VP of Entrepreneurship

CvilleBioHub; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

CvilleBioHub seeks a visionary VP of Entrepreneurship to design and scale founder-facing programs, driving accelerator and founder support initiatives in Central Virginia. You will own advisory groups, partnerships, and portfolio company engagement, shaping a thriving startup ecosystem.

The role emphasizes operational rigor, fundraising coaching, and cross-functional leadership to help teams navigate fundraising, GTM, hiring, and scaling.

Qualifications

• Experience leading founder-facing entrepreneurship programs.
• 5+ years in startups or founder/operator roles preferred.
• Willingness to relocate to Charlottesville, VA (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Design, lead and improve entrepreneurship programming (accelerator, EIR, founder support).
• Set strategic direction for identifying and growing early-stage companies.

Skills

Startup leadership

Project management

Ecosystem building

Partnership development

Fundraising coaching

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CRM

Tracking tools

Job description

We are seeking an entrepreneurial, execution-oriented VP of Entrepreneurship to lead and scale our founder-facing programming. This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who has built or operated inside startups themselves, thrives on project management and organizational rigor, and knows how to build the relationships that make an entrepreneurial ecosystem work. You will own our advisory group, our accelerator and portfolio company support, and the partnership connections that bring capital, mentorship, and opportunity to our founders.

The ideal candidate has walked in a founder’s shoes, understands the operational realities of building a company, and is energized by helping others do the same. Life sciences and biotech exposure is highly desired, but we will strongly consider top candidates from technology and other high-growth startup backgrounds who bring exceptional entrepreneurial and program leadership experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, lead, and continuously improve CvilleBioHub’s entrepreneurship programming, including accelerator, EIR, and founder support initiatives.Set the strategic direction for how CvilleBioHub identifies, supports, and grows early-stage companies across the ecosystem.Define and track success metrics for portfolio companies, advisory engagement, and program outcomes.Bring startup operating experience to bear in coaching founders through fundraising, go-to-market, hiring, and scaling challenges.

Advisory Group Oversight

• Recruit, onboard, and manage CvilleBioHub’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) and advisory network.Match advisor expertise to founder and company needs, ensuring high-quality, consistent engagement.Run and continuously improve the cadence of advisory touchpoints, office hours, and structured check-ins.Build a scalable framework for expanding the advisory bench as the portfolio grows.
• Collaborate and support growth of strategic partnerships with investors, corporate partners, universities, and regional innovation organizations.Build and manage the startup pipeline, from sourcing prospective companies to guiding them through onboarding.Represent CvilleBioHub externally as a credible, connected voice in the entrepreneurship and venture community.Identify and cultivate relationships that create tangible opportunities for portfolio companies — capital, customers, talent, and visibility.

Program & Project Management

• Apply strong project management discipline to manage multiple concurrent programs, timelines, and stakeholders.Build and maintain systems (CRM, tracking tools, reporting) that keep engagement, milestones, and outcomes organized and visible.Partner with the President and leadership team on board reporting, grant deliverables, and organizational strategy.Manage and mentor any coordinators or associates supporting entrepreneurship programming.

Ecosystem & Community Leadership

• Serve as a visible, trusted leader within the regional entrepreneurial and life sciences ecosystem.Represent CvilleBioHub at key events (e.g., BioDiscovery Summit, BioSpark) and industry convenings.Contribute to CvilleBioHub’s broader mission of building a thriving, connected innovation economy in Central Virginia.

Experience and Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s (Preferred)

Experience:

• Entrepreneurial: 5 years (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Charlottesville, VA 22911: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)