VC Associate @ Shearwater Capital in Sydney, Australia

Shearwater Capital is a venture fund based in Edgecliff, Sydney which invests in high growth technology companies across both Australia and New Zealand. We have recently launched our second fund, being a $100m fund to invest in founders who are building generationally great companies.

You’ll contribute directly to the investment team by researching, identifying and reaching out to founders of outstanding Australian and NZ technology companies that meet Shearwater’s investment criteria.

About the Role:

We’re looking for a talented individual to join our team as a Research & Deal Sourcing Analyst / Associate. In this role, you’ll be responsible for uncovering the most exciting startups across ANZ, building a deep understanding of our investment thesis, and initiating relationships with outstanding founders. Your research will complement our existing deal flows, helping us better identify the best start-ups in Australia and NZ.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct in-depth desktop research & map emerging companies, sectors and technology trends
• Identify and qualify promising founders and startups that align with Shearwater’s investment criteria
• Work to sourcing targets on a daily, weekly and monthly basis with the ultimate goal of sourcing at least two companies each year which we invest in
• Maintain a dynamic database of over 1,000 target companies, updating key metrics and progress regularly
• Develop initial outreach strategies to engage high-potential founders
• Develop ongoing communication strategies to cultivate engagement
• Utilise technology and tools throughout this process
• Collaborate with the investment team to refine our sourcing process and evaluate opportunities

What this role is not:

• This is not an investment analysis, number crunching or investing role. This role is better suited to someone with a communications, media, or sales background; or for someone with experience and interest in deal origination.

What We’re Looking For:

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree with a track record of academic and extracurricular excellence.
• Experience:
• Prior exposure to venture capital, startup ecosystems, business development, or sales is highly advantageous, with a preference for prior deal origination experience.
• Familiarity with research tools, industry databases, and market intelligence platforms.
• Skills:
• Exceptional written and verbal communication.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Proactivity with a bias to action
• Experience taking a limited brief and delivering an outcome that exceeds the brief
• Collaborative individual who thrives in a high-performance culture of continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates the highest level of professionalism and ethical behaviour
• A genuine interest in startups, technology, and business innovation and understanding what is occurring in the venture ecosystem across ANZ.
• Work Environment:
• We’re reasonably flexible on how this is structured, but we expect this role will be 4 – 5 days per week, and based from our Sydney office (Edgecliff).
• We offer a number of perks including an extra week’s annual leave over the new year period
• Remuneration
• Remuneration will be commensurate with experience, reflecting the skills and capabilities expected of someone with a strong interest in start-ups, technology, and sales, and ideally 1–3 years of relevant experience in business development, sales, or a similar field.

Mandatory 

This position is only open to Australian residents who hold full working rights, including Australian citizens, permanent residents, and those with an appropriate work visa. We will not reply to any applications that do not explicitly address this requirement.

How to Apply:

Submit your video and CV via the application form below. Please mention which role it is you are applying for.

Watch the short introductory video from Matt, the hiring partner.

Record a brief (3-minute) video explaining your background and interest in the role. If you don’t feel comfortable shooting a short video, please record an audio and send it through.