Who We Are:
AI is the new electricity: Just as electricity transformed numerous industries starting 100 years ago, AI is now poised to do the same.
AI Fund is a venture studio founded by Dr. Andrew Ng in 2017. Our portfolio companies utilize AI technology and applications to improve processes and efficiency. The AI Fund team combines their experiences as AI pioneers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, investors, and operators.
We are backed by a $176 million-dollar fund from top-tier VC firms. Our purpose is to build AI companies that move humanity forward.
What We Seek:
We are looking for an energetic Corporate Business Lead to join our build team and support our process of building companies. As company builders, founders and investors ourselves we are looking to add top new talent to our build team. We welcome candidates who possess a growth mindset, strong analytical skills and ability to handle ambiguity. You will be responsible for developing and managing relationships with our corporate venture capital partners who are also our LPs, assessing strategic co-building opportunities and participate in deal negotiations.
What You Will be Doing:
- Fostering relationships with Corporate LPs and CVC partners and work closely with corporate champions to establish a deep and long standing relationship with them
- Assessing the viability of product ideas suggested by our corporate partners, as well as the commercial opportunity of a co-build partnership for AI Fund
- Concretizing ideas and hypotheses with corporate partners before handing it off to our build team to conduct deeper due diligence and market validation
- Participating in co-build deal negotiations with corporate partner
- Assisting with evaluating FIRs (Founders in Residence) and VAs (Venture Advisors). You will play an instrumental role in explaining the business idea to potential founders, helping them understand the potential of the business, and working with the recruiting team and the build team to bring on a strong FIR and VA to carry the business forward through a three month company Build Stage
- Project managing the relationship with our corporate partners and keeping them updated on relevant details of the build. You will report out to relevant partners key updates, as well as ensure fast escalation should any problems arise
- Coordinating introductions and requests coming from corporate partners and from internally at AI Fund Supporting AI Fund’s investment decision at the conclusion of the Build Stage. You will be helping to build a case for whether or not AI Fund should invest
- Continuing to follow and support the new portfolio company as it grows its team, builds its product, closes its initial customers, and faces down challenges en route to closing its first external round of financing
What You Must Bring:
- Articulate and interested in modern tech trends (a technophile)
- Foundational knowledge in AI and entrepreneurship
- Ability to work well with senior executives in a way that makes efficient use of their time
- Strong relationship management skills
- At least one of (i) Previous experience working in corporate venture capital assessing business plans and working with start-ups and entrepreneurs, or (ii) experience with a corporate strategy consulting firm (iii) intrapreneurship or corporate incubation experience Strong due diligence skills including market research, competitive market mapping, trend analysis and TAM/SAM/SOM analysis
- Proactive self-starter with strong work ethic
- Excellent organizational skills to keep projects moving forward to meet predetermined milestones
- Growth and technical startup mindset.
- Bias towards action, capable of handling ambiguity, scrappy, flexible and comfortable being outside of one’s comfort zone, able to learn from and incorporate feedback
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with listening skills being critical
- Strong writing skills
Nice To Haves
- Previous experience working in investment banking or private equity analyzing various companies/business problems
- Previous experience in management consulting, working with companies at a strategic or operational level
- Product management experience at a tech company or a hi-tech start-up
- Excellent quantitative and analytical skills normally found with STEM degrees or equivalent background where you have practiced and honed such skill sets
Please note this is a hybrid role. You will be expected to work out of our office located in Palo Alto at a minimum 3 days a week.
At AI Fund, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. AI Fund believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Selection for employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.
