Head - Initiative - Non Profitable Firm

The Role Context:

As the Initiative Head for Our Client, you will be responsible for managing the efforts of 7-10 Centers of Excellence at the top Universities in India and US in the areas of AI, Bioengineering, Advanced Computing, and Health tech. The Centers funded by the Foundation will aim to support research projects with high potential for creating successful new products and/or startups, contributing significantly to India's and the global innovation landscape. The role involves overseeing the competitive selection of projects across all network members, ensuring substantial matching funding, building and running an entrepreneur academy for innovators and fostering a culture of innovation that leads to impactful outcomes.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership:

1. Develop and execute a strategic vision for the company in alignment with national and global innovation objectives.

2. Provide leadership to foster a collaborative and innovative culture within the network.

2. Project Selection and Obligation:

1. Implement a competitive selection process for projects across all company network members, ensuring a diverse and high-potential portfolio.

2. Enforce project obligations, including the requirement for each selected project to secure at least 4x matching funding from government or other sources.

3. Funding Partnerships:

1. Establish and nurture relationships with government agencies, private investors, and other funding sources to secure matching funds for selected projects.

2. Collaborate with stakeholders to advocate for increased funding support for innovative research and development.

4. Commercialization Focus:

1.Set targets and strategies to ensure that at least 20% of company-selected projects lead to the development of new products and startups.

2.Work towards collectively raising an additional $100M in commercial funding for the successful projects.

5. Cross-Network Collaboration:

1.Facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among company network members to enhance the quality and impact of research initiatives.

2.Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex challenges and promote innovation.

6. Performance Measurement:

1.Define and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success and impact of the company initiative.

2.Regularly report on the progress of selected projects and the overall success of the network.

7. Resource Management:

1. Optimize the allocation of resources, including funding, infrastructure, and talent, to support the success of research projects.

2. Ensure efficient and transparent use of resources within the network.

8. Stakeholder Engagement:

1. Engage with university leadership, government officials, industry partners, and other stakeholders to strengthen support for the company initiative.

2. Represent company at conferences, events, and forums to enhance visibility and collaboration opportunities.

9. 360-Degree Support System:

1. Establish a support ecosystem that includes mentorship programs, networking events, and access to industry experts, providing participants with a well-rounded support structure.

2. Collaborate with successful entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals to create a dynamic learning environment.

3. Developing and implementing initiatives to foster creativity, provide practical skills, and offer strategic guidance to enable the successful launch and growth of ventures

Requirements

Qualifications:

- Proven 5-10 years of experience in managing multi-disciplinary research initiatives and innovation/Incubation translation centres

- Have handled projects which have converted transitional research into commercial Projects.

- Strong Universities, Technology and Innovation/Ed tech Partners and Government connections

- Exposure to startup ecosystem across geographies.

- Entrepreneurial mindset - you should be able to think outside the box and hustle/be on your feet to creatively solve problems

- Self-motivated, resourceful and ability to operate in a fast changing environment

- A go-getter attitude, full of initiative, persistence and professionalism.

- Ability to manage multiple stakeholders Ability & meet deadlines

- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

- Ability to navigate complex partnerships and collaborations.

- Bachelors/ Masters degree with 15-20 years of experience in a relevant field.