Partner, Azolla Ventures
Azolla Management Company seeks a Partner for our early-stage, impact-driven venture
capital fund. We are seeking the right mission-aligned individual and will make room for that
candidate commensurate with their capabilities and experience: an exceptionally strong
candidate might be considered for a General Partner role with responsibilities to manage the
firm, while a candidate relatively new to venture investing might be considered for a Venture
Partner role focusing on specific portfolio companies. Azolla Ventures brings a fundamentally
new approach to venture investing, integrating catalytic capital and full-cycle capital (i.e.
conventional venture capital) to embrace high risk and prioritize climate impact. Azolla
Ventures was created by Prime Coalition, a nonprofit organization that partners with
philanthropists and other mission-driven investors to support market-driven innovations
designed to catalyze, deepen, or accelerate solutions for climate change.
The Partner will be part of the senior team of a fully-capitalized $200MM+ climate tech
venture fund. Alongside the broader team, the Partner will source high-impact investment
opportunities, build relationships with start-up founders, fund breakthrough technology
companies, serve on boards of portfolio companies, and work with the General Partners to
manage the fund. This is a unique opportunity for the right individual to provide vision and
stewardship at the cutting edge of impact investing.
Azolla Management Company is an equal opportunity employer with an intentional focus on
diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have a majority-female leadership team, and especially
encourage applicants from backgrounds which are underrepresented in venture capital to
apply.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts or San Francisco Bay area.
Compensation: Salary commensurate with the fund’s investment stage and style; competitive
incentive compensation partially based on impact metrics.
Work Authorization: Unfortunately, Azolla Ventures is not able to sponsor U.S. work visas now
or in the foreseeable future. All applicants will be required to produce valid U.S. work
authorization prior to commencing employment.
Application deadline: Rolling application; candidates will be reviewed as they submit.
Start date: As soon as possible; however, this is a critical hire and recruiting a mission-aligned
leader is of the utmost importance.
Responsibilities:
● Work with the full investment team to source, evaluate, structure investments in, and
monitor transformational start-up companies that could have a big impact on climate
change. Focus is pre-seed, seed, and Series A stage. Investee companies will have the
potential to mitigate CO2 emissions at the gigaton level, be attractive to follow-on
investors, and be a fit for catalytic capital.
● Source high-quality investment opportunities in sync with the fund’s mandate. Prove
through your presence in the community, your sharp mind, and your eagerness to
assist entrepreneurs that you are the first call for breakthrough start-up founders.
● Develop and maintain a network of trusted relationships among entrepreneurs, co-
investors, university faculty and grad students, incubators, and technology hubs.
● Lead due diligence on prospective investments including industry research, expert
interviews, competitive analysis, and financial modeling.
● Structure and lead investments with a high degree of independence, including
negotiating terms with start-up CEOs and co-investors to drive investments to close.
● Advance fund goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through building a diverse
network of pipeline partners, sourcing and investing in diverse start-up companies that
meet the fund’s internal targets surrounding geography, race, and gender.
● Serve on boards of directors as a board member or observer, proving added value to
portfolio CEOs at every interaction.
● Lead the development of well-articulated theses about key technology categories
based on the team’s research, analysis, and point of view, integrating input from junior
members of the team. Advocate passionately for these points of view and find
breakthrough entrepreneurs who are aligned with them.
● Work with the fund’s Finance & Operations Manager to complete impact and financial
reporting to fund investors.
● Work alongside the fund’s General Partners to manage relationships with LPs.
● Assist in fundraising and investor relations.
● Contribute to thought leadership efforts through conference presentations, white
papers, guest articles, and social media.
● Be able to rapidly take on new responsibilities in a fast-paced growth environment.
● Be a zealous advocate for the fund’s mission in all aspects of your professional life.
Requirements:
● Strong alignment with the fund’s “impact-first” climate mission.
● Broad and deep understanding of energy and environmental technologies. Areas of
interest include (but are not limited to): biotech, agriculture, mechanical engineering,
electrical engineering, and nuclear, among others.
● Excitement and ability to work in a multicultural team; in addition, excellent
interpersonal skills that allow you to work with founders, co-investors and partners of
diverse backgrounds.
● Track record of leading investments and sitting on company boards as a board
director or observer.
● Self-starting, can-do attitude: You should be a person who says “yes, if,” not “no,
because.” Uncharted territory should excite you, not intimidate you.
● Excellent academic track record. A graduate degree is not required, but graduate study
in the sciences or finance is helpful.
● High degree of organization and attention to detail; ability to juggle multiple tasks.
● Entrepreneurial, enthusiastic, and collaborative approach to work.
● Strong communication, listening, and critical thinking skills. Ability to speak articulately
and think on your feet. A good sense of humor is a key asset.
● Strong analytical skills, both qualitative and quantitative.
● Excellent office software skills.
● Deep intellectual curiosity coupled with a vision for a better world.
Contact: To be considered, please submit your resume and cover letter here:
https://azollaventures.typeform.com/to/mhqL8iIv
We will reach out to you directly if we believe you are a good fit for this role.
