What are the responsibilities and job description for the Founder in Residence position at C10 Labs?
Department: Studio
Location: New York City
Founder in Residence
About C10 Labs
C10 Labs is a venture studio and early-stage fund focused on building and backing applied AI startups tackling critical challenges across healthcare, life sciences, energy, industrial systems, and scientific discovery.
Headquartered in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, C10 Labs works closely with founders to identify high-impact opportunities and co-create companies from inception —
combining technical expertise, operational support, and early capital to help founders move from idea to venture-backed company.
About AI Nexus NYC
C10 Labs has been selected by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to help operate NYC AI Nexus, a citywide initiative designed to accelerate AI innovation and adoption across New York’s economy.
AI Nexus connects founders, startups, industry partners, investors, and researchers to develop and deploy Applied AI solutions that address real-world challenges across sectors. The program supports venture creation, facilitates pilots with industry partners, and helps ensure that businesses across the city benefit from advances in AI technology.
Through the AI Nexus studio in New York City, C10 Labs works with founders to build AI companies in areas such as:
- Healthcare & biotechnology
- Therapeutics & life sciences
- Climate tech & energy
- Robotics & advanced manufacturing
- Scientific discovery and research infrastructure
C10 Labs is seeking exceptional Founders in Residence (FIRs) to join the AI Nexus NYC venture studio and build the next generation of Applied AI companies.
As a Founder in Residence, you will work alongside the C10 Labs team to identify promising problem areas, validate new venture opportunities, and launch a new company from the ground
up. FIRs leverage the resources of the AI Nexus ecosystem—including industry partners, mentors, and technical experts—to rapidly prototype, test, and scale new ventures.
This role is designed for entrepreneurial leaders who want to build a company but value the structure, capital, and network of a venture studio during the earliest stages of company
What you'll do:
- Identify high-impact opportunities where AI can transform major industries
- Conduct market research, customer discovery, and technical validation
- Develop new venture concepts aligned with the AI Nexus applied-AI focus areas
- Build prototypes, proof-of-concepts, or early product architectures
- Collaborate with C10 Labs’ engineering, product, and venture teams
- Engage with mentors, researchers, and industry partners in the AI Nexus ecosystem
- Develop fundraising narratives and investor materials
- Recruit early team members or co-founders
- Launch and lead the new company as CEO or co-founder following venture formation
We are looking for individuals who combine technical curiosity, industry insight, and
entrepreneurial ambition.
Ideal candidates may include:
- Experienced founders preparing to launch their next venture
- Senior operators from high-growth startups or technology companies
- AI researchers or technical leaders interested in commercialization
- Domain experts in industries undergoing AI-driven transformation
Strong product intuition and problem discovery skills
- Technical fluency in AI, machine learning, or data-driven systems
- Ability to operate in highly ambiguous early-stage environments
- Experience building teams or leading complex initiatives
- Ability to translate emerging technology into scalable businesses
Founders in Residence receive direct support from the C10 Labs venture studio and the broader
AI Nexus ecosystem.
Participants receive:
- Early venture funding and support raising additional capital
- Workspace and infrastructure through AI Nexus NYC
- Access to C10 Labs’ AI engineering and technical resources
- Mentorship from experienced founders, operators, and investors
- Industry partnerships for pilots and proof-of-concept deployments
- Support with company formation, recruiting, legal, and operations