Director of Business Development (AR / XR)

Lynx Recruitment Limited; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK tech startup is seeking a Director of Business Development to drive investor engagement and lead fundraising efforts. This role requires a proven track record in securing significant funding rounds and deep tech startup experience. The successful candidate will work closely with the founding team to scale groundbreaking optical technologies. This opportunity offers a competitive salary and equity, along with the chance to work in the heart of Cambridge’s deep tech ecosystem.

Benefits

£70,000 - £80,000 base salary

1-2% equity

Performance-based bonus

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Ground-floor opportunity in a growing business

Flexible work-from-home arrangements

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading Series A, B, or C fundraises, ideally having personally closed £5M+ rounds.
• Deep tech or hardware startup experience in optics, photonics, semiconductors, XR / AR / VR, robotics, or similar.
• Strong existing investor network in UK / EU venture capital.
• Ability to translate complex technical innovation into compelling investment narratives.
• Experience managing end-to-end fundraising process including pitch refinement, financial modelling, due diligence, and term sheet negotiation.

Responsibilities

• Own the Series A process end-to-end including pitch deck refinement and investor outreach.
• Build and manage investor pipeline and CRM.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with AR / VR hardware companies.
• Represent the company at industry events and customer meetings.

Skills

Fundraising expertise

Investor engagement

Building partnerships

Narrative crafting

Self-starter mentality

Job description

Director of Business Development (Fundraising)

Cambridge-Based Deep Tech Startup | Nanophotonics & XR Technology

£70,000 - £80,000 base + up to 2% equity + performance bonus

Full-time | Cambridge (4-5 days / week on-site preferred)

About Our Client

Our client is a Cambridge University spin-out at the forefront of breakthrough optical technology that's set to revolutionize the Extended Reality (XR) industry. Backed by leading VCs and Innovate UK, they've recently closed a successful seed round and are now preparing for Series A in Q2 2025.

The Role

You'll be the driving force behind investor engagement, pitch strategy, and deal execution working closely with the founding team to secure the funding that will scale this technology to market.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising (Primary Focus - Year 1)

• Own the Series A process end-to-end : pitch deck refinement, financial modelling, investor targeting, outreach, meetings, due diligence, and closing

Build and manage investor pipeline and CRM

• Craft compelling narratives that communicate deep tech value to non-technical investors
• Leverage founder's VC network while bringing your own connections and sourcing new opportunities
• Prepare all investor materials, data room, and board reporting
• Target close : Q2 2025

Business Development & Partnerships

• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with AR / VR hardware companies, automotive OEMs, and other enterprise customers
• Support commercial discussions with existing and prospective partners

Build qualified pipeline for future revenue growth

• Represent the company at industry events, investor forums, and customer meetings

Essential Experience

• Proven track record leading Series A, B, or C fundraises(ideally having personally closed £5M+ rounds)
• Deep tech or hardware startup experience(optics, photonics, semiconductors, XR / AR / VR, robotics, or similar technical domains)
• Strong existing investor networkin UK / EU venture capital
• Ability to translate complex technical innovation into compelling investment narratives
• Experience managing end-to-end fundraising processincluding pitch refinement, financial modelling, due diligence, and term sheet negotiation
• Self-starter mentality comfortable owning outcomes in an early-stage, fast-moving environment

What's On Offer

• £70,000 - £80,000 base salary
• 1-2% equity significant upside in a company with genuine breakthrough technology
• Performance-based bonus(tied to fundraising milestones and partnership achievements)
• 25 days holiday+ bank holidays
• Ground-floor opportunityin a business with established partnerships and clear path to market
• Work alongside world-class technical founders from Cambridge's Centre for Photonic Devices and Sensors
• Cambridge location heart of the UK's deep tech ecosystem (4-5 days / week on-site preferred, 1-2 days WFH flexibility available)