Interning with Impact: Jason Liu’s Summer at a Clean Tech Startup

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MBA Internship: Coflux Purification

Internship Department: Strategy and Business Development

Internship Location: Houston, TX

Position Before MBA: 

• Title: Consultant
• Company: Deloitte
• Location: Beijing, China

How did you secure your internship?

I first met one of the co-founders, Dana, during a class visit before I even started at Rice. Later on, I reconnected with the Coflux team at the startup EXPO, which led to some great conversations. To get a better feel for the company and the role, I had a few coffee chats with last year’s intern — those were super helpful in understanding current challenges and expectations for the position.

Before my interview, I spoke with CDO coaches and friends who had startup experience to get a better sense of the culture and how to position myself. I put together a tailored value proposition, aligned it with the company’s needs, and shared my expectations for the role. That combination helped me land the offer!

What is your role and responsibilities during the internship?

My position has two key roles:

First, financial modelling and budgeting. I'm responsible for building and updating the company’s three-year operating budget and five-year financial projections. That means working closely with the team to reflect the latest updates in technology readiness, operations and go-to-market planning, turning all designs into numbers that make sense.

Second, market potential assessment. I built a market evaluation tool to size different PFAS segments (i.e., “forever chemicals”) and score them based on factors like urgency, regulation and potential ROI. From there, I helped define high-priority customer profiles that Coflux can target for early traction.

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How did your MBA coursework prepare you for this internship?

Strategy courses gave me a strong foundation in developing structured frameworks to assess market opportunities and define strategic positioning. I applied tools like value proposition mapping, market attractiveness vs. competitive positioning matrices, and business model analysis to help Coflux prioritize segments and communicate its unique edge.

Marketing coursework helped in building detailed customer portraits and refining segmentation strategies. I used these tools to evaluate PFAS-impacted industries, define high-priority customer profiles and guide messaging to each segment’s specific pain points.

Communication courses helped me translate technical findings into clear, persuasive presentations — essential when aligning stakeholders on financial models, market priorities and strategic next steps.

How does the internship align with your career goals?

Coming from a strategy consulting background, I wanted to move beyond high-level recommendations and see how strategy actually plays out on the ground. This internship gives me a front-row seat to how decisions are made and implemented at an early-stage company.

It’s allowed me to explore how strategic plans are shaped by real-world constraints in functions like finance and R&D. I’ve gained insight into how high-stakes decisions are made in practice. Our team sits together, debates trade-offs and weighs risks and rewards from every angle before moving forward. Being part of that kind of open, cross-functional decision-making process has been valuable in helping me understand how to make practical, high-impact choices that align with long-term company value.

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What is your favorite part of your internship experience?

Hands down: the open, trusted environment and the people.

Even before I officially started, the team made me feel like a core part of Coflux. They hosted an early team-building event to celebrate the outgoing intern and welcome me onboard, which set the tone for a supportive and inclusive culture. My onboarding was thoughtfully planned, with a clear, detailed to-do list and plenty of time to ramp up. Everyone on the team, regardless of role, has been incredibly open and generous with their time, always willing to answer questions or dive into discussions.

One of the highlights was being invited to join the team at the AWWA ACE 2025 conference. I was even given the responsibility of organizing the team’s schedule for the event, which gave me real ownership and a chance to contribute right away. That level of trust and collaboration has been my favorite part of the experience.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Be patient, be positive and be prepared!