Cultural Immersion: This week I enjoyed an aperitivo with my classmates and Professor Gupta at our favorite spot, Bar Magenta. This is one of my favorite Italian customs as it is such an easy and casual way to get everyone together – I am really going to miss aperitivos in Milan. This weekend I am traveling in Rome! Throughout our first day here, we did a lot of walking through Vatican City, strolling through the museums and staring in awe of the Sistine Chapel. For lunch we had to try the dish famous to Rome, carbonara, and it exceeded my expectations. And of course we stopped for gelato on the way home. Experiencing the different Italian cities has been very exciting, and I look forward to exploring the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Colloseum tomorrow!

Class on CSR: In class this week we read and discussed a case study on the unethical behavior through outsourcing. Apple was exposed for the excessive work days and health effects their employees in China faced. As Apple stood on the defensive, we debated in class whether or not it would be reasonable for China to apply the same ethical standards across all its manufacturing companies. The pro group argued that at the end of the day, its Apple’s supply chain and a reflection of them, so they should be holding all manufacturers at an equal level of responsibility of ethical behavior. The against group emphasized how manufacturing locations spanned 200 different countries, so it is too difficult for Apple to keep track of the governmental regulations in terms of ethics of each. The against side also interestingly argued that these companies are their own entity, and is Apple really responsible for their actions?

Internship: This week at Fin+Tech, Sophia and I continued working on 1-pagers, but for a new corporate partner. This partner does a lot of retailing in Airports and is looking for a startup of vending machines to implement into their business. We have been researching these various vending startups, their differentiators, revenue, funding, partners, features, and so much more to provide the partner with a comprehensive list to help them make a decision. It is really cool to see all of the innovative ways in which companies are using AI, finding ways to be sustainable, and improving efficiency. I also have continued contacting investors, and have my first call set up for next week to present our portfolio. I am excited for this opportunity to speak with an angel investor and understand their values and efforts, while looking to facilitate a relationship between them and Fin+Tech.