Innovation and Partnerships Director, Taiwan
500 Startups
- Taipei City
- Permanent
- Full-time
500 Startups is a venture capital firm on a mission to discover and back the world’s most talented entrepreneurs, help them create successful companies at scale, and build thriving global ecosystems. It is one of the most active venture capital firms in the world.
Since its inception in Silicon Valley, 500 Startups has invested in over 2,400 companies via its 5 global funds and 16 thematic funds dedicated to either specific geographic markets or verticals. Its 100+ team members are located in as many as 20 countries around the world in order to support the 500 Startups global portfolio of investments which spans more than 75 countries.
Beyond providing seed capital, 500 supports startups via their Seed Accelerator Programs which emphasize digital marketing, customer acquisition, lean startup practices, and fundraising for pre-Seed companies. 500 Startups further contributes to the development of innovation ecosystems by supporting startups and investors through educational programs, events, conferences, and partnerships with corporations and governments around the world.
What We Need
500 Startups - a leading global venture capital firm and startup accelerator - is seeking an entrepreneurial, adaptable professional to help expand its Ecosystems client services business in Taiwan.
The Ecosystems team works with governments, large enterprises, and foundations in:
- Building startup ecosystems throughout the world
- Educating individual and corporate investors in venture capital
- Facilitating mutually-beneficial relationships between startups and corporates
Our work has included:
- Helping technology companies build their presence in the startup ecosystem and drive adoption of new platforms
- Supporting corporate partners in developing early-stage venture investment deal flow
- Developing custom executive education programs on venture investment and open innovation
- Bringing the best practices and knowledge of Silicon Valley to other domestic and international markets in the form of bootcamps and accelerators
- Building bridges between Silicon Valley and other markets through exchange programs for founders
You Will
- Work directly with the head of the APAC region to drive business expansion in Taiwan
- Collaborate with the investment team in Taiwan to identify potential partners / customers for portfolio companies
- Generate new business across the government and corporate segments
- Collaborate closely with client services teams in engineering our services for scale
- Develop creative solutions to help meet partner needs using 500’s broad range of resources
- Contribute to the APAC regional strategy of the Innovation and Partnerships business
You Are A Good Fit If You
- Are comfortable managing to ambitious revenue targets
- Are passionate about technology, startups, and innovation
- Have experience launching and scaling new client offerings, especially in a services business
- Are confident in building relationships with senior executives
- Are naturally collaborative and can bring in stakeholders from different teams to help close deals
- Respond well to hands-on coaching and guidance
- Can maintain high-quality work product while operating under tight timelines
- Eat ambiguity and change for breakfast
- Have 6+ years of client-facing experience, especially in professional or corporate services
- Proficiency in both English and Mandarin Chinese
- Work authorization in Taiwan
- Experience working in/with corporate innovation teams and government agencies
- Familiarity with the venture capital industry and/or strategy consulting
- Track record of strong performance in a startup or other entrepreneurial environment
- Experience living and/or working outside of your home country
- MBA or other advanced degree
Workable