Founding Managing Director: Venture Science (April/May 2023)
Zinc Ventures Limited, United Kingdom
Job Description
Overview:
We’re looking for an entrepreneur scientist to join us to build a world leading institution that transforms the opportunities for thousands of scientists from around the world who want to experiment their way to impact at scale within early stage, mission-driven commercial ventures. You will join us to develop and lead this agenda, building on Zinc’s learning, brand, ecosystem and internal capabilities. This will be an exciting opportunity to build a new business unit within Zinc, with huge potential for scale and impact.
Deadline for applications: May 2nd at 12pm.
Background on Zinc:
Since launching in 2017, Zinc has run a range of programmes with the aim of enabling diverse cohorts of talented individuals to experiment their way to impact at scale on the most pressing problems within our missions, through science-rich commercial innovation. Our flagship venture-builder programme brings together cohorts of 70 talented people from a wide range of backgrounds and helps them build mission-focused, research-rich businesses from scratch. Since 2020, Zinc has also acted as the delivery partner for the UKRI Healthy Ageing Catalyst Awards. We have a well-developed ecosystem of researchers, innovators, investors, start-ups and experts across a wide range of sectors.
All of our work focuses on 4 missions:
- Improving mental and emotional health
- Unlocking new opportunities around the future of work
- Improving the quality of later life
- Reducing environmental harms
Background to this role:
Startups provide fertile ground for science and research. By incorporating a science-led approach from the outset, mission-driven ventures can accelerate their progress and maximise their chances of building effective and successful solutions, while also progressing scientific knowledge.
Scientific talent is key to this. We have seen the value of having scientists as part of the early formation of ventures, as first or key hires, and in the scaling up phase.
Despite this opportunity, at present, venture scientists often lack what they need to do great science, develop long-term careers, and turn science into commercial success. For example, they often don’t have access to labs and specialist facilities, to support and supervision from senior scientists and peers, to training and development opportunities, to dissemination opportunities, or to research funding. This means that we currently have an under-connected, under-developed, under-visible community of venture scientists. Connected to this, pathways into venture science roles are not always clear or compelling to scientists coming out of academia.
Ventures are missing out on scientists, scientists are missing out on ventures, and the UK’s science base is missing out on a new category of science to rival universities and large corporates.
There’s a huge opportunity to help make ventures a great scientific career move, for those scientists who want to experiment their way to impact at scale in Zinc’s chosen missions.
We want to build a new, global business that transforms support and opportunities for venture scientists. We are looking for someone to come in and lead this agenda, building on our learning and initial plans. This will be an exciting opportunity to build a new business line within Zinc, with huge potential for scale and impact.
Requirements
As Managing Director of our Venture Science business, you will have the opportunity to:
- Develop and lead this new business strand, moving from proposition-development and testing through to launch, iteration and scale.
- Drive and build capabilities in scouting of research talent, ensuring that we attract the best talent.
- Build a team to support the inception, building and scaling of this business
- Design and deliver venture science programme(s) / product(s), working towards productising and scaling the model.
- Secure funding and develop a sustainable business model.
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (including funders, universities and ventures).
- Monitor, evaluate and report on these programmes (e.g. to relevant funders).
You must have:
- A PhD or equivalent research experience, ideally in STEM.
- Extensive commercial experience, including an ability to shape and implement new business models.
- Experience working in-house in early-stage startups, ideally as a founder or early hire.
- A ‘founder’ mentality, thriving in creatively solving problems and building new programmes and products from scratch.
- A deep understanding of the target audience (in this case, scientists and researchers), as well as the wider context of universities, research career pathways, and research and