Sponsored by: MIT Innovation Initiative
The MIT Innovation Initiative is looking for a Venture Builder to operate within MIT and lead teams through all phases of new venture discovery, conception, and launch.
The Venture Builder position has no direct precedent at MIT, but the Venture Builder’s role is akin to a ‘Founder-in-Residence,’ as it is a person whose core mission is searching for multiple new venture founding opportunities within MIT’s ecosystem.
Different aspects of the Venture Builder role are comparable to an MIT Post-Doc, a Startup Founder, and an Associate at a Venture Capital firm.
 Compensated like a Venture Capital Associate |
 IP rights and ownership like a MIT Post-doc |
 Leadership like a Startup Founder |
 Autonomy to discover and experiment across MIT |
 Budget to create teams and run projects |
This Venture Builder opening is for the Health Care and AI track.
Responsibilities:
- Work with significant autonomy within the MIT ecosystem to formulate and explore new venture concepts based on breakthrough research and technology insights.
- Facilitate a broad engagement across MIT, including utilizing a significant budget to build and manage multiple teams of students, post-docs and faculty.
- Work closely with the Proto-Venture Advisory Board to lead discovery and exploration direction, potentially serving as a director of a founding scientific team, and providing support for business development and other similar strategic functions.
- Represent MIT Proto Ventures Program at external events.
- Explore intellectual property landscape and define opportunity for developing and capturing novel and broad intellectual property protection.
- Define key scientific experiments and establish new venture plans and budgets.
- Engage internal and external scientific and research experts.
Basic Qualifications:
- Recent PhD in a scientific discipline. Experience in Health Care, Artificial Intelligence, or in related disciplines.
- Experience in translation of technology, leading research teams or building ventures based on research.
- Previous experience in Health Care and/or Artificial Intelligence.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Scientifically creative thinker with a visionary, optimistic outlook
- Demonstrated business acumen with a keen sense for value based on a broad understanding of all aspects of business e.g. intellectual property, R&D, finance, manufacturing, marketing and sales
- Strategic planning and building skills with sound scientific skills, analytical ability, good judgment and strong operational focus
- Adaptable, resourceful and entrepreneurial, undaunted by technical and operational challenges
- Excellent communication skills, with ability to craft and convey compelling vision of the future
- Strong leader and team builder, with the ability to develop and encourage a group of scientific professionals and executives, and to build a culture of innovation, perseverance, and agility
- Maintain high level of trust and integrity under strict confidentiality
- Entrepreneurial resourcefulness/business acumen
- Leadership and team building skills
- Communication skills
Successful Candidate will be expected to:
- Identify research opportunities across MIT
- Guide a venture to successful launch from MIT
- Engage faculty, post-docs and students
- Assemble a team and spur and lead ideation
Compensation and Benefits:
- This position will be full-time employee at MIT
- Compensation and benefits package comparable to an entry-level associate at a venture capital firm.
- The Venture Builder will have a substantial budget funding multiple teams conducting venture development experimentation.
*Please note that a cover letter is required.
Learn more about the MIT Proto Ventures Program and the Venture Builder role here.