Deputy Director, Venture Creation and Sector Development, IAIC

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunity to shape and build ventures

Exposure to a vibrant innovation ecosystem

Collaborative environment with industry leaders

Contribution to Singapore’s digital economy growth

Job summary

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research is seeking a Deputy Director for Venture Creation and Sector Development. The successful candidate will drive venture incubation from the I²R’s DAC research portfolio while enhancing sector-level partnerships to boost commercialization outcomes.

This role requires a proven track record in translating advanced technologies into market-ready ventures and fostering ecosystem engagement. A collaborative environment with leading scientists and industry partners is guaranteed.

Qualifications

• 10–15 years of relevant experience in venture creation or technology transfer.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technology or research into commercial opportunities.
• Experience working across technical, business, and ecosystem stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate venture opportunities from DAC technologies.
• Develop and present compelling venture theses.
• Drive venture creation activities such as market validation and business model design.
• Build relationships with corporates and innovation platforms.
• Support prioritization of opportunities based on market attractiveness.

Skills

Venture opportunity assessment

Market validation

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Excellent communication

Education

Advanced degree in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or related discipline

MBA or equivalent experience

Job description

About A*STAR

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) drives mission-oriented research that advances scientific discovery and technological innovation. Through its research institutes, A*STAR develops deep tech capabilities and translates them into economic and societal impact for Singapore. The Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R) is a leading ICT research institute focused on Artificial Intelligence, Data, Communications, and digital technologies. Under the Data, AI & Compute (DAC) Sector, I²R drives cutting‑edge R&D and its translation into industry adoption, startups, and national capabilities.

Job Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to take on the role of Deputy Director, Venture Creation and Sector Development. This role will drive the identification, incubation, and formation of new ventures from I²R’s DAC research portfolio, while strengthening sector-level partnerships and ecosystem engagement to accelerate commercialization outcomes. The candidate will work at the intersection of research, commercialization, venture building, and industry development, translating advanced technologies into venture‑ready opportunities and enabling stronger market pathways for impact.

Key Responsibilities

Venture Creation

• Identify and evaluate venture opportunities from I²R’s DAC technologies and intellectual property.
• Develop compelling venture theses, including customer problem definition, value proposition, market opportunity, and competitive positioning.
• Lead front‑end venture creation activities such as market validation, customer discovery, and business model design.
• Drive venture formation processes, including spin‑off readiness, team formation, and commercialization pathway development.
• Prepare and present venture cases for internal review and approval.

Sector Development & Ecosystem Engagement

• Develop and execute strategies to strengthen I²R’s positioning within the Data‑AI‑Compute sector.
• Build and manage relationships with corporates, ecosystem partners, government agencies, and innovation platforms.
• Identify sector trends, market needs, and whitespace opportunities to inform venture creation and research translation.
• Facilitate co‑innovation, partnership development, and pathways for market adoption of DAC technologies.

Market & Opportunity Development

• Conduct market sensing, industry engagement, and opportunity mapping across priority DAC domains.
• Translate market insights into actionable venture opportunities and commercialization strategies.
• Support prioritization of opportunities based on market attractiveness, strategic alignment, and impact potential.

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with research teams, commercialization units, and IP/legal teams to align venture creation with sector priorities.
• Bridge internal stakeholders to ensure effective translation of research into market‑ready opportunities.
• Support the development of structured processes for venture evaluation, incubation, and sector engagement.

Performance & Reporting

• Build and manage a pipeline of venture opportunities and sector initiatives.
• Track and report key metrics, including venture opportunities identified and developed, venture cases validated and prepared for spin‑off, sector partnerships established, and commercial and strategic outcomes achieved.
• Prepare management updates, strategy papers, and decision materials.

Requirements

Education

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline.
• MBA or equivalent experience in business, strategy, or commercialization is an advantage.

Experience

• At least 10–15 years of relevant experience in venture creation, startup incubation, deep‑tech commercialization or technology transfer, industry or sector development, innovation strategy, or corporate innovation.
• Demonstrated experience in translating technology or research into commercial opportunities.
• Track record of working across technical, business, and ecosystem stakeholders.

Technical & Domain Knowledge

• Strong understanding of one or more of the following: Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, Generative AI and data platforms, Cloud, edge, or distributed computing, Enterprise software and digital infrastructure.
• Ability to engage effectively with both technical and business stakeholders.

Competencies

• Strong venture opportunity assessment and commercialization skills.
• Experience in market validation, customer discovery, and business model development.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership‑building capabilities.
• Strategic thinking with strong execution discipline.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience in a venture studio, accelerator, tech transfer office, or innovation agency.
• Strong network within the startup, investor, and industry ecosystem.
• Familiarity with Singapore’s research and innovation ecosystem.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic and evolving environment.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape and build ventures from frontier AI, data, and compute technologies.
• Exposure to a vibrant innovation ecosystem spanning research, industry, and startups.
• A collaborative environment with leading scientists, engineers, and industry partners.
• The chance to contribute to Singapore’s deep tech and digital economy growth.