Head of Strategy and Business Development

LightXcelerate; Santa Clara (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Performance-based compensation

Immigration support

Job summary

LightXcelerate is seeking a hands-on Head of Strategy and Business Development to shape our growth, build industry relationships, and support fundraising. You will work directly with the founders to define strategy, positioning, partnerships, and company development in a fast-moving startup environment.

You will engage with AI chipmakers, hyperscalers, and semiconductor partners, translating technical value into compelling market narratives while managing a structured pipeline of customers and

Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience in semiconductor hardware, optical communications, AI infrastructure, data centers, or related industry.
• Experience in business development, product marketing, corporate strategy, investing, consulting, or customer-facing engineering.
• Ability to understand technical products and communicate their commercial value clearly.
• Strong presentation, writing, analytical, and relationship-building skills.
• Comfortable working with technical leaders, senior executives, customers, and investors.
• Highly driven, resourceful, and comfortable working in an early-stage startup.
• Able to work on-site or in a hybrid arrangement within Silicon Valley.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with AI chip companies, hyperscalers, semiconductor companies, and optical ecosystem partners
• Advance customer evaluations, strategic partnerships, and commercial opportunities
• Create compelling presentations, product messaging, and marketing materials
• Support fundraising, investor relations, and corporate development activities
• Conduct market, customer, and competitive analysis
• Help define product positioning, go-to-market strategy, and partnership priorities
• Represent LightXcelerate at customer meetings, conferences, and industry events
• Translate customer feedback into clear product and business priorities
• Build and manage a structured pipeline of customers, investors, and strategic partners

Skills

Semiconductor hardware

Optical communications

AI infrastructure

Data centers

Relationship building

Presentations

Strategic partnerships

Job description

Head of Strategy and Business Development

Work arrangement: On-site or hybrid within Silicon Valley

About LightXcelerate

As AI systems scale, the bottleneck is shifting from computing to connectivity. LightXcelerate is developing next-generation optical interconnects based on micro-VCSEL arrays to help AI chips communicate with higher bandwidth, lower power, and lower cost.

Our founding team includes Stanford and Princeton PhDs with experience at Apple. We are building a small, highly driven team to turn our technology into products deployed in real customer systems.

The Role

We are looking for a hands-on business leader who can understand semiconductor technology and clearly communicate its value to customers, partners, and investors.

Working directly with the founders, you will help shape our strategy, develop important industry relationships, support fundraising and corporate development, and represent LightXcelerate in the market.

This is not a traditional marketing or sales role. You will take meaningful ownership across strategy, partnerships, product positioning, and company development.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with AI chip companies, hyperscalers, semiconductor companies, and optical ecosystem partners
• Advance customer evaluations, strategic partnerships, and commercial opportunities
• Create compelling presentations, product messaging, and marketing materials
• Support fundraising, investor relations, and corporate development activities
• Conduct market, customer, and competitive analysis
• Help define product positioning, go-to-market strategy, and partnership priorities
• Represent LightXcelerate at customer meetings, conferences, and industry events
• Translate customer feedback into clear product and business priorities
• Build and manage a structured pipeline of customers, investors, and strategic partners

Qualifications

• Open to candidates with two or more years of experience in semiconductor hardware, optical communications, AI infrastructure, data centers, or a related industry
• Experience in business development, product marketing, corporate strategy, investing, consulting, or customer-facing engineering
• Ability to understand technical products and communicate their commercial value clearly
• Strong presentation, writing, analytical, and relationship-building skills
• Comfortable working with technical leaders, senior executives, customers, and investors
• Highly driven, resourceful, and comfortable working in an early-stage startup
• Able to work on-site or in a hybrid arrangement within Silicon Valley

Experience with optical interconnects, strategic investments, startup fundraising, or semiconductor transactions is valuable but not required.

Compensation

The expected base salary range for this position is $120,000 to $170,000, plus meaningful equity, performance-based compensation, and benefits. Final compensation will depend on the candidate’s experience, skills, and expected responsibilities.

Immigration Support

We welcome international candidates and are committed to supporting qualified team members through the U.S. immigration process. Depending on individual eligibility and legal requirements, support may include OPT and STEM OPT, H-1B and O-1 sponsorship, and assistance with employment-based permanent residence pathways, including NIW-related support.

Why Join Us

You will join LightXcelerate at an early and important stage, work directly with the founders, and help shape both our company and an emerging category of AI connectivity. The role offers meaningful ownership, broad exposure, and the opportunity to grow with the company.