What keeps us up at night
European micro and small enterprises are facing an existential crisis. With an aging population across Europe, succession planning has become a significant challenge.
We’re starting with Italy, where about 30% of SMEs are led by entrepreneurs aged 60 years or older, and only 1 in 5 generational transitions succeed. This puts more than 500,000 Italian SMEs and 2 million jobs at risk over the next decade, according to numbers from the Italian chamber of commerce.
How Equis is solving this problem
Equis is a fintech venture at the intersection of different asset classes. Our vision is to scale the acquisition and management of SMEs through technology, building an M&A machine capable of acquiring 50+ companies in 5 years. We see four key pillars to achieving this goal:
- Sourcing and acquiring SMEs struggling with generational transitions;
- Matching acquired companies with new and younger managers;
- Involving employees in the ownership of the company;
- Growing and strengthening these businesses through the strategic use of technology.
Equis is currently in the pre-seed phase, led by a founder with a successful exit. We have onboarded our first M&A specialist and are in the middle of our pre-seed round, having secured initial funding from Founders Factory, a leading early stage investor based in UK, and our financial partner.
The Tech Co-Founder / CTO Role
As the Tech Co-Founder / CTO, you will be a critical member of the founding team at Equis. You will:
- lead the technological vision,
- oversee engineering execution,
- and build a high-performing tech team.
Your entrepreneurial mindset and technical expertise will drive the development of innovative solutions that transform how small and micro enterprises transition to employee ownership.
Key Responsibilities
- Technical Leadership: Define and implement the tech strategy, making key decisions on architecture, infrastructure, and technology stack;
- Team Building: Recruit, mentor, and manage a talented engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence;
- Product Development: Collaborate with the product team to design and deliver intuitive, user-friendly features that meet our users' needs;
- Scalability and Security: Ensure the platform is scalable, secure, and capable of handling large volumes of data while maintaining high performance,
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with stakeholders, including investors and partners, to align technological initiatives with business goals.
What We’re Looking For
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: A proactive and adaptable approach with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Technical Product Management: Proven experience in managing technical product development from concept to launch.
- Leadership Skills: Ability to inspire, lead, and build cohesive teams.
- Agile Methodologies: Proficient in agile development practices and iterative product development.
- Fintech and M&A Understanding: Knowledge of the financial technology sector and mergers & acquisitions processes.
- API Integrations: Strong experience in integrating APIs and working with third-party services.
- Cloud Platforms: Expertise in deploying and managing applications on cloud platforms.
What’s in it for You?
- Equity Ownership: Significant equity position as a founding team member.
- Competitive Salary: Founder salary aligned with market standard, initially more skewed on the equity package.
- Autonomy: Freedom to shape and scale the product according to your vision.
- Operational Support: Access to a team of passionate professionals and extensive networks.
- Growth Opportunity: Unique chance to build and grow a scalable business from the ground up
Location and Language Clarification
This role offers remote work flexibility but could require up to 1 week per month working closely with the founding team in Milan or other locations as needed. While Italian proficiency is not required, a basic understanding can be appreciated.
Join Us at Equis
Be part of a pioneering team that is set to transform the landscape for European SMEs. Together, we can create a future where small businesses thrive through innovation and technology, ensuring their longevity and impact. If you’re excited by this mission and ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
