LONDON / FULL-TIME POSITION / NO VISA SPONSORSHIP
At Rainmaking, our mission is to realise the massive entrepreneurial potential at the crossover between the corporate & startup worlds. We believe the greatest value can be unlocked by combining the scale strengths and deep domain knowledge of corporates with the entrepreneurial execution of startups.
We help corporations embed an entrepreneurial culture. We train teams with practical entrepreneurial skills. We help companies to meaningfully engage with startups. And, we partner to collaboratively build digital products, and launch new ventures, startup-style. We do this through 3 offerings:
- Venture Strategy: Defining investment and innovation thesis aligned with business priorities and opportunity areas for corporates to build/buy/partner within.
- Venture Partnering: Supporting large corporates in forming value-add partnerships with (or acquiring) successful startups, leveraging our in-house accelerator brand, StartupBootcamp. For example, the IKEA x TaskRabbit acquisition was the result of a Rainmaking-powered IKEA Bootcamp project.
- Venture Building: Where existing offers don’t exist, helping corporates create new products by launching new ventures from scratch on their behalf. Check out Wylly, which we launched in partnership with BNP Paribas in October 2022.
Rainmaking has partnered with over 100 Fortune 500 companies, delivering positive change through entrepreneurship and bringing startups and corporates together to build and scale new businesses. During which, Rainmaking has built, invested, and accelerated 1,200+ ventures, including the world’s largest industry-focused accelerator programme, Startupbootcamp.
Rainmaking has 11 offices across the globe with a global team of 150+ entrepreneurs, strategists, product experts, program teams and startup experts.
The role
We are looking for a full-time Venture Lead to join our team in order to run Venture Strategy, Building and/or Partnering projects for our clients. This is a unique opportunity to join a growing team and help us tackle some of the most pressing and impactful challenges for our clients, whilst creating new revenue streams or high return on investment.
You will have a chance to have a significant impact on the future of great companies by leveraging new technologies and business models from startups.
We are looking for a self-starter with a structured mindset to approach problem-solving, a passion for complex problems, and who wants to create impact through technology and innovation.
The role is based in London. We work in a hybrid set-up with at least 2 days a week in the office (Central London).
Your responsibilities
- Lead a team of consultants/analysts to run projects for our clients in 3-4 months sprints
- Lead and guide junior and senior associates in critical research and analytical tasks to identify, prioritise, shape and validate new opportunities including:
- Conduct industry research, competitive analyses, and extract key trends and learnings that work to inform our strategic opinion on how industries are changing to surface new venture and startup collaboration opportunities
- Harness insights from industry leaders, VCs and startup founders through interviews and desk research to understand emerging business models and trends in the startup ecosystem
- Engage with customer segments via both qualitative methods and rapid prototyping and testing to truly understand their needs and appetite for our proposed solutions
- Engage with start-ups in the ecosystem and supporting them to co-create new product offerings in partnership with our corporate clients
- Build the commercial case for change, and present information in simple and structured presentations including data-driven business cases
- Manage day-to-day client interactions, lead client meetings and facilitate in-meeting decision making among diverse C/C-1 level stakeholder groups
Requirements
- You are a great match with our strong and value-driven culture (see below)
- You have 6+ years of experience across venture building, venture capital, corporate innovation and/or startups product teams
- You have experience with entrepreneurship (through employment, being a startup founder, being an investor, through work in a venture builder or personal interests)
- You display an exceptional ability to communicate, both written and verbal, presenting credibly, effectively, and convincing a wide range of senior parties to come on board with you
- You are structured, organised, and have experience leading small project teams, ensuring that deadlines and deliverables are met to high standards
- You are well-versed in Lean Startup methodologies and willing to continue learning to expand your playbook
- You will have excellent written and spoken English
- You are eligible to live and work in the United Kingdom
About You
- Passionate about tackling complex challenges through technology and innovation
- Passionate about startups, venture capital and emerging technologies
- A self-starter and compassionate leader, with good communication skills and a structured mindset to approaching problem solving and meeting deadlines
- Comfortable with uncertainty and complexity, with a strong willingness to continue to learn and grow
- Enthusiastic team player that enjoys working with and leading different types of people in cross-functional teams and who is willing to help people around you to grow
Brownie Points
- Experience pitching and raising capital from internal or external stakeholders
- Past experience launching B2B products, for example in the shipping, industrial, energy or banking sectors
- Network of startups, VCs, industry leaders and other subject matter experts in the above industries
Why Work With Us
- Opportunity to be part of the innovation journey for top-tier corporate clients and work on the most complex challenges to create meaningful impact for corporates, customers and the planet
- You will learn about cutting edge strategy at the intersection of corporates and startups, with proven methodologies for identifying high impact innovation opportunities and delivering high-impact partnerships and ventures off the ground
- We are growing fast - giving you the chance to rapidly take on more responsibilities and shape the direction of the project
- Access to a global network with innovative startups and early stage companies in every major startup ecosystem worldwide
- You will be part of a small, super-dedicated group of very skilled and fun people, with very strong experience in venture building and partnering - you will learn a lot!
- A great office environment, at our office located in central London with great people and great coffee!
- We strive to foster a flexible work environment where you can be a happy and whole person with time to carve out for your friends and family
- A unique culture focusing on three strong values: being entrepreneurial, being impactful and being kind.
Read our culture book here
We Offer:
- Competitive Package
- Wellness budget every month (massage, yoga, gym, etc)
- Health Insurance (BUPA)
- Pension Scheme
- Life Insurance
- Bike to Work Scheme
- Annual team off-site
- Summer & Christmas Parties
- Monthly Team Social Events
- Annual flu shot
- Home office setup support
