FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carli Smith
Director of Communications
c.smith@goed.nv.gov 775.687.9903
November 10, 2026
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) has secured $4.53 million in new federal funding to continue the Talent Retention Program through its internship initiative at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The program which UNLV branded StepUp & StartUp (SUSU) will support paid internships for STEM students while helping Nevada companies access the skilled talent they need to grow.
“In 2023, GOED with support from the Nevada Attorney General Office’s T-Mobile settlement funds created the Talent Retention Program concept with two objectives in mind, to place engineering and science students early with technology-based startups and high-growth companies in order to keep this scarce talent in our state, and to support founders at the critical stage when funding runways are short whereas students who need to finance their studies are seeking paying jobs,” said Karsten Heise, senior director of strategic programs and innovation at GOED. “Most recently, we have been witnessing very promising growth of deep-tech startups and through this program we will be able to provide those highly specialized and technology-intensive firms with exactly the engineering and science talent they are seeking,” Heise added.
One of the Las Vegas based tech firms that have been participating is Vena Vitals, a local medical device startup developing wearable continuous blood pressure monitor devices with its laboratory at Roseman University’s Bioscience Collaborative.
“At Vena Vitals, we’ve benefited tremendously from the four UNLV interns that we’ve hired in the past, and we transitioned two of them into full-time hires after their graduations. The program has helped us build a strong talent pipeline by allowing both our company and the interns to evaluate each other for a potential fit before committing to a long-term salaried position,” said Ray Liu, CEO and Co-founder of Vena Vitals. “This is especially meaningful for a startup like ours because it mitigates the risks of recruiting and hiring solely based on interviews. As a result, we give interns real-life projects that they own, and we really put them through the wringer,” said Liu.
During the first three years of operation, SUSU supported 597 paid internship placements involving 313 unique students and 80 employer partners across engineering, computer science, mathematics, information management systems, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, healthcare technologies, software development, cybersecurity, renewable energy and other technology-driven industries.
“Startups can gain access to other assets and enter into other mutually beneficial collaborations that help founders grow their companies and succeed here in Nevada,” said Zach Miles, UNLV vice president for economic development. “StepUp & StartUp opens the door to a broader relationship between local startups and the university. For example, it allows our Economic Development Office to connect those companies with university technologies, specialized laboratories, funding programs, and additional resources,” said Miles.
SUSU has established a sustainable model for university-industry collaboration. Participating employers benefit from access to highly qualified student talent during critical stages of product development and organizational growth and students are gaining practical experience, professional mentoring, and pathways to long-term employment in the local entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems, while simultaneously earning a wage of $21 per hour.
“This initial focus reflected the rapidly increasing demand for software developers, computer engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and information technology specialists throughout Nevada’s growing technology sector,” said Dr. Rama Venkat, dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering at UNLV. “As the program matured, participating employers began requesting students from a broader range of disciplines increasingly requiring expertise in mechanical, electrical and civil engineering, manufacturing, product design, robotics, artificial intelligence, mathematics, data analytics and business information systems. These requests reflected the interdisciplinary nature of modern product development, where successful innovation requires teams possessing complementary technical skills,” said Dr. Venkat.
The next phase will begin with the spring semester, with internships running from January 19 to May 15, 2027. UNLV expects to place around 200 students in 60 companies in the next two semesters.
Startups and technology-based companies interested in hiring UNLV STEM interns should reach out to: alejandro.chacon@unlv.edu.
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About the Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Created during the 2011 session of the Nevada Legislature, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is the result of a collaborative effort between the Nevada Legislature and the Governor’s Office to restructure economic development in the state. GOED’s role is to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy in Nevada, to stimulate business expansion and retention, encourage entrepreneurial enterprise, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.
About the Talent Retention Program
Launched by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) through support from T-Mobile settlement funds administered by the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, the Talent Retention Program helps Nevada retain homegrown talent by connecting students and graduates with career opportunities in the state. The program supports Nevada’s efforts to build a skilled workforce, strengthen connections between higher education and industry and ensure businesses have access to the talent they need to grow and compete. It is currently implemented at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) through StepUp & StartUp (SUSU) and the University of Nevada, Reno through Wolfpack Stem Internship Program.