Company Analysis

Corporate Governance

Due Diligence

Strategic Thinking

Career Strategy

Lean Startup Co. Corporate Strategy Externship Mentored by THE Eric Ries

14 hours. Evaluate any company like an insider. Walk out with the portfolio to prove it + an endorsement from Eric Ries.

4 weeks

Live Sessions Start

September 14, 2026

Start Onboarding Today

Eric Ries created the Lean Startup movement. His book The Lean Startup is one of the most influential business books of the last two decades — translated into nearly 30 languages, required reading across Silicon Valley, and the framework a generation of founders and companies use to build. In this externship, Eric teaches you the diagnostic skill almost no entry-level candidate has: not how to execute, but how to evaluate. You’ll learn to read any company the way investors and senior operators do — spotting the financial pressures that quietly pull companies off course, the governance structures that actually matter, and the early signs of mission-drift before it becomes a headline. And here’s what makes this rare: you’re not watching a recording. Eric is in the room. He personally joins the sessions as you work through his framework — and the strongest externs earn a spot to present their analysis to him live, getting direct feedback from the person who literally wrote the book.

Project Output

‍

Incorruptible Scorecard: A detailed evaluation of a real company using Eric Ries's Incorruptible framework, analyzing financial pressures, governance structures, and mission alignment.
Action Plan: A strategic plan of action for your chosen company to become more Incorruptible, with concrete recommendations.
Final Capstone: A polished presentation that demonstrates your analytical skills and allows you to make your case powerfully to Eric Ries himself.

Get Started with Onboarding Today Before Live Sessions Begin

Join this 4-week Externship with Eric Ries to learn how to evaluate any company like an insider!

Start Project Today

This Externship has passed

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What past Externs have to say

Erik Schalk

Beats by Dre Extern

"Extern played a crucial role in bridging the gap between my formal business education & real-world application. The opportunity to present actionable recommendations to the Head of Customer Insights at Beats by Dre was invaluable, propelling my leadership journey and paving the way for my current role at Rolls-Royce.”

Now a Project Lead
at Rolls-Royce

Tori Nguyen

AT&T Extern

“I credit the Externship as the sole reason I was hired to intern at AT&T. I had never heard of the AT&T internship program and would never have applied to it if I hadn’t gone through the Externship. It allowed me to develop my skills, showcase my work and ultimately stand out so I was awarded the opportunity to interview the CEO of AT&T!”

Became an intern
at AT&T

Richard Wilson

Meta Extern

"The Externship is a great way to introduce students to what it is like to work on a project. I became a lot more data-focused and analytical in my approach. As an industrial engineering major, people questioned how the externship was related to my studies. My journey has shown me that you don’t have to be limited by your major."

Now a Technical
Program Manager at Meta

Maisa Mirza

HP Tech Ventures Externship

“During my venture capital externship, I learned how to use industry-standard metrics and tools like SQL and Tableau to determine startup success potential.This opportunity helped me stand out as a candidate and opened new doors for me - including offers from EY and Accenture."

Now an Analyst
at Accenture

Garrett Boyce

HP Tech Ventures Externship

“If I hadn’t done a VC externship during term time, I know I’d be spending hours watching YouTube videos just to understand which careers I might enjoy! I don’t think I fully understood the value of an externship till I actually did one and now I want to argue that externships should be a part of the college experience for every student.”

Now an Analyst at Boston Consulting Group

Diego Juarez

Crafted Capital Externship

“My Externship really changed my career trajectory. As students, we often chase after Fortune 500 work experiences, but the intimate experience of getting to work with a startup can actually really help you learn a lot and level up what you can bring to the table. My cohort even had the opportunity to speak with the founder of Crafted Capital and learn from his firsthand experience.”

Now a CLDP Analyst at
JP Morgan Chase & Co

Skills You'll Gain

Apply the four-lens framework (mission drive, financial gravity, governance, mission transmission) to evaluate any company.

Read and interpret proxy statements and SEC filings to extract governance signals.

Evaluate board composition and identify structural defenses like dual-class shares and foundation ownership.

Recognize mission-drift warning signs and corruption events before they become headlines.

Write analytical memos that compress complex company evaluations into clear recommendations.

Apply Build-Measure-Learn to career decisions and develop an executable career strategy.

Your Schedule

4 weeks

Week 1

—

The Diagnosis: What Killed Your Favorite Company?

Week 2

—

Due Diligence: Should You Take the Job?

Week 3

—

From Diagnosis to Action: Your Career Strategy

Week 4

—

Share What You've Learned: Final Capstone

About Lean Startup Co.

Eric Ries is the creator of the Lean Startup method and author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup and Incorruptible. Over two decades, his ideas about continuous innovation, long-term thinking, governance, and market reform have reshaped company building and management practices worldwide.

The Home Depot is not accepting or considering any applications for this Externship through other channels.

Meet Your Host

Eric Ries

Author of The Lean Startup & Incorruptible

Over the last two decades, Eric Ries's ideas about continuous innovation, long-term thinking, governance, and market reform have reshaped company building and management practices. He is the creator of the Lean Startup method, and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, The Leader's Guide, and The Startup Way.

As a founder, he has put his own ideas into practice with The Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), Answer.AI, the Lean Startup Co, Virgil, and IMVU. On his podcast, The Eric Ries Show, he talks to guests including world-class technologists, thought leaders, and executives working to build profitable companies for the long-term benefit of society.