WHO WE ARE:
Plug and Play is one of the most active VCs in the world, headquartered in Silicon Valley, and the ultimate innovation platform, bringing together the best startups and the world’s largest corporations to create meaningful connections that bring innovation to anyone, anywhere. We are on a mission to bring the benefits of Silicon Valley to the rest of the world.
At the intersection of Austria’s industrial strength and tech transformation, Plug and Play Linz and its newly launched Physical and Industrial AI Center of Excellence accelerates innovation across Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Supply Chain & Logistics, and many more to boost corporate competitiveness and regional growth.
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR:
We’re actively seeking a Ventures Analyst or Associate to champion the Plug and Play business model and source in the Physical & Industrial AI vertical. The ideal candidate has a passion for entrepreneurship and technology, understands how startups scale, and is driven to take an active role in building out our ecosystem and investment portfolio.
The Ventures Associate role is a key position on the Ventures Team. Associates are responsible for sourcing relevant startups for the program and investments, supporting deal teams on new investments, and driving market research in domains relevant to Physical & Industrial AI. Associates also become the technology sparring partner for Plug and Play's corporate partners, turning their challenges into concrete startup searches and market insight.
This is a build role in a new office, not a seat in an existing team. You report directly to the Ventures Manager leading DACH investment activities and work closely with the Vienna office and Plug and Play's European ventures team.
WHAT YOU WILL DO :
Working with startups
- Source Pre-seed, Seed, and Series A startups for investment opportunities and introductions to our corporate partners.
- Build sector expertise that compounds over time. Map market dynamics, follow industry trends, keep the startup landscape current, and turn that knowledge into a clear view on which Physical & Industrial AI companies are worth backing.
- Evangelize Plug and Play to all potential network partners, including startup, investor, corporate, university, and government representatives.
- Support the deal team on investment opportunities.
- Build a network of Venture Capitalists and other investors to support the program, your sourcing, and portfolio startups.
- Actively connect startups with a broader network of industry-specific advisors, tech vendors, and service providers to accelerate product development and scaling.
- Mentor startups in the diverse programs on taking products to market, fundraising, scaling, and all other ad-hoc business needs.
Working with corporates
- Conduct market and technology research to identify trends and opportunities that our corporate partners can leverage to make business decisions.
- Continuously source and evaluate emerging tech solutions and startups that align with corporate partner pain points, optimizing for pilot or proof-of-concept feasibility.
- Utilize data-driven methodologies to evaluate startup performance, scalability, and technological edge to help our partners understand ROI potential.
- Support the production and logistics of events hosted by the Austrian offices, from partner sessions to demo days.
- Take on additional responsibilities as the office grows. Priorities shift in a new team, and you adapt without waiting for a process.
Building the Linz Office
- Join as one of the first hires in Linz. The office is being built from scratch, so you will work directly with the team on how we source, run dealflow and report, and help shape the events that make us visible in the region.
- Get out into the Upper Austrian ecosystem. Build relationships across universities, incubators, clusters, investors and public institutions, and make sure founders here know who we are.
- Work AI first. Use AI tooling for sourcing, research and market mapping so your hours go to founders and partners instead of spreadsheets.
YOUR QUALIFICATIONS:
- Completed Bachelor's or Master's degree in an engineering or technical field, such as mechanical engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, automation, computer science, physics, etc.
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in a fast paced, detail oriented and international environment, such as venture capital, startups, strategy consulting, or engineering role in industry.
- Fluency in English is required. German is a big plus given the local ecosystem, and additional languages are welcome.
- Excellent written communication and content development skills, combined with strong analytical capabilities. Market maps, investment memos and partner facing materials are a real part of this job.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, and fluency with AI tools such as Claude or ChatGPT in your daily workflow.
- Proven experience producing high-quality client-facing materials.
- Exposure to manufacturing, automation, robotics, logistics or industrial software is a strong plus.
WHY THIS ROLE:
Few roles put you this close to both sides of the table. You will see hundreds of startups and develop the pattern recognition that only comes from volume, sit with industrial executives working out where their business goes next, and work on deals from pre-seed through growth. The job takes you to partner sites across Upper Austria, to our Vienna office and to startup hubs across Europe and beyond, with the flexibility to work remotely when you are not where the people are. You do it as one of the first hires in a new office, which means the scope grows as fast as you do.
