The 10,000 Interns Foundation
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a UK registered charity that runs paid internship programmes matching Black students and graduates with corporate employers across 35+ sectors, supported by an alumni network and employer training services, funded by donations and corporate partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The 10,000 Interns Foundation does
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a UK registered charity (number 1199061) founded in 2020, originally launched as '100 Black Interns' to address underrepresentation of Black talent in investment management in the City of London. Operating from a single London headquarters at Second Home, 68 Hanbury St, the Foundation runs the flagship 10,000 Black Interns Programme, which algorithmically matches Black students and recent graduates from UK universities to paid six-week minimum summer internships at Real Living Wage across more than 35 sectors and 1,300+ employer partners including Morgan Stanley, BBC, GSK, Slaughter and May, Sainsbury's, and the Royal Academy of Arts. It also operates a Corporate Membership Scheme offering employer training and account management, an Alumni Hub and 10,000 Alumni Programme for ongoing career development, and application-preparation resources for candidates. The technology stack is non-proprietary: applications are processed via the PinPoint applicant tracking system and donations are handled through Donorbox, with no disclosed AI/ML capability beyond basic matching logic.
The Foundation is sustained entirely by philanthropic funding: 40% from long-term strategic partners and 60% from corporate donations, supplemented by individual giving and in-kind support from Pioneer Partners. The go-to-market is hybrid — direct enterprise field-sales to employer partners via a formal annual pledging cycle (September-March pledges, November-March candidate allocation, summer internships), combined with community-led candidate acquisition through 50+ university careers-service partnerships and alumni referrals. Leadership comprises founder Rebecca Ajulu-Bushell (CEO) with co-founder Dawid Konotey-Ahulu CBE (Trustee), co-founder Wol Kolade (Managing Partner at Livingbridge) and co-founder Jonathan Sorrell (CEO of Rathbones Group Plc) among the advisors, alongside a Board chaired by David Hutchison OBE. Since 2022 the Foundation has piloted and subsequently spun off the 10,000 Able Interns programme into a standalone ABL Foundation, and in 2025 it launched the Alumni Programme and celebrated the 10,000-internship milestone at Emirates Stadium.
The 10,000 Interns Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The 10,000 Interns Foundation
- Legal name
- The 10,000 Interns Foundation
- Website
- https://10000internsfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a UK registered charity that runs paid internship programmes matching Black students and graduates with corporate employers across 35+ sectors, supported by an alumni network and employer training services, funded by donations and corporate partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The 10,000 Interns Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sector-Specific Internship Programs (e.g., STEM, Business, Health, Arts) (EDAIAFAI), Experiential Learning & Internships/Co-ops (EDALABAG)
Keywords
Where The 10,000 Interns Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The 10,000 Interns Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Partnerships and Philanthropic Donations: The Foundation is sustained by strategic partners who provide financial support, pioneer partners who provide in-kind support, and individual donors. 40% of funding comes from long-term strategic partners, 60% from corporate donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Employer pledge - free to participate with commitment to hire interns |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a UK registered charity that runs paid internship programmes and career support for underrepresented young talent. Its flagship 10,000 Black Interns Programme matches Black students and graduates from UK universities with employers across 35+ sectors through algorithmic allocation, providing minimum six-week summer internships paid at Real Living Wage. The 10,000 Alumni Programme delivers ongoing career development, networking, mentorship, and job fairs for former interns.
Product overview
The 10,000 Interns Foundation operates primarily as a programme-based non-profit rather than a software product company. Its core offerings consist of the 10,000 Black Interns Programme (matching Black students/graduates with employers across 35+ sectors via algorithmic allocation), supported by the 10,000 Alumni Programme for ongoing career development. Additional services include a Corporate Membership Scheme offering employer training and inclusivity resources, application training resources for candidates, and The 10,000 Interns Podcast for community engagement. The organisation functions as a charity facilitator connecting talent with opportunity rather than a technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 10,000 Black Interns: The flagship programme providing paid internships for Black students and graduates across the UK.
- 10,000 Alumni
Products and services
- 10,000 Black Interns Programme Flagship paid internship programme connecting Black students and graduates from UK universities with career opportunities across 35+ sectors. Matches candidates to employers based on workstream preferences and location via an algorithm, providing a minimum six-week summer internship paid at Real Living Wage.
