Founders Factory builds and funds startups together with exceptional entrepreneurs and the world's leading companies. Our platform offers founders capital, operational support from a team of hands-on experts, and unrivalled access to industry leaders like L'Oreal, Aviva, Standard Bank, Johnson & Johnson D.C. and Reckitt.
Since 2015, our 300 portfolio companies have raised $720mm follow on funding from some of the leading names in venture.
We operate sector-focused accelerator programs and venture funds, investing in visionary founders at early stages. Our Studio partners with entrepreneurs at day one, developing new ideas, technologies and business models into high-growth companies
We’re launching a new Venture Studio and Accelerator program in partnership with some of the world's leading brands in Italy. Based in Milan, we will fund over 50 startups over the next 5 years in areas including Connected Home, Metaverse, Education, AdTech, Industry 5.0, Fintech, Cyber and more.
This is a unique opportunity to build category-defining startups in partnership with Founders Factory’s experienced team.
What you'll do:
Founders Factory is hiring for an Investor in Milan who can help source, invest in and support 10 ventures a year. The role will require building relationships in the local community with founders, angels, VCs, universities. Good candidates should have outstanding people skills, hustle, resilience, deep empathy with founders and a high curiosity for technology and tech startups. You will also work with founders through the accelerator programme and beyond to help with defining their fundraising strategy, formulating their story, assisting with the creation/review of investment materials and supporting them to raise their next round of funding.
Our goal is for Founders Factory Milan to be the best platform for founders to start and grow their startups. We are looking for someone who shares that ambition and has the passion and expertise to achieve it.
As our Investor, you will:
Own the process for finding, investing in and accelerating 10 tech companies every year Assess and qualify early-stage ventures, technology and founding teams, conducting diligence and negotiating investment terms Identifying key sources for startup founders and finding scalable ways to support them Activating and growing our local network in Milan/Italy and other key startup ecosystems in Europe Act as a Fundraising ‘Sherpa’ to our portfolio founders; guiding and supporting them every step of the way towards closing their funding round. This includes, but may not be limited to: defining their fundraising story/strategy, reviewing and honing their investor materials (pitch deck, financial model, dataroom), building a pipeline of investors, reviewing their materials and negotiating terms Assisting with the negotiation of term sheets, helping them understand cap-table dynamics and all things equity-related. Quickly expand and deepen your network of prominent VCs/angels, while also leveraging your existing investor relationships to help our portfolio companies Develop and maintain value-add relationships with the right investors through regular meetings, events and updates Organize our internal investor database to ensure that all information are categorized and updatedWork with our Sector Directors and the rest of the venture team to identify and collate a calendar of relevant eventsHelp prepare and organize Founders Factory investor events, including our investor showcase days, in conjunction with our events teamRequirements:
Previous early-stage tech investing experience at a fund and/or as an active angel investor a must Demonstrate relentless energy and passion for finding opportunities, building relationships and execution Personal networks that embrace the startup, VC and talent communities in Milan/Italy/Southern Europe Ability to communicate authoritatively and passionately and share details of the Founders Factory vision, differentiation and operations Warm relationships with high-quality investors and startup founders are a mustQualities you need to be successful in this role:
Have a passion for tech and all of the inefficiencies, problems and opportunities within the sector Has an ability to connect, emphasize and collaborate with top tier founder talent Deals comfortably with the uncertainty of change and complex problems, effectively handles risk and can make a decision with incomplete information Operates effectively, is calm under pressure and productive when plate spinning or when the future is unclear Have a strong bias for action and persists in accomplishing objectives despite setbacks Able to understand the perspective of others and evaluate their own thinking whilst looking for feedback and continuously improve Ability to work across geographies, time zones and multi-functional teams Speaking Italian or having lived in Italy previously is preferred however not a mustWhy work with us:
We are guided by a set of core values that shape the way that we think and act. We hold ourselves accountable to these, and measure ourselves against them. We are looking for candidates that share these principles and can help Founders Factory to thrive:
- Think big, act small, move fast
- Value momentum over perfection
- Embrace uncertainty and remain decisive
- Suggest solutions, not problems.
- Prioritize diversity to strengthen our collective intelligence
- Be polite, generous and show empathy to others, always
Benefits:
Hybrid environment: flexible working in a fast paced environment with some travel to London
Remote working Opportunities: Up to 5 weeks working abroad allowance each year
Autonomy: Freedom to execute and build businesses, not just products. We encourage risk taking here.
Health and Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance, quarterly mental health days
Growth: Work with and meet exceptional talent. Learn faster than you ever have before. Access our large network of investors and customers.
Perks: Monthly team events, discounts across our entire portfolio
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.