Venture Builder

The MIT Innovation Initiative is looking for a Venture Builder to operate within MIT and lead a team through all phases of new venture discovery, conception, and launch. The position is not part of a business plan competition. Rather, the Venture Builder will originate ideas at MIT.

Responsibilities:

• Work 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 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 potentially 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.
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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 exit from MIT
• Engage faculty, post-docs and students
• Assemble a team and spur and lead ideation