- 10,000 Alumni Programme Alumni network providing career development opportunities including exclusive insight days, networking events, job fairs, mentorship, and alumni-led initiatives. Includes access to the Alumni Hub dashboard for registered members.
- Corporate Membership Scheme Partnership tier for employers providing access to training, resources, and guidance to ensure inclusive internship experiences. Includes inclusivity training and account management support.
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% of programme alumni currently employed
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The 10,000 Interns Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and strategic.
- Arsenal Football ClubmajorVenue partner for the 10K Milestone Celebration event at Emirates Stadium - largest gathering of interns in UK history.
- Montfort CommunicationssupportingPR support provided to the Foundation, described as award-winning reputation management consultancy.
- PinPoint ATSsupportingATS powered by PinPoint - technology platform supporting application tracking.
- Spencer StuartsupportingExecutive search firm supporting leadership appointments, including COO search and advisory board appointments on pro bono basis.
- Health Data Research UK (HDR UK)strategicPartnership for Health Data Science Black Internship Programme, addressing underrepresentation of Black talent in health data science sector.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth-focused charity providing employment, education and training support. Shares the youth-employment mission but operates at significantly greater scale and broader scope.
- Milkround: Long-established UK graduate recruitment platform listing internships and graduate jobs across sectors. Competes indirectly for the same candidate/employer relationships at much greater scale.
- Bright Network: UK's largest student and graduate career network connecting members with employers including internship opportunities. Broader in scope than the Foundation, with overlapping candidate pool and employer partnerships.
Direct peers
- UpReach: UK social mobility charity supporting undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into top graduate roles through mentoring and employer partnerships, directly comparable in mission and target beneficiary segments.
- Career Ready: UK charity running paid internship programmes for young people from lower-income backgrounds with corporate employer partners. Highly comparable work-based learning model and beneficiary cohort.
- SEO London: Sponsors for Educational Opportunity runs paid internship and graduate career programmes for underrepresented students in the UK, with a similar corporate-pledge model and FTSE-level employer partners. Most directly comparable to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme.
- Rare Recruitment: Specialist UK recruitment and research firm focused on improving diversity outcomes, operating context that mirrors the Foundation's candidate-employer matching for underrepresented groups.
- IntoUniversity: Educational charity working with under-represented young people to increase progression to higher education and competitive careers, comparable on mission and university/community engagement model.
- Sanctuary Graduates: Provides paid internships and graduate programmes targeted at students from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, comparable on paid-internship placement model and social-impact employer partnerships.
Others
- UK Social Mobility Alliance: Employer-led coalition addressing socio-economic diversity in UK workplaces, with overlapping corporate partner base and complementary role as advocate and convenor for diversity-focused talent initiatives.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The 10,000 Interns Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe 10,000 Interns Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The 10,000 Interns Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
The 10,000 Interns Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The 10,000 Interns Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The 10,000 Interns Foundation
What does The 10,000 Interns Foundation do?
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a UK registered charity that runs paid internship programmes and career support for underrepresented young talent. Its flagship 10,000 Black Interns Programme matches Black students and graduates from UK universities with employers across 35+ sectors through algorithmic allocation, providing minimum six-week summer internships paid at Real Living Wage. The 10,000 Alumni Programme delivers ongoing career development, networking, mentorship, and job fairs for former interns.
Is The 10,000 Interns Foundation a public or private company?
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The 10,000 Interns Foundation founded?
The 10,000 Interns Foundation was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The 10,000 Interns Foundation based?
The 10,000 Interns Foundation is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The 10,000 Interns Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: corporate Partnerships and Philanthropic Donations.
Who are The 10,000 Interns Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Prince's Trust, Milkround and Bright Network. Direct peers are UpReach, Career Ready, SEO London, Rare Recruitment, IntoUniversity and Sanctuary Graduates. UK Social Mobility Alliance is listed as an others.
Does The 10,000 Interns Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The 10,000 Interns Foundation.
What industry is The 10,000 Interns Foundation in?
The 10,000 Interns Foundation's product category is Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACANAK, Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAFAI, Sector-Specific Internship Programs (e.g., STEM, Business, Health, Arts). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 7361.