Cloudflare Invests in the Future of Technology with Bold Initiatives for Students and Startups
Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), a leading connectivity cloud company, has announced an ambitious initiative to shape the future of the Internet by empowering students and startups. At the heart of this effort is Cloudflare’s goal to hire 1,111 interns in 2026, alongside providing free developer tools to university students and fostering collaboration within the startup ecosystem. These initiatives aim to address the growing challenges faced by emerging talent and early-stage companies in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to automate basic tasks, the job market for recent graduates has become increasingly competitive. According to a Stanford study, employment for workers aged 22 to 25 in roles most exposed to AI—such as software engineering and customer service—has declined by up to 13% since late 2022. Additionally, Handshake, an internship recruiting platform, reports a 30% drop in tech-specific internship postings since 2023. This trend highlights the pressing need for hands-on experience and mentorship to prepare the next generation of technology leaders.
Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, emphasized the importance of investing in emerging talent during times of disruption. “We have always believed that times of great transition can also be moments of great opportunity,” said Prince. “We founded Cloudflare during a financial crisis and doubled our intern numbers during the pandemic when other companies were cutting back. Now, when getting a job out of school has never been harder, we’re leaning in and offering a training ground for the next generation. While many companies see AI as a way to replace jobs, we see this next generation as a way to bring the best uses of AI into Cloudflare. There’s a lot we can learn from interns who grew up building with AI as a first-class tool.”
Empowering Students Through Hands-On Experience
To address the skills gap and provide meaningful opportunities, Cloudflare is launching several programs designed to support students and emerging leaders:
1. Expanding Internship Opportunities:
Cloudflare is setting an ambitious goal to hire 1,111 interns in 2026, a nod to the company’s iconic public DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1. This significant expansion of its internship program aims to provide hands-on experience and mentorship to a diverse group of students. Dubbed the “Intern-et” program, participants will work on impactful projects, such as securing network infrastructure and developing serverless applications, which directly affect millions of Internet users. Interns will be based in Cloudflare hubs across Austin, San Francisco, New York, Bengaluru, Lisbon, London, and other global locations, where they will have access to senior leadership and receive personalized mentorship.
2. Free Access to Developer Tools for Students:
Cloudflare is also offering U.S. university students one year of free access to Cloudflare Workers, its serverless platform for building, deploying, and scaling applications. Students with a valid .edu email address can sign up to experiment and innovate on Cloudflare’s network without upfront costs. By providing access to these powerful tools, Cloudflare aims to equip students with the technical skills needed to build the applications of tomorrow.
Supporting Startups and Fostering Innovation
Beyond its focus on students, Cloudflare is committed to nurturing the startup ecosystem, which plays a vital role in driving technological innovation. The company has introduced new initiatives to support early-stage teams:
1. Collaboration Spaces for Startups:
Starting in January 2026, approved startups building on Cloudflare’s platform will have the opportunity to work from Cloudflare offices in Austin, Lisbon, London, or San Francisco on select days. This initiative provides startups with all-day access to collaboration spaces and fosters meaningful connections with Cloudflare teams and other builders. By creating an environment for collaboration and idea-sharing, Cloudflare hopes to accelerate the growth of these emerging companies.
2. Cloudflare for Startups Program:
Over the past year, Cloudflare has proudly provided over $370 million in credits to more than 4,000 eligible startups through its Startup Program. More than 900 participating startups have collectively raised over $5 billion in funding. The program offers eligible startups up to $250,000 in credits to access Cloudflare’s suite of security, performance, and developer tools, enabling them to scale quickly while conserving valuable resources. By reducing barriers to entry, Cloudflare empowers startups to focus on what matters most: building their products and growing their businesses.
How to Get Involved
Cloudflare invites students, startups, and developers to participate in these transformative programs:
- College students interested in the 1.1.1.1 Internship program can explore opportunities on Cloudflare’s careers page.
- University, community college, or post-secondary students in the U.S. with a .edu email can sign up for free access to Cloudflare Workers here.
- Startups looking to collaborate with Cloudflare can register here.
- Qualifying startups can apply to the Cloudflare for Startups program here.
- Developers seeking additional tools, resources, and support can apply for a chance to join Cohort #7 of Workers Launchpad here.
A Commitment to Shaping the Future
Cloudflare’s initiatives underscore its commitment to shaping the future of technology by investing in students and startups. By addressing the challenges posed by AI-driven automation and fostering hands-on learning, Cloudflare is preparing the next generation of innovators to thrive in a dynamic industry. At the same time, its support for startups ensures that the broader tech ecosystem remains vibrant and resilient.
As Matthew Prince aptly stated, “Times of great transition are also moments of great opportunity.” With these bold steps, Cloudflare is not only embracing the challenges of today but also paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for the Internet.
By providing access to cutting-edge tools, mentorship, and collaboration spaces, Cloudflare is empowering individuals and organizations to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Together, these efforts will help build a more secure, efficient, and innovative digital world—one intern, student, and startup at a time.
About Cloudflare
Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET) is the leading connectivity cloud company on a mission to help build a better Internet. It empowers organizations to make their employees, applications and networks faster and more secure everywhere, while reducing complexity and cost. Cloudflare’s connectivity cloud delivers the most full-featured, unified platform of cloud-native products and developer tools, so any organization can gain the control they need to work, develop, and accelerate their business.
Powered by one of the world’s largest and most interconnected networks, Cloudflare blocks billions of threats online for its customers every day. It is trusted by millions of organizations — from the largest brands to entrepreneurs and small businesses to nonprofits, humanitarian groups, and governments across the globe.
