At Flash Grüb, our interns are the heart of what we do. In this Eco-Spotlight, we’re highlighting Ines Alto, a thoughtful contributor to our mission of food equity and sustainability. Scroll on to discover what inspires Ines, in their own words.
What made you want to intern at
Flash Grüb?
I initially came across Flash Grüb through its introduction as a “woman-led startup focused on creating an AI-driven food sustainability app.” From this description alone, I was already intrigued by how AI and food sustainability worked together in one app. Moreover, working in a community of women further encouraged me, especially as a woman studying Computer Science in a male-dominated field. I am passionate about both technology and sustainability, as well as app development, so I was curious and motivated to see what working on a startup as a team and community would look like.
What’s one thing you’ve learned at Flash Grüb that surprised you?
Roselyn Macagba, Founder and CEO of Flash Grüb, takes particular care of letting the staff know of every step of the process in getting a startup app running. The most surprising arguably most important thing I have learned from my time working with Flash Grüb so far is that to make the most progress, you should constantly keep moving. For others to see, understand, and support the project you want to build, taking little steps counts the most. Planning out every little detail or refining the concept to an exhaustive degree could in fact slow you down in the long run, but seeing something continuously grow is not only recognized by others but also motivating for oneself.
What does reducing waste and food sustainability mean to you personally?
I have been a student my whole life, so ultimately, I have encountered tons of food waste when dining at cafeterias and dining halls. There is always this question of, “What do they do with the rest of the food?” As a New York City native growing up with a plethora of restaurants, this question also constantly pops up: “What do they do with all this food?”
Global warming and climate change are other obvious global issues that have been relevant my entire life, so any efforts to help this cause are personal to me as I look at the environment of my future.
How does working on FG fit into your Columbia journey or goals?
As an intended Computer Science major, talking to other upperclassmen and alumni in the field has made me realize that the realm of occupations in computer science is vast. From computer science, there are various routes and areas one can face. For me, Flash Grüb falls into a section of technology that tackles user interface, user experience, and the more front-end side.
With Flash Grüb, I get to experience what it is like to work on a project as a team, providing suggestions, feedback, and constructive criticism. Additionally, I’ve gotten to involve myself in the vital process of testing and retesting over and over again.
In one word, how would you describe Flash Grüb?
Driven.