Deputy Director, Venture Creation and Sector Development, I2R

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to take on the role of Deputy Director, Venture Creation and Sector Development. This role will drive the identification, incubation, and formation of new ventures from I²R’s DAC research portfolio, while strengthening sector-level partnerships and ecosystem engagement to accelerate commercialization outcomes.The candidate will work at the intersection of research, commercialization, venture building, and industry development, translating advanced technologies into venture-ready opportunities and enabling stronger market pathways for impact.

Key Responsibilities

Venture Creation

• Identify and evaluate venture opportunities from I²R’s DAC technologies and intellectual property.
• Develop compelling venture theses, including customer problem definition, value proposition, market opportunity, and competitive positioning.
• Lead front-end venture creation activities such as market validation, customer discovery, and business model design.
• Drive venture formation processes, including spin-off readiness, team formation, and commercialization pathway development.
• Prepare and present venture cases for internal review and approval.

Sector Development & Ecosystem Engagement

• Develop and execute strategies to strengthen I²R’s positioning within the Data-AI-Compute sector.
• Build and manage relationships with corporates, ecosystem partners, government agencies, and innovation platforms.Identify sector trends, market needs, and whitespace opportunities to inform venture creation and research translation.
• Facilitate co-innovation, partnership development, and pathways for market adoption of DAC technologies. 

Market & Opportunity Development

• Conduct market sensing, industry engagement, and opportunity mapping across priority DAC domains.
• Translate market insights into actionable venture opportunities and commercialization strategies.
• Support prioritization of opportunities based on market attractiveness, strategic alignment, and impact potential. 

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with research teams, commercialization units, and IP/legal teams to align venture creation with sector priorities.
• Bridge internal stakeholders to ensure effective translation of research into market-ready opportunities.
• Support the development of structured processes for venture evaluation, incubation, and sector engagement. 

Performance & Reporting

• Build and manage a pipeline of venture opportunities and sector initiatives.
• Track and report key metrics, including:Venture opportunities identified and developed
• Venture cases validated and prepared for spin-offSector partnerships established
• Commercial and strategic outcomes achieved
• Prepare management updates, strategy papers, and decision materials. 

Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline.
• MBA or equivalent experience in business, strategy, or commercialization is an advantage.

Experience

• At least 10–15 years of relevant experience in areas such as:Venture creation, startup incubation, or venture buildingDeep tech commercialization or technology transferIndustry or sector developmentInnovation strategy or corporate innovation
• Demonstrated experience in translating technology or research into commercial opportunities.
• Track record of working across technical, business, and ecosystem stakeholders. 

Technical & Domain Knowledge

• Strong understanding of one or more of the following:Artificial Intelligence / Machine LearningGenerative AI and data platformsCloud, edge, or distributed computingEnterprise software and digital infrastructure
• Ability to engage effectively with both technical and business stakeholders. 

Competencies

• Strong venture opportunity assessment and commercialization skills
• Experience in market validation, customer discovery, and business model development
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership-building capabilities
• Strategic thinking with strong execution discipline
• Excellent communication and presentation skills 

Preferred Attributes

• Experience in a venture studio, accelerator, tech transfer office, or innovation agency
• Strong network within the startup, investor, and industry ecosystem
• Familiarity with Singapore’s research and innovation ecosystem
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic and evolving environment 

The above eligibility criteria are not exhaustive. A*STAR may include additional selection criteria based on its prevailing recruitment policies. These policies may be amended from time to time without notice. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.