Start-up Accelerator Lead

SwitchON Foundation; Kolkata District; On-site; INR 1,400,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

SwitchON Foundation is seeking a Startup Accelerator Lead to manage day-to-day execution of climate innovation accelerator programs. You will source climate tech startups and FPOs, evaluate applications, and guide participants toward business and investment readiness.

This role blends operational rigor with strategic thinking to bridge rural impact and commercial innovation. You will collaborate with mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners to design cohorts, track KPIs, and ensure

Qualifications

• Experience in running accelerator programs or incubators.
• Ability to source and screen startups and FPOs.
• Strong program management and milestone tracking.
• Stakeholder management with mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners.

Responsibilities

• Source climate startups and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
• Design and execute recruitment campaigns across India.
• Lead application review and evaluation against accelerator criteria.
• Manage cohorts from application to demo day and post-acceleration support.
• Build relationships with mentors, investors, and strategic partners.

Job description

Designation: Start-up Accelerator Lead
Organization: SwitchON Foundation
Location: Kolkata (Candidates from Kolkata or willing to relocate)
Work Experience: 8 - 12 years of relevant experience
Compensation: 14-18 Lpa (Annual CTC will be decided based on experience, skills, and role fit)
Language Proficiency: English; Hindi or regional languages preferred
About SwitchON
SwitchON Foundation (est 2008) is a mission-driven organization working to strengthen sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience. We partner with Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), Climate startups, investors, and institutions to build scalable solutions that create both economic and social impact.
Our growing enterprise platform combines acceleration, advisory, market access, capacity building, and investment facilitation to help FPCs and agri-enterprises and other climates become sustainable, growth-oriented businesses. Through strategic partnerships and ecosystem support, we enable enterprises to scale their impact and reach.
The SwitchON Foundation is part of the ON Universe, which operates an accelerator, impact fund and advisory that is dedicated to supporting proximate climate startups / social entrepreneurs and FPCs. Through the Greenovation and ONganic Accelerator which runs challenges, bootcamps, and cohort-based programs and the EarthON Fund, which leverages blended capital approaches, we address complex climate challenges across the Global South.

Position Summary

The Startup Accelerator Lead manages the day-to-day execution of our climate innovation accelerator programs, supporting both climate tech startups and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). This role focuses on sourcing, evaluating, and supporting entrepreneurs and agri-collectives through structured acceleration initiatives. You'll work with founders, FPO leaders, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners to help them achieve business readiness, investment readiness, and scale their climate and agricultural solutions.
This is an operational yet strategic role requiring strong execution capabilities, deep understanding of both startup and agricultural ecosystems, and the ability to bridge commercial innovation with ground-level rural impact.

Key Responsibilities

Startup & FPO Sourcing & Pipeline Development

• Build and maintain high-quality pipelines of climate startups, tech-enabled social enterprises, and Farmer Producer Organizations
• Design and execute recruitment campaigns across India
• Lead application review and evaluation processes aligned with accelerator criteria
• Manage cohort formation and maintain balance between startup, FPO, and sector diversity

Startup & FPO Support & Acceleration

• Provide mentorship, guidance, and strategic support to portfolio startups and FPOs
• Identify and address critical gaps in capabilities, business models, market fit, and operational efficiency
• Facilitate meaningful connections between startups/FPOs and mentors, investors, and strategic partners
• Track progress against KPIs and provide ongoing feedback tailored to each entity's stage and context

Program Management & Execution

• Design and deliver cohort-based acceleration programs (bootcamps, workshops, pitch events, farmer field schools)
• Oversee program curricula, logistics, and participant experience for diverse audiences
• Manage batches from application through demo day/showcase and post-acceleration support
• Build systems for monitoring progress, outcomes, and learning metrics

Mentor & Investor Network Management

• Curate and engage networks of mentors, technical experts, domain specialists, and agri-experts
• Facilitate introductions between startups/FPOs and ecosystem stakeholders

Ecosystem & Partnership Development

• Build relationships with corporate partners, universities, government agencies, and NGOs
• Develop partnerships for co-acceleration, pilot programs, market access, and distribution channels
• Collaborate with complementary accelerators, agricultural organizations, and ecosystem enablers
• Represent the accelerator at industry events and ecosystem convenings

Program Quality & Reporting

• Ensure high-quality execution across all accelerator initiatives
• Build monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for continuous program improvement
• Maintain accurate reporting on cohort composition, startup/FPO metrics, and outcomes
• Generate insights and recommendations for program optimization

Fundraising & Ecosystem Support