Founding GTM & Customer Discovery Intern (German Language Required)

Fluent or native German is required

You will speak with Dutch SME owners, advisers and business networks every week, so you need to be comfortable running conversations and writing in Dutch, as well as in English.

You must be a current student

This internship is open to current students expecting to graduate no earlier than September 2027.

Selling a business can be one of the most important financial decisions an entrepreneur makes. Yet many SME owners approach the process without knowing what buyers will scrutinise, what could undermine their valuation, or what they should address before going to market.

ExitDiligence is building AI-native transaction-readiness infrastructure to help SME owners prepare for a sale, succession or investment. We are developing our MVP and looking for someone to help ensure we are solving real customer problems while building our initial market presence.

What you will do

Build relationships with SME owners and communities

• Identify and connect with small business owners who may be considering selling, succession or external investment.
• Build relationships with SME associations, founder communities, business networks, accountants, M&A advisers and other relevant organisations.
• Proactively reach out, attend relevant events and explore opportunities to introduce ExitDiligence to the SME ecosystem.
• Develop a network of business owners willing to share their experiences and help shape the product.

Lead customer discovery and product validation

• Conduct structured interviews to understand how owners approach business exits, where they struggle and what support they need.
• Identify recurring pain points, test assumptions and explore willingness to pay.
• Translate customer feedback into actionable recommendations for the founder and product development team.
• Help recruit early adopters and potential design partners to test the MVP.

Help build our go-to-market strategy

• Research and prioritise initial customer segments and acquisition channels.
• Test messaging and positioning that resonate with SME owners.
• Explore partnership opportunities with organisations serving business owners.
• Develop a practical early-stage GTM plan based on real market feedback.

Who we are looking for

• Proactive, entrepreneurial and comfortable approaching people, building relationships and opening doors.
• A strong communicator who can engage business owners and build trust.
• Curious about entrepreneurship, startups, AI, B2B SaaS, M&A or small business ownership.
• Organised and analytical, with the ability to turn conversations into insights and action.
• Happy operating in an early-stage environment where initiative matters more than a predefined playbook.

Previous experience in business development, partnerships, community building, consulting or startups is useful, but not essential.

What you will gain

• Direct collaboration with the founder and genuine ownership of a zero-to-one initiative.
• Hands-on experience in customer discovery, partnerships, product strategy and GTM.
• Exposure to SME ownership transitions and the intersection of AI and M&A.
• The opportunity to help shape both the product and the early community around it.