Work In Tech

ventureLAB INNOVATION CENTRE

o/a ventureLAB

Advisor, Hardware (Founder Services) — Job ID: 202420

Part-Time (40hr/month)

‍

About ventureLAB

ventureLAB is a not-for-profit leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Our organization is led by seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders with decades of industry experience in building IP-rich start-ups, scale-ups, and global multinationals to help businesses scale. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Since 2011, ventureLAB has enabled over 4,000 tech ventures to create over 6,800 jobs and raise more than $420 million in investment capital through our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, technology and IP commercialization, and customer acquisition. Together with our community of entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and partners, we enable technology startups to accelerate the commercialization of transformational products on a global scale. ventureLAB is home to the Hardware Catalyst Initiative — Canada’s only lab and incubator for hardware and semiconductor-focused companies.

‍

Our Mission

Powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

‍

Our Vision

Born Global. Built to Scale. Inclusive by Design. Inspire a new generation of global founders who choose Canada to scale IP-rich tech titans creating innovative hardware and scale-ready enterprise software solutions that transform communities and establish a blueprint for a more sustainable, inclusive tech ecosystem.

‍

Our Values — Team RIVIR

• Relentless: We are tenacious and resilient. We follow through and remove roadblocks so together we succeed and go further.
• Inclusive: We are empathetic, open-minded and collaborate respectfully so that we build trust with each other and value diverse opinions, ideas and perspectives to learn and make better decisions.
• Visionary: We inspire bold futures with our founders, team, partners and community by challenging each other respectfully and thinking differently.
• Innovative: We celebrate ingenuity and empower the team to create new ideas, processes and strategies. We are curious and resourceful by asking questions for clarity.
• Results: We are proactive and plan. We are accountable and focused. We are direct and transparent through fact-based discussions.

‍

ventureLAB is made up of passionate, driven individuals, and is growing quickly. It is a fast-paced, flexible environment where individual contributors make a big difference and work collaboratively to achieve shared goals. We are proud to be one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures and a Great Place to Work®.

‍

Position Profile:

Are you a seasoned entrepreneur or leader who wants to give back to the community? Do you have expertise in semiconductor product development, and business experience launching semiconductor products to global markets? You have a network of technology, business, and investment contacts in Canada, and the USA. Do you get excited about helping other entrepreneurs (we call them founders) succeed? Do you enjoy making connections and expanding your professional network?

‍

If you are, we want to hear from you!

‍

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Hardware Advisor to join our team. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in the technology and business aspects of developing HardTech electronic solutions such as incorporating custom semiconductors, to provide guidance and direction to startup founders.

‍

The position involves helping founders create a solid milestone plan to validate their opportunity, develop their technology to a minimum viable product, acquire initial customers, build a team, and attract investment. This iterative process involves coaching and advising, as well as connecting to ventureLAB’s partners and your network of contacts. The position also involves providing periodic updates and success stories on the founders you are supporting, to demonstrate progress and outcomes to ventureLAB’s team and stakeholders.

‍

Additionally, Advisors are invited to participate in workshops, networking events, and meetings with other ventureLAB departments, contribute to developing and improving founder-focused services and programs and participate in strategic discussions with potential partners and investors.

‍

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide mentorship and strategic guidance to assigned founders in ventureLAB’s Hardtech portfolio, and guide them in developing a work plan, including milestones, to support their product development, launch, growth, and scale.
• Offer insights on regulatory requirements, market analysis, competitive landscape, industry trends, and business development.
• Connect founders to partners who can provide advice and services around product design, prototyping, regulatory testing, and manufacturing, as well as legal, financial, and HR.
• Meet founders regularly to monitor their progress and guide them. Provide updates to internal teams. Capturing interactions, success stories, and milestones to support funding claims, program metrics, and reports to ventureLAB stakeholders.

• Participate in recruiting new founders, and evaluating applicants for fit with ventureLAB Programs. Participate in recruiting new partners who can add value to founders.
• Collaborate with the founder success team, including internal team, Founder Services advisors, and other ventureLAB Founder Programs team to develop the services and programs and support founders.
• Build and maintain relationships with key industry stakeholders, including investors, partners, and regulatory bodies.
• Represent ventureLAB at industry events, conferences, and external meetings as needed/requested.
• Maintain compliance with safety regulations and quality standards.
• Capture interactions, success stories, and milestones in the ventureLAB internal database/CRM to support funding claims, program metrics, and reports to ventureLAB stakeholders and partner
• Work collaboratively with internal teams to identify opportunities to connect clients to partner organizations, strategic mentors, and other resources that can help.
• Provide company updates on a frequent and regular basis to the Portfolio Lead and the other stakeholders and communicate any challenges or roadblocks to the Founder Services Team.
• Advisor may be required to perform other related duties as requested by the head of the Founder Services team, which may not be specifically listed in this job description. The organization reserves the right to amend the job description as necessary to meet business needs.
• It is a hybrid role with at least 20% in-person attendance in the space/in-person activities (for advisors in the GTA Area)

‍

Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, or an advanced degree in any technology field where semiconductor design and fabrication experience was acquired.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience commercializing semiconductor and/or HardTech electronics technologies.
• Proven track record in product development and project management within a hardware technology company.
• Familiarity with engineering, quality, regulatory, and industry standards.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide strategic technical and business advice and coaching to entrepreneurs.
• The following would be very valuable but not a requirement:some text
  • Experience working with startup founders in Semiconductors and/or HardTech Electronics
  • Experience and connections with USA and international Semiconductor and/or HardTech ventures, customers, industry leaders and investors.

‍

How to Apply

Apply by Monday 1st August 2024 to hr@venturelab.ca quoting “Advisor, Hardware – Job ID: 202420” in the subject line. Include your resume and a brief note telling us why you’d be a great addition to the ventureLAB team. Early submissions are encouraged as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

‍

At ventureLAB, we value diversity, inclusion, and respect. Diverse experience, perspectives, and backgrounds bring great ideas and create stronger teams — we embrace it, because we know that by including everyone, we all thrive. Accommodations are available on request for candidates with disabilities taking part in the recruitment process.

‍

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only qualified candidates will be contacted.

‍

Response to COVID-19

Effective December 1, 2021, all newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of full vaccination (first and second dose) against COVID-19 of a vaccine currently approved by Health Canada or provide documentation to support an exemption based on grounds covered by the Ontario Human Rights Act (i.e. medical exemption).

‍