Job Description:
This position is a dual role requiring machine learning and robotics technical education combined with entrepreneurial management skills that relate to fast growth venture companies.
The ideal candidate will possess a unique blend of these, with a proven track record of founding and operating businesses building the commercialising technology assets.
This role is a dual-purpose position: you will be responsible for actively managing and providing strategic support to portfolio companies while also contributing to our new deal flow and due diligence processes.
The candidate will need to be able to act as a critical resource for our founders, helping them navigate technical challenges, refine their product roadmaps, and scale their businesses.
Their insights will be essential in shaping our firm's investment strategy in these rapidly evolving fields.
Key Responsibilities
1.
Portfolio Management & Value Creation:
- Act as a trusted advisor to founders and leadership teams within our ML and hard tech portfolio.
- Provide strategic and operational guidance on product development, go-to-market strategy, and key hires.
- Conduct regular performance reviews and provide written reports on portfolio company progress and risk.
- Facilitate connections between portfolio companies and potential customers, strategic partners, and talent from our network.
- Assist portfolio companies with follow-on funding rounds, cap table management, and exit strategies.
2.
Investment & Due Diligence:
- Proactively source new deal flow by building and maintaining relationships with founders, incubators, accelerators, and other members of the tech ecosystem.
- Lead the technical and commercial due diligence on prospective investments, including evaluating the core IP, technology stack, team capabilities, and competitive landscape.
- Develop and present comprehensive investment memos to the Investment Committee, providing a clear and well-reasoned investment thesis.
- Assist in negotiating term sheets and structuring new investment deals.
3.
Technical & Ecosystem Leadership:
- Act as the firm's in-house expert on trends and breakthroughs in machine learning, AI, computer vision, robotics, and automation.
- Publish research, speak at industry conferences, and represent the firm as a thought leader in the sector.
- Build a robust network of academic researchers, industry experts, and co-investors.
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Economics or an MBA
- 5+ years of combined experience at a senior-level technical/product role at high-growth startups.
- Demonstrable expertise in machine learning and/or robotics, including a deep understanding of core algorithms, frameworks, and commercial applications.
- Exceptional analytical, financial modeling, and communication skills.
- Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred:
- Prior experience as a founder or early employee at an ML or hard tech startup.
- Experience in patent law and the practicalities of IP strategies as they relate to a portfolio of tech companies.
- Strong network within the ML/robotics academic and corporate communities.