Project Intern, Startup Collaboration at Hitachi in Santa Clara, CA

Project Intern, Startup Collaboration Location: Santa Clara, California, United States Location: Santa Clara, California, United States Job ID: R0130930 Date Posted: 2026-05-14 Company Name: HITACHI AMERICA, LTD. Profession (Job Category): Administration & Facilities Job Schedule: Full time Remote: No Job Description: Project Intern, Startup Collaboration Company: Hitachi America, Ltd. Division: Research & Development Location: Santa Clara, CA Status: Summer Intern (June-August, start date flexible) About Hitachi America, Ltd. Hitachi America, Ltd. is the regional headquarters for Hitachi Group companies in the Americas, overseeing the U.S., Canada, and Latin America markets. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Hitachi Americas has been deeply committed to its Social Innovation Business since its establishment in 1959, addressing society's most pressing challenges through innovative solutions. Leveraging its expertise and resources, Hitachi Americas and its subsidiary companies operate across diverse sectors, including transportation, energy, mobility, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, digital engineering, data analytics and others. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, Hitachi Americas remains at the forefront of pioneering solutions that shape the future. For further details, please visit https://www.hitachi.us/. Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi contributes to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates globally in four sectors – Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries – and the Strategic SIB Business Unit for new growth businesses. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi generates value from integrating data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2024 (ended March 31, 2025) totaled 9,783.3 billion yen, with 618 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 280,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com. Summary: Hitachi’s R&D Center, located in Santa Clara, CA, serves as a pivotal technology hub to support Hitachi’s global Social Innovation business. The Startup Collaboration team identifies and engages with emerging startups whose technologies can accelerate Hitachi’s businesses, builds partnerships and proof-of-concept pilots between startups and internal business units, and runs accelerator programs and ecosystem-building activities that connect Hitachi with the broader innovation community. In this role, you will support the Startup Collaboration team across day-to-day operations, including startup scouting and research, pipeline tracking, preparing materials for partnership discussions, and helping coordinate accelerator programs and ecosystem events. You will work closely with team members to translate observations from startup meetings into concise briefs that inform internal stakeholders. This internship is a great opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to how a global industrial technology company engages with the startup ecosystem, and to sharpen your research, communication, and program-support skills in a fast-moving environment. Responsibilities: •  Conduct market and technology landscape research to identify emerging startups relevant to Hitachi’s business units. •  Source and track startups using databases such as Crunchbase, PitchBook, or Dealroom. •  Maintain and update the team’s startup pipeline, and internal tracking documents. •  Take structured notes during startup pitches and partnership meetings, and translate them into concise briefs and one-pagers. •  Draft summaries, slide content, and internal communications for business stakeholders. •  Support the coordination of accelerator programs, demo days, and ecosystem events, including logistics, scheduling, and materials preparation. •  Assist with preparing materials for partnership and proof-of-concept discussions between startups and internal teams. •  Communicate findings, observations, and recommendations clearly to team members and stakeholders. Required Qualifications: •  Prior work experience with startups - including internships at startups, incubators, accelerators, or other startup-facing roles is a plus. •  Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise briefs for senior audiences. •  Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources. •  Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and comfort learning new tools quickly. •  Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and operate independently in ambiguous environments. Preferred Qualifications: •    Familiarity with startup databases such as Crunchbase, PitchBook, or Dealroom. •    Exposure to industries relevant to Hitachi’s business (mobility, energy, industrial systems, IT, or healthcare). •    Experience coordinating events, programs, or student organizations. Our Values We are proud to say we are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all applicants for employment without attention to any factor that doesn’t impact your ability to do the job, including race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. We are proud of Japanese heritage, with our values expressed through the Hitachi Spirit: Wa – Harmony, Trust, Respect Makoto – Sincerity, Fairness, Honesty, Integrity Kaitakusha-Seishin – Pioneering Spirit, Challenge For California only (as required by California’s Pay Transparency for Pay Equity Act (SB 1162): A good faith estimate of the expected hourly rate for this position in our California office that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire is $32.37 - $40.79. Pay is determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, depth of experience in the practice area. Employees are eligible to participate in Hitachi America’s variable pay program, subject to the program’s conditions and restrictions. Qualified Applicants with arrest or Conviction records will be considered for Employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)-Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job at Hitachi, please send the nature of request and contact information to accommodation@hal.hitachi.com. Queries other than accommodation requests will not be responded to.