What are the responsibilities and job description for the TechPoint - Director, Venture Ecosystem position at Central Indiana Corporate Partnership?
OUR VISION & MISSION
As part of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership, TechPoint is the nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative driving Indiana's tech ecosystem. TechPoint functions as the strategic hub that connects public, private, academic and philanthropic partners focused on technology. Today TechPoint is striving to make Indiana a tech leader through the intersection of the tech sector with advanced industries.
Based in Indianapolis at 16 Tech, TechPoint's mission is to drive Indiana's tech ecosystem through talent, innovation and community — strengthening the tech talent pipeline, accelerating startup and enterprise growth, enhancing resource connectivity, and elevating the state's tech community through collaboration and storytelling.
ROLE OVERVIEW
TechPoint is building a stronger statewide tech ecosystem where Indiana startups can access the customers, capital and opportunities they need to grow, and where the state's established industries become an engine for creating the next generation of technology companies.
The Director, Venture Ecosystem will lead TechPoint's work at the intersection of startups, investors and industry. This person will build trusted relationships with venture investors and corporate innovation leaders, create meaningful connections between those partners and Indiana startups and develop new mechanisms for generating and growing technology companies aligned with Indiana's industry strengths.
This is a highly external, relationship-driven role that also requires the ability to build new initiatives from the ground up. The Director will take ownership of several emerging TechPoint strategies, including startup-enterprise connectivity, investor connectivity, Venture Connect, industry problem sourcing and new startup creation initiatives.
Over time, this role may also partner with the VP, Innovation & Entrepreneurship to explore and develop TechPoint's role in increasing capital available to Indiana technology companies.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Build and Own Venture Capital and Corporate Innovation Relationships
- Develop and manage relationships with venture capital firms and other startup investors in Indiana and nationally to gain a deep understanding of investor theses, sector interests, stage preferences and portfolio strategies.
- Position TechPoint as a trusted source of high-quality Indiana deal flow.
- Identify opportunities to increase national investor awareness of Indiana technology companies and partner with TechPoint leadership on strategic investor engagement and ecosystem development.
- Develop relationships with innovation, technology, strategy and business leaders at companies across Indiana's key industries and partner closely with TechPoint's engagement team to coordinate corporate relationships.
- Understand corporate innovation priorities, business challenges and areas where startup technology may provide solutions and create pathways for companies to engage meaningfully with Indiana startups and emerging technologies.
Connect Startups to Capital and Customers
- Develop a systematic approach for identifying ready Indiana startups and connecting them with aligned investors and corporate customers.
- Facilitate curated introductions based on partner needs and interests, including through executing the Venture Connect event.
- Track connections and outcomes to understand where TechPoint can most effectively influence startup access to capital and customers.
- Build and manage a structured process for connecting startups with potential enterprise customers and investors.
- Track outcomes and use insights from these relationships to continuously improve TechPoint's startup connection model.
Develop Industry-Aligned Startup Mechanism
- Lead implementation of TechPoint's strategy for creating and supporting more technology startups aligned with Indiana's industry strengths.
- Build upon the strategy and implementation plan developed through TechPoint's external consulting engagement.
- Develop mechanisms for collecting ideas, challenges and unmet needs from startups, enterprises, industry leaders and other ecosystem partners.
- Build pathways to connect promising ideas with founders, talent, industry experts and other resources needed to move them forward.
- Help establish TechPoint as a connector between Indiana's established industries and its next generation of technology companies.
Help Build TechPoint's Future Capital Strategy
- Support the development of a long-term strategy to increase capital available to Indiana technology companies.
HOW SUCCESS WILL BE MEASURED
- Success in this role will be measured by the quality and outcomes of the relationships and connections TechPoint creates, not simply the volume of activity. Measures may include:
- Growth and engagement of TechPoint's venture investor network
- Number and quality of curated startup-investor connections
- Capital conversations and investments influenced by TechPoint
- Growth and engagement of corporate innovation relationships
- Startup-enterprise introductions, pilots, partnerships and customer relationships
- Venture Connect participation and resulting outcomes
- Industry problems and opportunities identified through the idea generation engine
- New startup concepts advanced toward validation or company creation
- Progress toward establishing a scalable model for industry-aligned startup creation
- Development of a viable long-term capital strategy for TechPoint
QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in venture capital, startups, corporate innovation, economic development or a related field
- Strong understanding of startup growth, venture financing and enterprise innovation
- Demonstrated ability to develop senior-level external relationships
- Ability to understand both startup and corporate perspectives and translate between them
- Strong judgment around which introductions and opportunities will create meaningful value
- Experience building new programs, initiatives or partnerships from the ground up
- Strong project management and execution skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and turning emerging strategies into executable programs
- Existing relationships within Indiana's startup, venture or corporate ecosystem are valuable but not required
BENEFITS
- 100% of your healthcare and dental premiums are paid for individual and family.
- Pre-tax & Roth 401(k) Retirement Plan with generous match — 5% contributed by the employer regardless of employee contribution and up to an additional 5% employee voluntary contribution eligible to be matched by the employer.
- Company paid group life benefits as well as company paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
- Flexible/hybrid work schedule.
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 17 holidays!
CICP grants equal opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, national origin, military service obligations, veteran status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law. CICP provides equal opportunity in wages, promotions, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.