Is AgriFoodTech your game and building a better world your aim? Do you want to drive tomorrow’s collaborations between startups and leading Food & Agriculture (F&A) corporates around the world? Do you love working with energetic founders and corporate innovation leaders? Become Innovation & Partnership manager at StartLife!

StartLife is the top AgriFoodTech startup accelerator in The Netherlands and Europe. We offer world-class support programs, top industry business mentors, non-equity funding and access to a global community of startups, investors, corporates and experts. Since 2010 we’ve supported 400+ agrifoodtech startups that have raised over €320 million follow-on capital.

About the position

We need startups for their drive and disruptive innovations, and we need corporates to ramp up startups’ scaling journey. That’s why StartLife built long-lasting partnerships with leading food & ag corporates, such as Givaudan, Agrifirm and Kubota. They collaborate with our startups in market validation, scaling up and roll-out. In return, they get access to the best startups teams to meet their own innovation challenges. The Innovation & Partnership Manager – together with the scouts, analyst and partnership manager – drives this: you get in the most innovative corporates, set the stage for collaboration, and create a win-win for both the corporate and the startup.

You are in the driver seat to shape this role, you’ll meet the most inspiring impact-driven F&A startups and corporates, have a front row seat in corporate innovation in practice, and work with amazing founders and breakthrough technologies!

As StartLife’s Innovation & Partnership manager, you

  • Are driving tomorrow’s startup – corporate collaboration successes, getting startups to the next step in their development while safeguarding corporate interests
  • Negotiate significant long-lasting corporate partnerships aimed at collaborations; you’ll get room for creativity and pragmatism in diversifying StartLife’s offer to meet corporates needs
  • Have your stuff together as you manage a pipeline of deals and stakeholders: you’re focused, resolve issues, you manage expectations and timelines
  • Search for new collaborative models bilaterally and/or in consortia.
  • Showcase successes and are an ambassador for StartLife wherever you are.

We ask

  • You are a dealmaker and intrinsically motivated to drive corporate-startup successes
  • You have a relevant degree, understand the agrifood scene and have an active network
  • You speak the language of corporate innovation; founder experience is a plus
  • Top verbal and written communication skills in English and preferably Dutch
  • Comfortable with operational heavy-lifting that comes with the job – we’re lean so we all have to roll up our sleeves!

We offer

As StartLife’s Innovation & Partnership manager, you work in a fun, international team of 14 people that go the extra mile for impact-driven F&A startups. StartLife is located on Wageningen Campus in the Plus Ultra II building – the heart of the agrifoodtech startup community. We offer a dynamic position where you will create and lead long-lasting relationships with corporate innovation leaders, design and implement collaboration models, and get exposure to a wide range of F&A impactful startups, experts, and top VCs.
We offer a competitive salary depending on your knowledge and experience. The duration of the employment contract is initially for one year with the intention to extend. StartLife does not act as a visa sponsor for this position.

Interested?

If you’re interested, we’d love to jump on a call. Get in touch with our Managing Director, Jan Meiling (Jan.meiling@start-life.nl) to learn more. To apply, send your cv and motivation to our Operations Director Laura.Thissen@start-life.nl.