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The Office of University Research and Innovation (OURI) advances research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization across Tufts University. Working with faculty, students, university leadership, industry, government, and external partners, OURI helps strengthen Tufts' research and innovation enterprise and supports the translation of new discoveries into real-world impact through startup creation, strategic partnerships, and venture development.
As part of OURI, the Tufts Launchpad Vector Fund ("Fund") is an early-stage pre-seed investment fund that supports the formation and growth of Tufts-affiliated startup companies developing innovations emerging from university research. Often founded or supported by Tufts faculty and students, these ventures benefit from the Fund's catalytic capital, mentorship, and strategic guidance as they progress toward commercialization and future investment. The Fund also serves an educational mission by creating experiential learning opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship, venture creation, and early-stage investing.
What You'll Do
As Director of the Tufts Launchpad Vector Fund, you will provide overall leadership and management of the Fund, combining investment process stewardship, strategic leadership, portfolio development, and teaching. Working closely with founders, students, faculty innovators, investors, alumni, and university leadership, you will help advance high-potential ventures, support the growth of Tufts' innovation ecosystem, and create experiential learning opportunities in entrepreneurship, venture creation, and early-stage investing. While investment decisions are made by an independent external investment committee, you will ensure a disciplined and credible investment process and serve as a senior representative of the Fund internally and externally. A core component of the role is teaching, mentoring, and hands-on engagement with students across the Tufts innovation ecosystem.
Key responsibilities include:
Lead and Represent the Fund
- Serve as a visible representative of the Fund to faculty, students, senior leadership, alumni, investors, and ecosystem partners.
- Communicate the Fund's mission, investment approach, and impact to internal and external stakeholders.
- Build and maintain relationships that strengthen the Fund's visibility, engagement, and long-term success.
Manage the Investment Process
- Oversee the Fund's annual investment cycle, including outreach, application intake, founder communications, screening, and investment committee coordination.
- Partner with Technology Commercialization and the Tufts Investment Office to support the evaluation, execution, and administration of Fund investments.
- Serve as the primary liaison to the external investment committee and facilitate a rigorous, investment-oriented review process.
- Communicate investment decisions and provide updates to key stakeholders and university leadership.
Support Portfolio Companies
- Maintain engagement with portfolio companies and monitor their progress following investment.
- Connect founders with advisors, investors, strategic resources, and growth opportunities.
- Provide updates on portfolio activity, outcomes, and emerging trends.
Teach, Mentor, and Foster Entrepreneurship
- Teach and mentor students in entrepreneurship, venture creation, and early-stage investing.
- Integrate the Fund into experiential learning opportunities and applied coursework.
- Advise faculty and student founders as they advance ventures and technologies across the Tufts innovation ecosystem.
What We're Looking For
Application Instructions: Please submit a resume/CV and cover letter for full consideration. In your cover letter (maximum two pages), please describe your interest in the Director, Tufts Launchpad Vector Fund position and how your experience has prepared you to support early-stage ventures, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and engage with founders, students, investors, and other stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem.
Basic Requirements:
Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:
- Master's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
- 7+ years of relevant experience in venture capital, angel investing, venture studios, startup leadership, company building, technology commercialization, or related early-stage innovation environments.
- Demonstrated experience evaluating and supporting early-stage ventures and working with startup financing instruments, including SAFEs and convertible notes.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to operate independently and effectively within a complex organization.
- Ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders, and communicate effectively across a diverse range of internal and external audiences.
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with research universities, technology commercialization offices, innovation hubs, accelerators, incubators, or faculty-led startups.
- Experience supporting the commercialization of research-based technologies and innovations.
- Demonstrated ability to engage with founders, investors, senior leaders, alumni, industry partners, and other stakeholders with credibility and professionalism.
- Experience representing an organization externally and serving as a visible ambassador for initiatives, programs, or investment activities.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in teaching, mentoring, coaching, or student engagement.
- Knowledge of entrepreneurship, venture creation, early-stage investing, technology commercialization, and university innovation ecosystems.
Pay Range
Minimum $174,200.00, Midpoint $217,800.00, Maximum $261,400.00
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Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.
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