We are searching for an entrepreneurial Partner to join our IDEO investing team and be part of our journey launching our next fund: an early-stage, institutional venture fund focused on consumer startups. IDEO has a long track record of collaborating with and investing in startups, and this is a unique opportunity to be part of the founding team that will be building and launching IDEO’s fifth fund, and first general fund based in North America.
Ideally, candidates will have at least 5 to 7 years of investment experience, and 10 to 15 experience in the venture or startup space. We are looking for candidates with diverse and unconventional backgrounds and skill sets, and would be excited to chat with candidates with a background in investing and venture capital.
This will be IDEO’s fifth venture fund; it will invest independently of IDEO’s consulting business, while leveraging IDEO’s strengths as a global creative platform and network. As Partner, you will be driving the identifying, diligencing, and executing of investment opportunities, as well as collaborations with current portfolio companies.
The ideal candidate:
- Has held investing positions at venture funds
- Is excited to help build and launch IDEO’s fifth venture fund
- Has expertise and experience working and collaborating with startups
- Is comfortable navigating market analysis, startup diligence, and other investing activities
Why is this role important for IDEO’s work?
Investing is an important pillar in IDEO’s strategy towards creating positive impact. You will be a steward of the Fund’s financial responsibilities, and also a beacon for growing investing capabilities at IDEO.
You will have the opportunity to build a fund that is diverse and design-driven, alongside a world-class and collaborative investing team and the global community of designers at IDEO. Your day-to-day would look like this: building a network of startups, founders and LPs; raising institutional capital for the Fund; diligencing and investing in companies that we believe will create outsized impact; and supporting portfolio companies in a meaningful way along their journey.
Once here you will:
- Be one of the major sources of dealflow
- Be part of the founding team that raises institutional capital from LPs
- Evaluate investment opportunities
- Communicate with and manage LP relationships
- Partner with portfolio companies and designers within IDEO
- Continue building IDEO’s investment engine
What does IDEO offer you?
IDEO is a place unlike any other. It’s a place where you can create outsized impact through our start-up and portfolio company network, alongside thoughtful, intelligent individuals who lead with curiosity, empathy, and optimism. We work hard, but we also intentionally craft moments that allow our community to pause, create, connect and inspire. We encourage our community to bring their whole selves to work, respect the need for work-life balance, and allow for autonomy in the design process and your career.
Relevant experience and mindset:
- Minimum 10 years of work experience, especially in early-stage startups or venture funds
- Investing experience, particularly with early stage companies
- A strong founder network or history of collaborating with startups
- Team player and collaborative mindset
Commitment to Diversity
At IDEO, we are committed to the work of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization and in the world. Our purpose of having disproportionate, world-changing impact through design is directly connected to our ability to bring many different perspectives to the table. This applies to our candidates, the people we hire, the clients and customers we serve, and the communities we learn from in our research.
As a human-centered organization, we are committed to working with and designing for people of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, physical ability or attribute, religion, national origin, or political belief. We recognise that this commitment requires ongoing work and sustained attention, as well as adaptation to new insights and best practices.
Application Instructions
If you are interested in this role, please apply with your resume and cover letter by January 24th 2022. Please note that this work can be done fully remotely, however we are only able to support candidates who are based in the US. Most of the team you will be working with are based in San Francisco, CA.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
IDEO is an equal opportunity employer; applicants are considered for all roles without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital, parental, veteran or military status, unfavorable military discharge, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
If interested, please apply here.
