MATCHUP

What is MATCHUP?

MATCHUP is an internship hiring event that turns recruiting around: instead of students applying to companies, startups pitch to students. Founders present their company, their vision and their open internship roles to a selected group of students. Afterwards, students and founders get to know each other in relaxed conversations, and the students decide which startups they want to work for.

Founders pitch. Talent chooses.

How it works

Students apply to take part, and thinc! selects the group that attends.

On the evening, founders take the stage one after another and pitch their startup and their open roles.

After the pitches, students and founders meet in a relaxed setting. These are no job interviews. They are open conversations where both sides find out whether they fit, and that's where most connections are made.

Who it's for

Students who want an internship at a startup

Startups looking for interns who actually want to work at a startup

The thinc! weekend

MATCHUP opens the thinc! weekend in Munich. On November 7–8, the thinc! Hackathon follows, where student teams work on challenges set by partner companies.

Last edition

Berlin, February 10, 2026, at The Delta Campus, with Creandum and five.degrees

100+ selected students

10+ startups, including Lio, Peec AI and Aries Global

Lio and Aries Global each hired 4+ interns

About thinc!

thinc! is one of Europe's largest student startup initiatives, based at the University of Mannheim and active for 25+ years. MATCHUP is thinc!'s format for connecting students with startups.

Key Facts

📅 November 6, 2026, doors open 5:15 PM, pitches start 6:00 PM📍 Lio office, Munich✅ Free, selection-based

Places are limited. We'll let you know via Email whether you've been selected.