CEO - Entrepreneur in Residence (consultant)
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) drives all aspects of the venture creation, from concept validation through to ensuring investment readiness, and delivers the blueprint for a clearly validated and investor-ready venture active in the isolation, cultivation and use of low-abundant microbial species for agricultural, industrial and/or therapeutic applications. The selected EIR candidate should have the potential to become the CEO of the venture upon incorporation.
The assignment
Key Responsibilities:
1. Venture Ideation & Validation:
o Clearly define the venture's value proposition and positioning within the market landscape.
o Validate the market need through interviews with potential customers, industry experts, and key stakeholders.
o Assess market size, competition, growth potential, and alignment with proprietary technological advantages.
2. Business Model Development:
o Design and refine a scalable business model including service offerings, pricing strategies, and go-to-market plans.
o Conduct a financial feasibility analysis, including financial modeling, cost structures, and projected revenue streams.
3. Technology Evaluation and Strategy:
o Work closely with the technical teams to understand and leverage proprietary technologies effectively.
o Identify additional technology needs or complementary assets required to build competitive advantage and differentiation.
4. Customer Engagement & Early Traction:
o Clearly demonstrate market demand and willingness to pay for the venture's proposed offering.
o To the extent applicable, establish early customer relationships to secure pilot projects, collaborations, and strategic partnerships.
5. Investment Readiness:
o Prepare comprehensive investment materials, including a robust business plan, financial projections, pitch deck, and supporting documentation.
o Engage proactively with venture capital investors and strategic partners to gauge their interest to invest in the venture.
o Obtain (soft) investment commitments from these venture capital investors.
6. Leadership and Team:
o Conveive the competences and skills that are required to make the venture a success.
o Formulate the role descriptions for the executive leadership and core team members that would be needed to execute on the business plan of the venture.
Required knowledge and skills
• Proven track record as a company Founder or CEO.
• Strong understanding of the use of microbial species for agricultural, industrial and/or therapeutic applications, and the corresponding market and investor dynamics.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, combined with strong hands-on operational capabilities.
• Highly effective communication skills.
• Track record in fundraising is a strong plus.
What we offer
We offer you an exciting temporary assignment in which you will be part of a community that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will define the society of tomorrow.
- Duration of the assignment: 6 months
- Desired start date: 1/09/2025
- Work regime: fulltime
Location
We provide the flexibility to work both from our office premises and remotely from home. This to maintain a healthy work-life balance while being an integral part of our team.
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*For this temporary position, you can apply as a candidate, the employment is then through an employment agency or other third party. If you are a Freelancer (independent consultant) we also welcome your application.