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The email that proved the Student to Startups program works

By Michael Martins
June 1, 2026

In late January, I received an email from Jacob Schirmer while updating the website for Students to Startups, or S2S, to recruit our next cohort.

S2S is a �ֻ�ֱ�� Center for Innovation program that facilitates workforce development. Funded by the or ARCTIC, program, S2S places UA students into local startups, giving them the hands-on experience and connections they need to build careers and eventually ventures of their own in �ֻ�ֱ��, while giving startups access to the university talent they need to grow.

Jacob had interned with the summer before through the program.

“Hey, Michael! Just wanted to point out that the details for Kartorium are wrong on the S2S website. It states Kartorium is in Juneau and only on-site.”

I thanked him for the catch and went to fix it. Then it hit me. I was the program lead, and a former student knew the company’s current logistics better than I did. It turns out, Jacob wasn’t just a former student anymore. Kartorium had hired him as a full-stack developer — someone who has the skills to work on all aspects of a web application, from design to deployment — right after his internship ended. He knew their setup because he worked there.

A program that sticks

Jacob’s story is a good reminder of what we’re building with S2S. It’s bigger than summer internships. We’re building careers. The program provided Jacob with an encouraging environment to develop his professional skills, make lasting connections and be engaged in the startup ecosystem in �ֻ�ֱ��.

“S2S gave me my first job, genuinely starting my career,” Jacob said.

After his internship ended, Kartorium hired Jacob as a paid employee, signaling the high value he brings to the company. That’s not something you stumble into.

Last year’s cohort reflected the breadth of what S2S can do. Students like Lara Imperial at and Stefano Fochesatto at tackled real-world technical challenges at software startups. Jessica Killeen, Shelby Thompson and Audrey Lonheim were doing hands-on work on boats with and .

Growing in 2026

S2S started as a pilot program in 2019 but it has grown into something much larger. By leveraging that initial investment by ARCTIC to demonstrate real results, we were able to secure additional funding through the NSF and the �ֻ�ֱ�� Mariculture Cluster, tripling our capacity in the process.

The number of participants has grown from the seven students in the first year. This year we have 20 students placed in some of �ֻ�ֱ��’s most exciting startups. On the energy and technology side, students are interning at , , Kartorium, and . Others are working with food and coastal companies like Sea Quester Farms, , Pacific Kelp Company, Kodiak Ocean Bounty, and , along with placements at beadedcloud and the .

It is our biggest cohort yet and it reflects S2S’s dedication to connecting �ֻ�ֱ��’s academic talent with the companies building the state’s future. It aligns with workforce development efforts by the �ֻ�ֱ�� Center for Energy and Power, which lead the ARCTIC program.

Why it matters beyond campus

S2S keeps talented people in �ֻ�ֱ��. That’s not a small thing. It aligns well with the priorities of the U.S. Navy’s , which funds the ARCTIC program. Students develop adaptable software solutions and remote energy systems, and acquire the ability to work in tough and unpredictable environments. Those skills map directly onto the Navy and Marine Corps’ interest in energy security. Our students are quietly contributing to something bigger than any of them realized when they signed up.

When a former intern emails you to correct your own website because he already works there, you know the program is doing what it’s supposed to do. We are proud of what these students have built and excited to see what this year’s cohort does next.

This work relates to the Department of Navy award N00014-22-1-2049 issued by the Office of Naval Research.

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Michael Martins is the program manager for the graduate studentships and Students to Startups programs at the �ֻ�ֱ�� Center for Innovation.