Connecticut Innovations
Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (“CI”), Connecticut’s strategic venture capital arm, is seeking an experienced bioscience senior investment associate (“Senior Investment Associate”) to join and assist the team in developing and managing an active high-tech healthcare and bioscience portfolio for an organization that invests in and assists emerging Connecticut life science companies.
As one of the most active investors on the eastern seaboard, CI will give you valuable venture experience in a unique, innovative work environment. CI has a portfolio of 250+ companies and 3500 jobs across various industries, with great strength in life sciences, including early investments in Nasdaq traded Biohaven, Arvinas, IsoPlexis, Sema4 and RallyBio. CI meets with hundreds of companies every year, identifying the most promising early-stage companies looking to grow in the state. Every year, CI invests in 20+ new companies, in addition to providing follow-on capital to more than 50 existing portfolio companies. CI headquarters are in New Haven, and office locations in Hartford and Stamford.
Qualified candidates must have, at minimum, a master’s degree in science and four (4) years of experience at healthcare or life science companies and/or investment management. Business development/commercialization experience in a high-growth, entrepreneurial, healthcare, biotechnology or pharmaceutical company is preferred. A doctorate degree in life sciences, bioengineering or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the general experience. Candidates holding a graduate degree are preferred.
CI Senior Investment Associates play a key role in executing our investment strategy by researching promising technology markets. They also participate in all phases of the investment process including due diligence, meetings with management, focused company and industry research, financial modeling, writing investment recommendations, and supporting CI portfolio companies as board observers. The Senior Investment Associate has the potential to progress within CI but will also gain experience that could lead to investment opportunities elsewhere.
This position will be responsible for performing a variety of complex professional tasks related to bioscience initiatives and must be a consummate team player. Specific activities may include, but are not restricted to:
- Sourcing prospects for possible investment by CI
- Conducting due diligence activities to obtain and analyze pertinent information relative to the prospect’s management, market, technology, products, competitive landscape, financial history and projections, business strategy and plan
- Making recommendations on the technology or a company’s commercialization potential
- Providing comprehensive evaluation and risk analysis of investment opportunities through completion of the due diligence process
- Structuring and negotiating financing terms of CI debt, equity, and equity-like financing in approved investment opportunities
- Syndicating with other angel and venture investors
- Preparing funding recommendations to CI Advisory Committees and closing on approved investments accordingly
- Raising the profile of CI, including dissemination of relevant information both internally and externally (e.g., participation in external seminars, meetings and other opportunities involving public speaking); and
- Analyzing key data including metrics for CI and assisting in development of methodologies to evaluate performance.
Skills particularly relevant to one’s success on the CI team include:
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with management and others, at all levels, internally and externally
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Considerable ability to exercise judgment and critical thinking
- Considerable ability and willingness to function constructively as a participant in an investment team of peers and associates within a small organization, and the ability to act on own initiative as appropriate
- Considerable ability to work directly with the senior executives of portfolio companies
- A high level of intellectual curiosity and emotional intelligence
- Considerable ability to respond flexibly and adapt to changing circumstances
- Ability to multi-task and manage multiple concurrent tasks or projects; and
- Ability to recruit outside investors to co-invest in CI companies.