The internship is one of the pillars of Harlem Capital that we are most proud of. We have been fortunate to work with 130+ interns, every one of them has left a mark on this firm, and they continue to do amazing things.

Once a month, we catch up with an alum of the internship. This month, meet:

Name: Monique Malcolm-Hay

Current Role: Partner at Rethink Capital Partners

Why did you apply to the Harlem Capital internship?

Harlem Capital was one of the first VC firms I saw that really understood the power of social media to educate, build trust, and connect with founders. With people now spending over two hours a day on social media, attention and distribution have become real competitive advantages for venture firms, especially when the best founders have so much choice over who they partner with. I was also drawn to Harlem Capital’s belief that exceptional founders come from all backgrounds, not just selective networks. That really resonated with me, so when the internship opened, it felt like the perfect place to learn.

How did the internship shape your career?

While at Stanford GSB, I completed five VC internships, and Harlem Capital was the first where I experienced the full investing process, from investment theses and sourcing to diligence and portfolio support. It gave me a much better understanding of what being an investor actually looks like. Just as importantly, the team was incredibly supportive, and many of those relationships have continued long after the internship. I’ve even had the chance to co-invest alongside Harlem Capital since then, which has been a great full-circle moment.

What are you doing now?

After graduating from Stanford GSB, I joined Rethink Capital Partners, where I invest in early-stage consumer and enterprise AI companies globally, and I was recently promoted to Partner.

What excites you most about AI?

I’m excited by AI that helps people work better together. I believe that one of the biggest opportunities is tools that strengthen collaboration, trust, and decision-making. I think breakthroughs in memory, reasoning, multi-agent systems, and personalization will make that more possible.

Any advice for aspiring VCs?

One piece of advice that has always stuck with me comes from Erik Torenberg: “VCs looking to hire you are searching for someone who can help them invest in companies that they otherwise would not have invested in without you.” Aspiring VCs should build something that’s uniquely valuable, whether that’s your perspective, network, or expertise. Start developing an investment thesis, evaluating and tracking companies you think would be good investments, sharing your thinking publicly, helping founders, and providing value to VC firms before asking for a job. Finally, I’d recommend following Nicole DeTomasso, who shares some of the best practical advice for breaking into venture, and I still believe Harlem Capital’s internship remains one of the best ways to gain meaningful VC experience.

About Harlem Capital

Harlem Capital is a venture capital firm that backs the next generation of winners. The firm partners with exceptional founders with the irrational motivation to build generational companies. All Winners Welcome.

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