Investor Readiness Mentor

Entreinstitute; Waterloo; Remote; CAD 50,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization as an Investor Readiness Mentor, where you will leverage your investment expertise to guide high-potential start-ups in securing funding. In this dynamic role, you will collaborate with a diverse group of entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the complexities of investment readiness and fostering valuable connections with investors. Your insights will empower start-ups to develop robust strategies and pitch their ideas effectively. This position offers flexibility and the opportunity to make a significant impact in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting innovation and growth in the Canadian market.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of investment experience in VC, PE, or related fields.
• Outstanding analytical skills and detail-oriented approach.

Responsibilities

• Guide start-ups in becoming investor-ready through strategic advice.
• Build and manage relationships with venture capitalists.

Skills

Investment Experience

Business Development

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Relationship Building

Education

Post-secondary degree in analytical fields

Tools

PitchBook

Excel

Job description

Investor Readiness Mentor – Contract or Consultant

Accelerator Centre (AC) requires an experienced subject matter expert in Investor Readiness to expand its roster of talented mentors for our award-winning entrepreneurship programming.

Reporting to the Director, Programs and Client Experience, the Investor Readiness Mentor will help our portfolio of more than 150 companies to develop strategies and execute on tactics to become ready for angel and Venture Capital investors. The ideal candidate is a keen relationship builder, has a strong business development skillset, and has a passion for matching high-potential Canadian startups with international venture capital investors.

This role will be engaged as a third-party consultant and will be compensated hourly based on client demand; we anticipate the initial time required to be approximately 5-10 hours per week, but the hours will vary from week to week. This variation provides for a flexible schedule.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Investment Readiness for Start-ups

1. Work closely with start-ups and other AC mentors to ensure start-ups are Investor Ready (e.g. financial planning, market research, pitch deck, data room, competitive analysis, etc.). The AC has expert mentors in each of required areas, and the IR mentor will coordinate with other mentors and fill in any gaps, as needed.
2. Strategic guidance for fund-raising planning, including amount of funds to raise now, when the next round will need to be raised, valuation (if required), use of funds, benefits/disadvantages of various funding instruments (e.g. convertible notes, SAFEs, etc.).
3. Discussing considerations for cap table dilution, board of director structures, legal documentation requirements.
4. Supporting start-ups with market research, venture capital prospects to target that are aligned with start-ups’ industry, research on successful raises from competitors, etc. The AC uses PitchBook as a primary research tool.
5. Helping start-ups to understand their funding and future exit options and associated strategies (e.g. Series A++, acquisition, strategic partnerships, etc.).

Investor Relationship Building and Management

1. Continually evangelize AC investment-ready companies to prospective investors.
2. Organize pitch-days, investor meet and greets with founders, and other valuable investor matching events.
3. Work with the AC Marketing team to create investor-focused newsletter content and investor-founder meetups.
4. Nurture ongoing relationships with VCs in order to create investment opportunities for AC founders.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

1. 3+ years of investment experience (VC/PE, investment banking, strategy consulting firm, corporate BD, or equivalent founder experience).
2. Established contacts and experience with US and Canadian venture capital firms, angel investment groups, and/or corporate venture capital groups.
3. Connections in the venture capital space or a successful entrepreneurial journey with multiple rounds of funds raised.
4. Post-secondary degree in science, technology, engineering, math, finance, economics, or other analytical fields.
5. Demonstrate curiosity and a genuine interest for technology and innovation.
6. Outstanding analytical skills (incl Excel), detail-oriented, proactive and self-motivated.
7. Experience with cash flow modeling and investment valuation techniques.
8. Capability to take detailed research and translate findings into investment recommendations.
9. Highest levels of ethics, integrity and confidentiality in operations and client interactions.
10. Ability to multitask and manage a portfolio of projects.
11. Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
12. Must be able to mentor during the hours of 9-5pm ET, but flexibility in hours would be appreciated to accommodate multiple time zones.

If a community member would prefer to volunteer their time to provide this expertise to our high-potential start-ups, we would also be open to this model.

Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion

The Accelerator Centre is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community that is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs from all backgrounds. A full range of perspectives, experiences, and passions are key to creating the inclusive, entrepreneurial environment that is necessary to help our clients build and scale globally competitive companies. Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion means the elimination of discrimination and exclusion, in all its forms, at all levels of our organization and in our programming.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including those from historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. We will provide any requested accommodation to enable candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require assistance, please contact [e-mail] noting the job title in the subject line of the email.