Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Startup Incubator

Position: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Startup Incubator

Location: MIT ADT University Campus, Loni, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Reporting To: Board of Directors/Host Institution (University Incubator)

Position Overview

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Incubator will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, operational excellence, and ecosystem development to build a sustainable, high-impact startup incubation and innovation ecosystem. The CEO will drive startup growth, funding, partnerships, compliance, and stakeholder engagement while aligning the incubators mission with nation level and institutional innovation objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and execute the long-term vision, strategy, and growth roadmap of the incubator.
• Position the incubator as a leading innovation and entrepreneurship hub at regional and nation level levels.
• Develop sectoral focus areas aligned with institutional strengths, government priorities, and market needs.

2. Incubation & Startup Development

• Design and implement robust incubation, acceleration, and mentoring programs.
• Oversee startup selection, onboarding, monitoring, and graduation processes.
• Ensure delivery of high-quality mentoring, technical support, business advisory, and market access to startups.
• Track startup KPIs such as survival rate, revenue growth, job creation, IP generation, and fundraise outcomes.

3. Fundraising, Grants & Financial Sustainability

• Mobilize funds through government grants (DST, MeitY, MSINS, AIM, AICTE, etc.), CSR, industry sponsorships, and donors.
• Ensure financial sustainability through revenue models such as equity, program fees, corporate innovation programs, and consulting.
• Oversee budgeting, financial planning, audits, and compliance with statutory and funding agency requirements

4. Partnerships & Ecosystem Building

• Build strong partnerships with industry, investors, venture capital funds, angel networks, government agencies, and academia.
• Facilitate startup access to investors, customers, pilots, and corporate collaborations.
• Represent the incubator in nation level and international forums, networks, and policy platforms.

5. Governance, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, legal, and funding-agency guidelines.
• Prepare and present regular reports to the Board, government agencies, and stakeholders.
• Implement strong governance frameworks, SOPs, and internal controls.

6. Team Leadership & Operations

• Recruit, lead, and mentor a high-performing incubation and operations team.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and entrepreneurship within the incubator.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, facilities, infrastructure, and shared services.

7. Outreach, Branding & Thought Leadership

• Lead branding, outreach, and communication strategies to attract high-quality startups and partners.
• Promote entrepreneurship among students, faculty, and the wider community.
• Act as a thought leader in innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Postgraduate degree in Management, Engineering, Technology, Entrepreneurship, or related field.
• 1015+ years of experience in startups, incubation, venture capital, entrepreneurship, innovation management, or industry leadership.
• Proven experience in building or scaling startups, incubators, accelerators, or innovation programs.
• Strong understanding of the India's startup ecosystem and government innovation schemes.

Desirable

• Prior CEO/Director/Program Head role in an incubator, accelerator, or innovation organization.
• Experience working with universities, research institutions, or public-funded programs.
• Exposure to fundraising, investments, or startup portfolio management.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Leadership and stakeholder management
• Fundraising and financial acumen
• Startup mentoring and ecosystem development
• Strong communication and negotiation skills
• Governance, compliance, and reporting discipline

Compensation

• Competitive and commensurate with experience
• Performance-linked incentives may be applicable