CSAA Insurance Group (CSAA IG), a AAA insurer, has a mission to innovate our future by building new products, services and ventures that generate $1B in new revenue in the next decade. Towards this aim, the Strategy & Innovation Division (SI) is developing growth initiatives through a combination of strategic partnerships, innovation, incubation and venture investing.
The Corporate Venture Capital & Labs (CVC & Labs) team will shift CSAA IG from systems of records to systems of intelligence in areas such as insurtech, autonomous vehicle / connected car, analytics and artificial intelligence, and applications of blockchain.
The CVC & Labs team is seeking a highly motivated self-starter to help build intelligence on focus areas and themes, identify startups and entrepreneurs, perform due diligence on potential investment opportunities and assist in portfolio company management and reporting. The Associate will play a critical role in developing and advancing thought leadership and domain strategy to expand CSAA IG’s business, foster new idea generation, synthesize the market landscape, and translate new innovative ideas into successful commercial outcomes.
This position, located in Silicon Valley, CA, reports to the Managing Partner of CVC & Labs and calls for a broad business acumen and credibility to effectively build relationships in the start-up ecosystem, evaluate start-up product road maps, and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including internal and external senior executives. Works collaboratively on investment opportunities. Assists with POCs, pilots, and commercialization opportunities. The Associate must be relentlessly curious, as well as passionate about championing and supporting change.
Job Description
- Maintain a pulse on market developments and the startup ecosystem.
- Improve upon and expand investment theses, and research focus areas to identify opportunities.
- Identify and source potential strategic investment opportunities in relevant and compelling startups.
- Assist in building a network and pipeline of startups that fit strategic investment themes.
- Develop market landscapes, points of views (POVs) on emerging trends and analyze value chains.
- Assist with portfolio company monitoring, reporting and feedback to Managing Partner.
- Collaborate with existing portfolio companies to assist in aligning their roadmaps to address CSAA IG’s challenges.
- Evangelize CSAA IG externally and demonstrate thought leadership; participate meaningfully in CSAA IG startup ecosystem events.
- Attend external events, conferences, Silicon Valley meetups, forums, etc.
- Foster collaborative relationships within the CSAA IG ecosystem.
- Maintain pipeline and portfolio management processes, tools and deal tracking.
- Help monitor the investment portfolio against operational and financial metrics.
- Support due diligence plans, drive the due diligence process, write investment memos, presentations and help guide opportunities end-to-end through the investment process.
- Prepare and review investment presentations to Managing Partner.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Understand emerging business models and new technologies.
- Use your relationship, communication, and interpersonal skills at all levels within or outside of the organization.
- Create compelling presentations, write (narrative prose and slides), evangelize, influence, negotiate, and are able to think quickly on your feet.
- Thorough understanding of the high-tech startup and venture capital environment with relationships across the ecosystem.
- Curious with an open-mind for disruptive technology trends, products and business models, across multiple different domains and areas.
- Ability to develop value proposition, positioning and fit.
- Trusted executive presence, maturity and discretion.
- Team player with an extraordinary collaborative working style, adaptable and flexible.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- MBA from prestigious school or equivalent work experience
- 6+ years of relevant high-tech industry experience
- 3 – 4 years’ experience in venture capital with a leading venture capital firm, in a corporate venture setting, corporate strategy, strategy consulting, or investment banking with a focus on technology
- 2 – 3 years’ experience in a VC backed startup a plus
Preferred:
- BS in engineering/technical disciplines from prestigious school
Apply Here: CSAA Associate – Venture Capital
