCompare, Berlin, Germany
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte, Vienna, Austria

Education:

MSc and MiM double degree, Università Luigi Bocconi, International Management / CEMS
LLB Business Law, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
BSc in International Business Administration, WU, Vienna, Austria

Languages:

German
English
Spanish

Matteo Di Lenarda

Project Associate, 2024

Matteo’s internship experience:

Having completed several internships in finance and consulting, I was eager to explore the cleantech sector more deeply. Apricum – The Cleantech Advisory was the ideal place to gain this experience, providing a comprehensive and enriching internship from January to May 2024.

As a Project Associate at Apricum, I gained substantial insights into the solar and energy storage industries. In my first project, I assisted the mapping of European giga factories, analyzing competitors in the battery cell space, and benchmarking battery characteristics. Additionally, I worked on a target search for investments in the Italian PV market and analyzed the utility-scale segment. My tasks also included assessing solar PV EPC companies and identifying key players in the Dutch solar and BESS markets. This role allowed me to develop a strong understanding of international investment processes and market dynamics in renewable energy.

The collaborative environment at Apricum valued my contributions and treated me as an integral team member. This experience has significantly enriched my knowledge and skills in renewable energy and sustainable finance. I highly recommend Apricum to anyone seeking a meaningful and impactful experience in cleantech consulting.

Work experience:

UniCredit, Milan, Italy
SumUp, Berlin, Germany
Elavity, Oxford, UK
JEME Bocconi, Milan, Italy
Fincantieri S.p.A. Triest, Italy

Education:

MSc in Finance, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy
BSc in International Economics and Finance, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy

Languages:

Italian
English

Tiago Chammas

Project Associate, 2023

Tiago’s internship experience:

Having already completed a strategy consulting internship when I was in Brazil, I was looking for another internship in consulting, but related to my field of study and interest: the energy transition. Apricum seemed like the perfect fit for me and at the end of my internship I can say that it was indeed.

During my 3-month internship I had the opportunity to work across multiple industries related to the energy transition with different project scopes and diverse teams. The high-quality deliverables and high-level expectations made the experience even more valuable; I could learn a lot in a small amount of time.

Moreover, being the first intern at the Paris office, I was exposed to several business development tasks that made me better understand the firm’s growth strategy and experience entrepreneurial aspects first hand.

Now that I am back at university to finish my engineering degree, I’m sure that I made the right choice, and I couldn’t be more thankful for having been a part of Apricum.

Work experience:

Oliver Wyman, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Education:

Master’s degree in industrial engineering, École des Ponts ParisTech, France
Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Escola Politécnica USP, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Languages:

Portuguese
French
English

David Bigorra

Project Associate, 2023

David’s internship experience:

As part of my MBA internship, I was looking for an opportunity where I could create a positive and lasting environmental impact while gaining top-notch management consulting experience. In this regard, Apricum proved to be the perfect choice.

Over the course of my 11-week tenure at the Berlin office, I was immersed in two end-to-end projects: one focused on solar PV and the other one on green hydrogen. In both, I was entrusted with consultant-level responsibilities from day one, e.g., analyzing and validating a financial model, taking ownership of market forecasts of two major European regions, presenting findings to client top management, and even interacting with C-level executives in one-on-one interviews to discuss and enrich the quality of my work, to be consistent with Apricum highest standards of excellence.

The day-to-day experience of the internship calls for the adjectives “challenging” and “fun”. Deadlines and the pursuit of high-quality work presented challenges, while the vibrant and diverse international atmosphere made the journey enjoyable. My mentor was pivotal in navigating through demanding situations and fostering professional growth. I was exceptionally fortunate to have Hamid Can Baş as a mentor, to whom I only have words of gratitude. Additionally, the intimate scale of the company allowed me to create personal connections with nearly every individual across all offices, either during the Thursday Team Lunches at the Berlin Office, or via short online chats I scheduled with colleagues from other locations.

On the whole, I am profoundly thankful for the enriching experience I gained during my time at Apricum. The exposure to cleantech projects and clients over the past three months has been invaluable. For those with a keen interest in the cleantech industry, I fervently recommend considering Apricum. And if you wish to glean further insights about my journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Work experience:

Bigorra & Associates, Barcelona, Spain
IBM Consulting, Barcelona, Spain
Bee Green Co-Founder
St Vincent’s Health, Sydney, Australia

Education:

Master of Business Administration, IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain
Bachelor in Business Administration, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
MSc. and BSc. Industrial Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

Languages:

Spanish
Catalan
English

Edoardo Salerno

Project Associate, 2023

Edoardo’s internship experience:

I decided to apply for an internship at Apricum mainly because I wanted to gain experience in the cleantech sector, whose importance and relevance is continuously growing. Being a top consultancy in this field, Apricum was the ideal place to do so.

During my time as a Project Associate, not only have I fulfilled this goal, but I have also had the opportunity to fully experience life as a management consultant, as well as to explore the work in Apricum’s transaction advisory line of business. I was given the possibility to oversee my own line of work and present it to clients, and my insights and thoughts were always valued. These elements, paired with a welcoming social environment, truly made me feel like part of the team.

The internship also allowed me to grow professionally in a way that goes beyond the specific job or field of work. This was thanks to a great feedback culture, as well as to the exposure to a stimulating working environment, where the young, competent team is always striving to deliver rigorous and high-quality results.

For these reasons, I think Apricum is the perfect place to carry out an internship for anyone interested in either consulting or cleantech, but I also recommend applying to anyone who values and appreciates working in a competent and professional environment – the internship experience is guaranteed to make you grow along these measures.

