Lessons from my internship at Ramp

Summary

The author reflects on a three-month software engineering internship at Ramp from March to June, describing lessons about execution, company choice, and location. Ramp’s charge card appeared to be a commodity, but the author credits its bias for shipping quickly, technical and product strength, differentiated technology, and favorable capital secured through finance expertise with turning it into a distinctive product. Compared with more formal, lower-stakes internships, Ramp offered flexibility, mentorship, and exposure to a fast-growing organization, although its pace and limited documentation could be challenging. The experience also shaped the author’s view that working on large problems at such a company can magnify impact, while New York provided experiences and a tech community distinct from San Francisco’s.

Context

The author uses a software engineering internship at Ramp to compare startup and large-company experiences, assess the value of joining a fast-growing company, and contrast living and working in New York City with San Francisco.

Approach / What changed

The post presents personal observations from the internship, comparing Ramp with prior internships and a similarly aged startup. It attributes Ramp’s differentiation to fast execution, strong engineering and product teams, mentorship, flexible team exposure, and finance expertise that helped secure capital on favorable terms.

Takeaways

• Ramp’s product differentiation is attributed to fast shipping, strong technical and product execution, and a culture focused on building the right things.
• A fast-growing company can offer flexibility, mentorship, and broader exposure, but high speed and limited documentation may challenge inexperienced interns.
• The author found New York’s technology community more integrated with the wider city than San Francisco’s, while preferring to continue enjoying both locations.

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