Ventures Analyst/ Associate - Enterprise & AI Ventures

Plug and Play Tech Center; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading venture capital firm in Sunnyvale is seeking a Research Analyst / Associate to provide insights on emerging technologies and investment opportunities. Candidates should have a degree in computer science or similar, with 2-3 years of experience in VC, research, or consulting. Responsibilities include tracking market trends, conducting research, and supporting investment processes through detailed analysis and reporting. This role offers an opportunity to work closely with innovative startups and corporate partners.

Qualifications

• Ability to evaluate technical products and trends.
• Love for conducting deep dives and building structured insights.
• Skilled at writing clear, engaging, and professional content.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine investment roadmaps.
• Track industry trends and competitive landscapes.
• Summarize research into clear insights for the Ventures team.

Skills

Analytical skills

Technical expertise

Research-oriented mindset

Strong communication

Proactive learning

Education

Degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or mathematics

Job description

ABOUT PLUG AND PLAY

Plug and Play is one of the most active early-stage venture investors globally. Since 1998, we’ve backed over 2,000 startups — including PayPal, Dropbox, Soundhound, and Lending Club — and today operate across 65 locations and 23 verticals. Our unique model combines venture investing with a global network of 550+ corporate partners to accelerate innovation worldwide.

We are expanding our Enterprise & AI Ventures teamand seeking a Research Analyst / Associatewho will focus on building investment theses, tracking emerging technologies, and producing high-quality research that guides our venture strategy and helps Enterprises stay ahead of disruption.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Thesis & Market Intelligence

• Develop and refine investment roadmaps in Enterprise & AI.
• Track industry trends, regulatory shifts, and competitive landscapes.
• Identify and profile the most promising startups and technologies in target markets.

Company & Ecosystem Tracking

• Monitor performance of notable startups, scaleups, and major industry players.
• Track venture investment activity, acquisitions, and partnership trends.
• Maintain internal knowledge bases and market maps to guide sourcing and decision‑making.

Enterprise-Driven Insights

• Gather intelligence directly from our enterprise ecosystem through interviews, surveys, and feedback loops.
• Translate enterprise perspectives into reports and buyer‑driven insights that inform investment theses and help startups understand customer needs.

Support Investment Process

• Contribute to company diligence: product analysis, technical reviews, market sizing, customer references.
• Summarize research into clear, data‑driven insights for the Ventures team and Enterprises.

Strategic Exposure

• Partner with senior team members to align Enterprise needs with startup opportunities.
• Support occasional events, founder introductions, and content initiatives — with research at the core of your contributions.
• Collaborate with the Plug and Play team to understand corporate innovation needs and facilitate targeted introductions between startups and corporate partners.
• Manage dealflow sessions, ensuring relevant startups are presented effectively to corporate partners.

ABOUT YOU

• Analytical & Technical: Degree (or self‑taught expertise) in computer science, data science, engineering, mathematics, or related field. Able to evaluate technical products and trends.
• Research-Oriented: You love deep dives, connecting dots, and building structured insights from fragmented information.
• Ecosystem Connector: Comfortable engaging with executives to extract insights, run surveys, and capture the “voice of the buyer” to enrich your research.
• Content Creator: Skilled at writing clear, engaging, and professional content — from research reports to blog posts and public-facing insights.
• Strong Communicator: Clear, concise writer and presenter; able to tailor insights to investors, executives, and founders.
• Curious & Proactive: You thrive on learning new technologies, experimenting with AI tools, and staying on the cutting edge.
• Experience: 2–3 years in VC, consulting, banking, product, research, or a technical role — or exceptional projects that prove your ability.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Independent thinker, fast learner, and self‑starter who thrives in a dynamic, venture environment.