Founder & CEO at Sponso.ai - AI-Powered Sponsorship Platform

Founders Factory builds and funds startups together with exceptional entrepreneurs and the world’s leading companies. Created by IPO-exited founders, we offer founders capital, operational support from a team of hands-on experts, and unrivalled access to a coalition of industry-leading corporate partners. Since 2015, our 300+ portfolio companies have raised $900mm follow-on funding from a roster of notable investors.

Our Studio partners with entrepreneurs from day one, developing new ideas, technologies and business models into high growth companies. As part of our collaboration with global brand activation agency Pico, we’re now looking for an experienced operator with entrepreneurial ambitions to take a new concept created and validated by our Venture Design team into the build phase. You will lead the venture as Founder & CEO with our investment and the full backing of Founders Factory.

The Opportunity

Every big event, from Glastonbury to Web Summit, started with an idea. But without the right support, some of the greatest ideas fail to get off the ground. This is why we’re building Sponso AI, a venture set to disrupt the $189.5B sponsorship industry. Our AI-driven platform streamlines sponsorship management in the event sector, while fostering authentic brand-audience connections and optimising a multi-sided marketplace with the following features:

For Event Creators: Tools for increasing event funding through efficient sponsorship management and community engagement.

For Sponsors: Enhanced discovery and matching to events aligned with their brand values and target audience.

AI-Powered Analytics: Data-driven insights for both sponsors and creators to maximise impact and ROI.

Community and Brand Connection: Strengthening the relationship between events and their audiences, benefiting both sponsors and creators.

💡 Find out more in the Sponso AI pitch deck.

💸 What we're offering:

Partner with Founders Factory’s team of IPO-exited founders and entrepreneurs to develop a new mission-driven venture $650k USD total investment in cash and services to help you build your venture A validated concept and intellectual property A studio squad lead and full time venture builder, as well as support from the wider FF team, including leadership, mentorship, and network access A dedicated studio budget (including the founder stipend, specialist resource and infrastructure budget of $131,250) Experienced fundraisers supporting you in shaping your narrative and helping you unlock access to future sources of capital Access to specialist support, including finance, legal, and - where appropriate - to the relevant FF investor 6 month accelerator programme and alumni community access Senior access to Pico, the global brand activation agency helping shape the market environment Sponso AI will operate in

🎯 What you'll bring:

Experienced founder, builder or operator capable of building a venture from scratch Proven ability to build a world-class team, attract customers and investors Evidence of thriving in ambiguous environments and a high aptitude for calculated risks A clear vision for the opportunity (including product direction) - with the drive and expertise to execute on it Hands-on product mentality and ability to empathise with users Experience winning business and securing big deals within sponsorship, partnerships and/or events Knowledge of marketing, data-driven solutions, marketplaces, SaaS, and crowdfunding all an advantage  Financial acumen and strategic account management skills Passion for AI and new technologies

Founders Factory is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where people can authentically be themselves and are free to challenge, take risks and think creatively.

We recruit, develop, compensate and promote our team members based on merit. We know how important it is not only to include, but to actively seek out diversity of thought and experiences. We want to hear from you regardless of your race, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, status, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.

The requirements shared in our job descriptions are guidelines. If your skills are transferable and you are in the ballpark with the number of years of experience we are looking for, please apply and we will consider you for the role.