VC Associate @ SCRA in Columbia, SC

Reports to: Director, SC Launch

Supervises Others: No

Employment Type: Full Time / Exempt

EEOC Job Classification Code: Professional

Travel Requirements: Moderate, mostly within the state

Location: Columbia, Summerville, Charleston (South Carolina)

Position Description: 

The Investment Associate can be located in Columbia, Summerville, or Charleston and is responsible for managing the early stages of our investment activities including sourcing new investment opportunities, initial engagement with applicants, and shepherding the Member Companies through the investment process. This position will lead many of the initial due diligence and assessment activities of the applicant companies and will need to work closely with SC Launch member companies to ensure alignment with Member Company’s deployment strategy and SC Launch’s various grant and equity investment opportunities. Investment Associate’s will be expected to execute SC Launch’s operational process while working closely with the other SC Launch team members, including regional Investment Managers.

Essential Functions:

• Assists the team in sourcing new investment opportunities that can generate actionable deal flow consistent with SC Launch’s investment mandate.
• Represents SCRA and SC Launch at relevant events and support regional startup ecosystems.
• Evaluates investment opportunities by assessing company management, analyzing market and financial data, develop capital modeling scenarios, conducting due diligence calls, and preparing initial investment memos.
• Ensures delivery of all relevant program materials and support elements to client companies as each stage of the process.
• Reviews pitch decks and conduct initial screening calls with entrepreneurs.
• Ensures relevant company data on member companies is accurately captured and presented.
• Manages tracking of existing portfolio and investment metrics.
• Assists with company management to develop relevant company milestones and utilize relevant resources and grant programs to assist company to achieve these results.
• Reviews client company milestones for investment readiness and recommends actions leading to preparation for internal and external grant awards and possible direct investments from SC Launch, Inc., including preparation for companies entering investment due diligence, term sheet negotiations and funding, review of company financials, forecasts, valuations, and capitalization tables.
• Recommends Acceleration Grant funding to top candidates for SC Launch, Inc. investments.
• Assists with monthly and quarterly meeting preparation for SC Launch Inc.
• Supports entrepreneurs in the pre-funding and post-funding stages for grant investments.
• Participates on due diligence teams for potential SC Launch Inc. equity investments.
• Participates in strategic planning on future funds including fund raising strategies with the investment managers.
• Coordinate, organize, prepare agendas, slide presentations and schedule all monthly review meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned as directed in fulfilling program objectives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, technology, and/or science with 5 plus years of business-related work experience in business, corporate, investment, or entrepreneurial settings.
• Ability to travel in-state principally and, if necessary, work some extended hours in support of program objectives.
• Experience with initial financial modeling and concise assessment of business risk and opportunity for translation into initial investment memos.
• Experience working with entrepreneurial or start-up companies and conducting due diligence related to seed and early-stage investments.
• Experience in reviewing financial agreements, contracts, operating agreements, and other investment-related documents.
• Proven ability to multi-task and manage a diverse pool of concurrent assignments.
• Ability to make cogent and effective presentations related to analysis and assessment results.
• Strong interpersonal skills required to maintain relationships with a wide array of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong competency in working with business-related computer applications including MS Office Suite and MS Dynamics
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
• Experience and skill in writing business reports, preparing presentation materials, and some level of technical report writing.
• Business process mapping experience.
• Experience and knowledge of early-stage venture capital as well as the structuring of deals suitable for venture capital and/or corporate investors.
• Demonstrated experience in technology.
• Experience with operational and/or fund-raising experience at a start-up or mid-sized company.

Physical Efforts:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Regular physical activity to include walking, bending, stooping, reaching, standing and prolonged sitting. Ability to use phone and computer systems, copier, fax, and other office technology.
• Must be able to occasionally move / move / lift to 25 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.