Business Development Manager

Steneg; Enschede; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Steneg & Partners is seeking a Business Development Manager to lead commercial growth in integrated photonics. You will secure partnerships, identify funding opportunities, and translate technical capabilities into market-ready opportunities while managing relationships with customers, investors, and partners.

The role requires building a robust pipeline, collaborating with leadership and technical teams, and representing the company at European photonics initiatives to accelerate growth and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, photonics or business administration.
• 3–5 years of experience in business development within technology environments.
• Proven ability to identify opportunities, build partnerships and secure funding.
• Professional proficiency in English with international stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop relationships with potential customers across photonics markets.
• Build and manage the commercial pipeline from lead qualification through negotiations and deals.
• Translate photonics capabilities into differentiated value propositions for customers.
• Identify and pursue relevant public and private funding opportunities and prepare proposals.
• Represent the company at industry events and maintain strategic ecosystem relationships.

Skills

Business development

Strategic partnerships

Funding acquisition

English proficiency

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics or Business Administration

Job description

Our client is a technology-oriented company developing advanced integrated photonics solutions for next-generation optical and semiconductor applications. The organization specializes in innovative photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies, enabling high-performance solutions for telecommunications, quantum technologies, optical sensing, and other emerging industrial applications.

The company combines deep scientific expertise with an entrepreneurial, growth-driven environment, operating at the intersection of advanced technology development, industrial partnerships, and commercial market adoption. Its business model relies on close collaboration with customers, research institutions, technology partners, investors, and European innovation ecosystems. The organization offers the opportunity to play a central role in transforming differentiated photonic technology into sustainable commercial growth and scalable industrial applications.

Mission

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for driving the company's commercial growth, securing external funding, and developing strategic partnerships across the integrated photonics ecosystem. The role combines hands‑on business development, investor and funding engagement, and ecosystem relationship management to accelerate market adoption and support the company's expansion. Working closely with the leadership and technical teams, the successful candidate will translate technological capabilities into compelling business opportunities, build a qualified customer pipeline, and establish collaborations that strengthen the company's market position and long‑term development.

Responsibilities

Business Development and Commercial Growth

• Identify, approach, and develop relationships with potential customers across telecommunications, quantum technologies, sensing, semiconductor technologies, and other relevant photonics markets.
• Build and manage the commercial pipeline, from market prospecting and lead qualification through technical discussions, proposal development, negotiation, and commercial agreements.
• Translate complex photonic technologies and manufacturing capabilities into differentiated value propositions, working closely with technical teams to convert customer requirements into commercially viable opportunities.

Funding Acquisition and Financial Development

• Identify and pursue relevant public and private funding opportunities, including European and national innovation programmes, collaborative R&D grants, strategic investments, and other financing instruments.
• Coordinate the preparation of funding proposals, business cases, commercial projections, and investor presentations in collaboration with the company's leadership and technical teams.
• Develop relationships with funding agencies, venture capital investors, strategic corporate investors, and innovation organizations to support technology development, industrial scale-up, and long‑term growth.

Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Development

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with semiconductor and photonics companies, research institutions, universities, technology clusters, industrial partners, and ecosystem organizations.
• Identify opportunities for joint development projects, collaborative funding initiatives, technology integration, and commercial partnerships that accelerate technology adoption.
• Represent the company in industry conferences, innovation networks, technology platforms, and relevant European photonics initiatives, strengthening its visibility and strategic positioning.

Commercial Strategy, Market Intelligence, and Reporting

• Monitor market developments, competing technologies, customer requirements, and emerging applications to identify attractive commercial opportunities.
• Support senior leadership in defining market‑entry priorities, strategic business development initiatives, revenue opportunities, and partnership strategies.
• Maintain structured reporting on commercial pipeline development, funding opportunities, partnership activities, and business development performance, ensuring clear visibility on progress and priorities.

Required Qualifications

• University degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Business Administration, or a closely related technical or commercial discipline.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of demonstrable experience in business development, commercial development, strategic partnerships, or funding acquisition within technology‑driven environments.
• Proven ability to identify business opportunities, engage prospective customers, and develop commercial relationships involving complex technical products or solutions.
• Experience identifying and coordinating external funding opportunities, innovation grants, investment processes, or collaborative R&D proposals.
• Professional proficiency in English, with the ability to communicate effectively with international customers, partners, investors, and technical stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, networking, and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage senior decision‑makers and multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, commercial initiative, and ability to operate independently while managing multiple priorities in a growing organization.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within integrated photonics, semiconductors, optical technologies, quantum technologies, or adjacent deeptech industries.
• Familiarity with European innovation and funding ecosystems, including Horizon Europe, EIC programmes, national innovation agencies, and semiconductor or photonics industry clusters.
• Established professional networks among industrial customers, technology partners, research organizations, investors, or European photonics ecosystem stakeholders.
• Previous experience in deeptech start‑ups, university spin‑offs, or technology scale‑ups, particularly in commercializing emerging technologies and supporting industrial growth.