Meet the Newest Additions to the BVNZ Team: Welcoming Our 2026 Intern Cohort

At Bridgewest Ventures we typically take on one or two interns each year, but this year, the exceptional caliber of talent coming out of the University of Auckland made it an easy decision to expand that to three.

We are very pleased to welcome Harriet Cook, Ruby Corban, and Isha Singh to the BVNZ team. All three are currently in their final year of the Master of Bioscience Enterprise, a programme that perfectly bridges the gap between scientific innovation and commercial reality. We have strategically aligned each of them with projects that match their distinct academic backgrounds and passions.

Here is a deeper look at the newest members of our team, the paths that led them to venture capital, and what they hope to gain from their time with us.

Isha Singh: Human Health & Regulatory AI

Isha brings a unique perspective shaped by her undergraduate degree in physiology and psychology, followed by a year of working full-time in the PET-CT department at Allevia Radiology. Coming from a family of medical professionals, she realised early on that a clinical path was not her calling. Instead, she wanted to combine her love for science with a focus on commercial business.

Isha Singh

"I realised early on that I didn't want to be a doctor, but I knew I wanted to stay deeply involved in the science space. Coming into BVNZ, what struck me immediately was the level of independence and trust they place in you. I want to use this time to understand how professional entities truly conduct investment evaluations, learning how to dig deep, ask the right probing questions, and confidently evaluate market entry."

At BVNZ, Isha is applying that specialised healthcare knowledge directly to the human health sector. She is currently conducting market analysis and due diligence for an emerging human health technology, looking specifically at market entry scope and the integration of artificial intelligence.

Ruby Corban: Animal Health & AI Integration

Ruby comes to us with an undergraduate degree in biological sciences and ecology, along with previous internship experience focused on flood resilience with the Auckland Council. After completing her undergraduate studies, she realised her interests lay beyond traditional laboratory work and chose to pivot her focus to the commercial applications of science.

Ruby Corban

"A scientific idea doesn't mean much without knowing how to actually get it to market. I was drawn to the venture capital space because it is the exact intersection where scientific innovation translates into real-world applications. By the end of this internship, I am hoping to walk away with deep industry experience and a clear understanding of the business models that work best for emerging deep tech companies."

Driven by an interest in the venture capital sector, Ruby’s current work involves deep-dive market analysis evaluating the adoption of artificial intelligence in the animal health sector, a focus that directly supports her Master's thesis. She is examining market sizes, competitor landscapes, and commercial entry points for emerging deep tech companies.

Harriet Cook: Clean Tech & Sustainability

Harriet’s journey to BVNZ is driven by a strong passion for sustainability and clean tech. After completing her degree in biomedical science, she took a year away from science to handle accounts and administration for a sustainable fashion company. That hands-on experience sparked an interest in the business side of sustainability, leading her to actively pursue opportunities in the clean tech sector.

Harriet Cook

"I knew I wanted to work in clean tech, and BVNZ’s commitment to that sector really stood out to me. Being in the office, you get to see how diverse the work is. Everyone is juggling multiple incredible innovations at once, and there is never a dull moment. I am making a point to be in the office as much as possible to immerse myself in this environment, learn from the team, and help these incredible sustainable ideas go as far as they deserve to."

Harriet is putting her enthusiasm to work by helping our team formulate a European market expansion strategy for a portfolio company in the clean tech space, navigating complex regulations surrounding biodegradable plastics and versatile product applications. She is committed to being in the office daily to fully immerse herself in the venture capital environment and absorb as much knowledge as possible.

We are incredibly excited to have Isha, Ruby, and Harriet on board for the season. Keep an eye out for more updates as they dive deeper into the deep tech ecosystem.