Gradient Ventures (gradient.google) is a venture fund investing Google smarts and scale in promising, early-stage startups, providing AI innovators with funding, resources, and dedicated access to various people and practices in AI. The fund focuses on helping founders navigate technical challenges in developing AI-based products. As an Investment Partner, you represent Gradient Ventures and its portfolio in meetings with leaders at Google and externally, and you identify and cultivate relationships with key partners based on a deep understanding of Gradient Ventures portfolio companies. You also work collaboratively across functions (including Legal, Finance and People Operations). You provide the management team with the needed insight to drive intelligent, sound decision-making. You understand the venture capital industry and bring strong quantitative skills, strategic thinking and sound business judgment, along with the ability to think about what is – and what could be. You have been a founder and understand the founder’s perspective.
The Corporate Development team guarantees Google’s worldwide growth by identifying the appropriate acquisitions and investments – and then working to make them happen. Consisting of experienced merger-and-acquisition leaders and integration experts, we’re dedicated to identifying the business opportunities of tomorrow. We find and evaluate acquisition opportunities across existing and future markets, drive management team decisions, and help manage post-acquisition integration and performance evaluation.
- Identify, evaluate, and value investment opportunities.
- Drive management team decisions and interface with Google product and engineering teams. Build, maintain and evolve strong relationships with third parties, working directly with startups.
- Define and drive implementation of strategic initiatives for specific Gradient Ventures portfolio companies based on detailed understanding of these portfolio companies and their target markets.
- Design and implement processes and policies to improve Gradient Ventures’ ability to invest at scale; represent Gradient Ventures and its portfolio at partner and industry events.
- Build, manage, and scale Gradient’s signature startup rotation program across engineering, product, marketing, design, and business development.
- BA/BS degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering, science or related technical field or equivalent practical experience. Technical degree with current relevant technical experience i.e. still coding.
- 5 years of work experience in deep product / engineering in enterprise or consumer products.
- Direct people management experience of technical engineers. Founder of a technology startup or very early employee of a startup.
Preferred qualifications:
- MS/PhD degree in computer science, mathematics, engineering, science or related technical field or equivalent practical experience.
- Experience as a technical founder of a startup that has raised a significant amount of venture capital.
- Experience managing non-technical people; experience managing people managers.
- Demonstrated ability to influence all levels of management cross-functionally and externally; ability make things happen quickly and thrive in a fast-paced, fluid, and collaborative environment.
- Experience in the Silicon Valley venture industry, working with founders, engineers, investors.
- Demonstrated ability to work successfully cross-functionally. Exceptional analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.
If interested, please apply here.
