VC Associate

Toyota Research Institute; Los Altos Hills (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) eligibility

Vacation and sick time

Parental leave

Job summary

Toyota Ventures in the San Francisco Bay Area hires an associate to source and screen deep-tech startups in AI, robotics, and space tech. The role emphasizes building a network and generating deal flow to identify promising early-stage companies.

The ideal candidate has a degree in a relevant field and at least 4 years of related experience, with strong communication, financial modeling, and market insight for investment memos and decisions. Remote work within the U.S. is possible.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a related role; VC or tech ops preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• High integrity, confidentiality, and professional conduct.
• AI, robotics, or semiconductor exposure is a plus.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and well-networked.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Strong financial modeling and analysis skills.
• Proficient with Excel and G-Suite.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and risk.
• Ability to collaborate across teams.
• Track record of delivering projects with minimal guidance.
• Passion for learning new technologies and business potential.

Responsibilities

• Source deal-flow and attend industry/VC events.
• Meet and evaluate target companies for investment potential.
• Prepare memos and present to Investment Committee.
• Support negotiations and deal closings.
• Conduct due diligence and competitive analyses.
• Analyze industry trends and author market briefs.
• Collaborate with Toyota Ventures platform team to support portfolio companies.

Skills

Venture capital exposure

Communication skills

Financial modeling

Excel & Google Suite

Networking

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, CS, engineering or relevant field

Tools

Excel

Google Suite

Job description

Founded in 2017, Toyota Ventures is a San Francisco Bay Area-based venture capital firm with $800M+ AUM that invests in early-stage startups around the world in deep tech and climate solutions. We are on a mission to discover what’s next for Toyota by helping startups bring groundbreaking technologies and business models to market quickly. We’ve invested in over 100 companies to date, including AM Batteries, Apex Space, Axiom Math, Bipi (acquired), Blackmore (acquired), Efficient Computer, e-Zinc, Intuition Robotics, Joby Aviation (NYSE: Joby), Natura Resources, Pickle Robot, and Stoke Space.

Our firm is growing and we are looking for an associate for the Toyota Ventures Frontier Fund(s) to help source and screen innovative companies in areas like AI, advanced materials, automation and robotics, and space tech. Along with a degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 4 years of related work experience, we are seeking someone with a strong understanding of deep tech. Hands-on experience in a development or product management role related to one of our investment areas is a plus. The role also requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, an understanding of industry trends, and a knack for spotting the early stage startups that are defining those trends.

The ideal candidate will be a natural networker who is already plugged into the startup ecosystem and is familiar with leading entrepreneurs and investors in deep tech. Experience creating cap tables, digesting financial statements, and preparing investment memos is also important. We also value diversity, acting with integrity, being humble but bold, and “keeping it weird.” If this sounds like a good fit, and you’re passionate about finding and funding innovative companies, we look forward to hearing from you!

This role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area (we have offices in both San Francisco and Los Altos, CA), but remote work within other U.S. cities is possible.

Responsibilities

• Network and take part in industry and VC events, organizations
• Help generate deal-flow and source high-potential target companies
• Meet with and evaluate companies to make recommendations on investing
• Participate in due diligence, competitive analyses, and industry deep dives
• Prepare memos and present potential investments to the Investment Committee
• Support deal negotiations and closings
• Analyze latest industry trends and author market research briefings
• Collaborate with Toyota Ventures platform team to support portfolio companies

Qualifications

• 2+ years of work experience in related role; previous experience in venture capital or an operational role in a technology company preferred
• Bachelor's degree in business, computer science, engineering or relevant field
• High level of integrity and professionalism, with ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• AI, robotics, or semiconductor exposure
• Entrepreneurial-minded and well-networked
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong financial modeling and analysis skills
• Extensive experience working with Excel and Google Suite
• Comfortable with ambiguity and risk
• Ability to work collaboratively with team members
• Track record of successfully completing projects with minimal guidance
• Passion for learning about new technologies and understanding their business potential

The pay range for this position at the commencement of employment is expected to be between $120,000 and $155,000/year for California-based roles; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Note that TRI offers a generous benefits package (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave) and an annual cash bonus structure. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

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