About Activate Global
Activate empowers scientists and engineers to reinvent our world by bringing their research to market. We partner with leading funders and research institutions to offer the Activate Fellowship, providing the funding, community, mentorship, network, and time that scientists need to become entrepreneurs.
The results are game changing: Activate Fellows have launched 197 new companies since 2015. These companies have raised $4B in follow-on funding, created more than 2,800 U.S.-based jobs, and defined several new market categories. Activate supports fellows in Berkeley, CA; Cambridge, MA; New York, NY; Houston, TX; and across the U.S. through Activate Anywhere.
Position Summary
Activate is seeking a Managing Director to launch and lead the Singapore one-year fellowship program. This is a rare opportunity to shape Activate’s first international program. The Managing Director will serve as the lead advisor for a cohort of entrepreneurial scientists while also stewarding key partnerships and growing Activate’s presence in Southeast Asia, and working with the Activate leadership team to inform global strategy moving forward.
This role is 50% focused on directly mentoring and advising the fellows, 25% on ecosystem engagement and regional partnership building, and 25% on managing program design and operations. The Managing Director will oversee and coordinate all program resources with the support of a part time program manager from Activate and 2 NTU based staff—to ensure a cohesive and high-quality experience for fellows.
This role reports to Activate’s EVP of Strategic Initiatives and will work closely with Activate’s executive team and cross-functional program staff.
Primary Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary advisor and mentor to a cohort of entrepreneurial scientists to drive successful outcomes for each individual fellow, providing mentorship, support, network connectivity, and resources.
- Lead program delivery in Singapore, including review and selection of fellows, goal setting, advisory board formation, 1:1 mentorship, quarterly board meetings, and weekly educational programming.
- Manage and align program resources, including coordination of NTU staff and Activate’s part-time program manager, to deliver an integrated and effective fellowship experience.
- Cultivate partnerships across Southeast Asia’s innovation ecosystem to expand fellows’ access to experts, funders, and infrastructure.
- Manage key institutional relationships, especially with NTU and government stakeholders, to support program implementation and ongoing design iteration and reporting.
- Collaborate with Activate’s U.S. team to tailor program content, troubleshoot challenges, and share learnings that inform Activate’s global strategy.
- Represent Activate in Singapore and the region with funders, policymakers, and ecosystem partners.
The Ideal Candidate
- Has an advanced degree in the physical or biological sciences and 5-7 years experience in research, development, management, and commercialization of science-driven technologies, with entrepreneurial experience as the leader of a new company or business unit.
- Has led high-performance technical teams and has demonstrated a commitment to nurturing talent through mentorship.
- Has a strong network and reputation among stakeholders from across the innovation ecosystem (academia, industry, finance, and government).
- Strongly exhibits objectivity, empathy, and inclusiveness in leadership.
- Is an excellent communicator and collaborator.
- Can manage a complex, dynamic portfolio of projects and stakeholders.
- Believes in the power of science innovation to combat the challenges facing our people and planet to create a sustainable, resilient, equitable global economy.
- Has debated the merits of venture capital as a source of funding for early-stage hard-technology companies, and is supportive of a broad range of finance and business models for advancing hard-tech to market.
- Has experience working both in the US and internationally.
- Would be excited to wake up each day asking the question, “what can I do to make our fellows successful?”
About The Role
This is a full-time position with a competitive salary range between USD $200K / SGD $258K to USD $225K / SGD $292K, with a generous benefits package that includes relocation assistance, professional development, wellness funds, paid time off, healthcare premiums covered for employees and dependents.
Employment is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to obtain and maintain any required Singapore work authorization. Activate Global will sponsor an Employment Pass or other applicable work pass for qualified non-citizen candidates in accordance with Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower regulations.
Encouraging Applications from All Backgrounds
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming workplace for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Activate Global, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
What We Do
We empower scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market.
Founded in 2015, Activate is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market to address climate change and other global challenges.
Activate works between government and the private sector, transforming scientists into high-impact entrepreneurs through a fellowship that guides them along every step of the journey. The Activate Fellowship provides two years of funding and connects fellows with the resources, knowledge, and networks they need to succeed. The fellowship does not take equity in fellows' startups.
Activate's entrepreneurial fellowship model originated at Cyclotron Road, a division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and founding Activate partner. Today, Activate supports 20-30 new Activate Fellows each year in with plans to expand to 100 new fellows, across the United States, each year.
For more information, go to Activate.org.
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