Founders Associate

Carbon13; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

SoilNext is seeking a sharp, high-agency operations generalist to work directly with the CEO and founders. You’ll own fundraising workflows, grant pipelines, and the operational backbone that keeps things moving—from datarooms to newsletters and social presence.

You’ll craft concise summaries, manage timelines, and contribute to investor relations while developing early-stage company infrastructure. Amsterdam-based, EU work‑authorized, with equity potential for the right person.

Qualifications

• High agency and exceptional organization are essential.
• Strong written communication for emails, briefs, and newsletters.
• Discretion with confidential financial and legal materials.
• EU work eligibility and ability to commute to Amsterdam.

Responsibilities

• Investor and grant pipeline tracking.
• Dataroom – version control, completeness, flagging gaps.
• Research and synthesis – competitive landscapes, funding briefs.
• Communications – newsletter, social presence, drafts for CEO review.
• Operating base – scheduling, inbox triage, expense logging.

Skills

High agency

Highly organized

Strong written communicator

Discreet

Job description

WHO WE ARE

SoilNext is building the data layer for soil biology. Our AI microscopy technology classifies organisms and soil constituents per sample with high accuracy – delivering soil food web diagnostics in under 48 hours at a fraction of the market rate. Two-person founding team, Dutch patent filed, real commercial traction, active fundraising.

We move fast and care deeply about what we’re building.

THE ROLE

This is a front-row seed to how a deep-tech startup is built from zero, reporting to the CEO.

You’ll work directly with the Founders across fundraising operations, grant pipelines, partnerships, investor relations, and the operational infrastructure that holds it all together. You’ll own things end to end – not hand them off.

There’s also a base layer: dataroom management, inbox triage, scheduling, admin, tracking open loops so nothing falls through the cracks, owning our newsletter, and managing our social presence. That part is real and unglamorous – and doing it well is what earns access to the bigger work.

The ideal person is sharp, high-agency, a strong writer, and wants to eventually build something of their own.

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

• Investor and grant pipeline tracking
• what’s submitted, pending, needs a follow-up
• Dataroom – version control, completeness, flagging & bridging gaps
• Research and synthesis – competitive landscapes, contact mapping, funding opportunity briefs
• Communications – our newsletter, social presence, and external drafts for CEO’s review
• Operating base – scheduling, inbox triage, expense logging, ad hoc admin

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• High agency and exceptionally organised – you notice what’s missing before anyone asks
• Strong written communicator – you can draft a crisp email, a briefing note, and a newsletter in the same morning
• Discreet – you’ll have access to financials, legal agreements, and investor materials
• Based in or able to commute to Amsterdam
• Eligible to work in the EU (No visa sponsorship provided)

WHY THIS ROLE

• Direct access to founders from day one – real work, not shadow work- Equity on the table for the right person, with a formal cliff after a successful trial period- Everything you’d need to build your own company one day, learned from the inside