Work experience:

Suez International, Paris, France
Philip Morris International, Lausanne, Switzerland
Israel-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Tel Aviv, Israel

Education:

Master of science in economic and social sciences, Bocconi University, Milan
Bachelor of science in international economics and finance, Bocconi University, Milan

Languages:

Italian
English
French

Matteo Pellandino

Project Associate, 2022

Matteo’s internship experience:

I chose to apply for the Project Associate position at Apricum to experience the working life of a strategy and transaction consultant at a top-tier firm; I’m happy to report all my expectations were met.

I found a young international team, working to the highest standards, of which I immediately felt a part. I was really impressed by the amount of important tasks and responsibilities that I had from my very first project. I felt like a full-time consultant rather than an intern. In every project, I had the opportunity to provide meaningful insights and ideas and I also had the chance to present my own work in a client meeting.

I was supported by my mentor who always encouraged me to speak my mind, which I found valuable both for my experience and personal growth. Having a dedicated mentor who provides you with weekly feedback is a real help throughout the entire internship and allows you to improve day by day.

Coming with a purely economic and financial background, I was afraid I would not have sufficient knowledge about the cleantech sector, but this fear was negated by the kindness and patience of all the colleagues who easily explained technical topics to me when needed.

Thus, I strongly recommend applying to Apricum to any student looking for a meaningful experience in strategy and transaction consulting and who wants to work at a top-tier level and in a friendly and dynamic environment.

Work experience:

Eurofork S.p.A., Roletto, Italy
Effata Tour, Dublin, Ireland

Education:

Master of science in finance, Bocconi University, Milan
Bachelor of science in economics and finance, Bocconi University, Milan

Languages:

Italian
English
French

Clarissa Teh

Project Associate, 2022

Clarissa’s internship experience:

Coming from a technical engineering background with an interest in sustainable technology and the consulting industry, spending 11 weeks at Apricum over the summer was exactly the opportunity I was looking for. The experience has left me enriched with insights into the sustainable energy industry, consulting-related skills and a supportive network of colleagues.

Over the course of the internship, I had the opportunity to contribute to strategy consulting projects across various areas of cleantech such as battery energy storage systems, battery recycling, wind project development and PV manufacturing. For one of the projects I was working on, I was able to see the project through from start to end and get involved in various parts of the project, such as analyzing competitors, identifying data trends, developing competitor archetypes and joining client meetings. Throughout the project, I really appreciated that I was given ownership of my own work, and always felt like my efforts and opinions were valued.

During my time at Apricum, I was based in the London office but worked mostly with the Berlin team. Everyone I met during my time there was wonderful to work with and always happy to have a quick chat with me about their many projects and thoughts on the cleantech industry. One of the things that impressed me most about Apricum was the high standards and efficiency at which the people at Apricum worked at. As an extension of this, I felt like I was constantly learning something new and being challenged, and thanks to my attentive mentor and her feedback, I always had sufficient support and guidance to grow.

I would definitely recommend an internship at Apricum to anyone looking for exposure to the cleantech space, experience working in a tight-knit and highly-efficient firm, and a chance to develop their consulting skills.

Work experience:

Bridges for Enterprise, University of Cambridge
Cambridge Consulting Network, University of Cambridge
Global Research and Consulting Group, University of Cambridge
Medklinn International, Malaysia

Education:

Currently completing a master and bachelor of engineering at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Languages:

English
Chinese

Philip Grabowski

Project Associate, 2022

Philip’s internship experience:

How can I create a valuable internship experience within a strategy consultancy, where I can learn from highly skilled consultants within a meaningful, future-oriented and highly innovative industry? Apricum and the cleantech industry were the answers to my question!

From the very beginning, I felt extremely comfortable in both Apricum’s social and professional environment. The dynamic and young corporate culture allows plenty of social interactions and personal relations – leading to a strong team spirit and opportunities to get to know everybody. During my three months as a Project Associate, I had the pleasure to be staffed on three different exciting cleantech projects and worked together with various teams. As an integral part of the project teams, I felt more like a new full-time consultant who really can make valuable contributions to the projects. I was especially surprised by the extremely high amount of trust and responsibilities from my team members – already in the second week of the internship, I was allowed to present my own work face-to-face in a client meeting.

I strongly believe that the high degree of project diversity, working responsibility, quality of tasks and team integration form a unique internship experience, which is hard to find in larger, also high quality, top strategy consultancies. Having a dedicated mentor is a huge help with settling in as well as throughout the internship. The beautiful Berlin office, exceptional team spirit and light-hearted social interactions made the best out of this professionally valuable time. Therefore, I strongly encourage everyone interested in the strategy consultancy and cleantech space to become a part of this highly-committed team.

Work experience:

CNH Industrial, Belgium
Grant Thornton AG, Germany

Education:

Master of science in management at Nova School of Business & Economics in Lisbon, Portugal
Bachelor of science in business economics at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Muenster, Germany

Languages:

German
English

Saravana Kumar

Project Associate, 2021/2022

Saravana’s internship experience:

In winter 2021/2022, I interned as a project associate at Apricum. These past six months have been a rewarding experience for me, with 360-degree exposure to responsibilities ranging from supporting consultants to handling client interactions. In addition, an international team with sound expertise in cleantech sets Apricum apart; one can be sure of gaining exposure to the innovative technologies and business models in this industry. Lastly, Apricum’s mentors make your professional development smoother by providing feedback with a personal touch, which encourages one to always put themselves in the shoes of a consultant from day one.