HBS Managing the Future of Work Units of work: Riipen's Dana Stephenson on experiential learning
Mar 11, 2026
Dana Stephenson, co-founder and CEO of Riipen, builds platforms that connect students, employers, and institutions for short project-based learning. She discusses solving co-op access gaps with flexible projects. She explains platform tools that reduce friction, funding models including credit and stipends, government partnerships, rural and adult reskilling reach, and AI templates to help small employers design projects.
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Micro Businesses Are The Untapped Supply
- Small and micro businesses are the largest untapped employer supply because they lack time, resources, and connections to host student experiences.
- Riipen built platform infrastructure (milestones, feedback, chat, file share, reflection) to remove employer and educator friction and scale placements.
Student UIUX Project Saved A Startup Money And Won A Grant
- A Canadian nonprofit building a platform for newcomers used a 60-hour student UI/UX project to save over $10,000 in consulting fees.
- That student work also helped the organization win a $25,000 grant to further develop the product.
Scale And Funding Mix Of Riipen Projects
- Riipen runs ~60,000 projects annually with about 50,000 for credit and 10–12,000 paid gigs, often funded by government or philanthropy via stipends.
- They act as payer of record in subsidy models, handling paperwork and tax reporting for students and employers.