Managing Director, Berkeley

About Activate 

Activate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to turning scientific discoveries into real-world impact. Through partnerships with government, philanthropy, universities, and industry, Activate builds the cross-sector ecosystem that drives hard tech innovation-equipping scientists and engineers with world-class resources, training, and community to bring their work from discovery to deployment.

Since 2015, Activate's flagship fellowship has supported nearly 350 fellows across the United States, who have launched more than 275 companies and secured over $5.5 billion in follow-on funding. Now expanding beyond its flagship program, Activate is reaching scientists and engineers at more stages of their entrepreneurial journey across the world-multiplying the pathways from innovation to commercialization. Learn more atActivate.org.

Position Summary 

Activate is looking for a Managing Director to mentor a community of Activate Fellows in Berkeley by serving as their primary entrepreneurial advisor.

In this role, you will drive key fellow outcomes through individual mentorship, lead the selection of new fellows each year, and connect your community of fellows with resources, support, and each other to enable their entrepreneurial success. 

This role will be responsible for representing the Berkeley fellow community to the larger Activate Global team and to external stakeholders across academia, industry, the investor community, and government. You will work closely with the Cyclotron Road team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The Managing Director will report to Activate’s US Fellowship Leader. Join us as we work to create the world’s leading platform supporting early-stage science entrepreneurship!

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as Managing Director and primary advisor for a cross-disciplinary community of entrepreneurial fellows.
• Drive successful outcomes for each individual fellow, providing mentorship, support, network connectivity, and resources.
• Oversee selection of fellows.
• Support bi-weekly in-person and virtual educational programming.
• Manage our partnership with Berkeley Lab and the Cyclotron Road program.
• Build and maintain relationships with universities, research institutions, and other talent pipelines to attract strong applicants to future fellowship cohorts.
• Lead ecosystem engagement efforts for the Berkeley region, including strengthening relationships with key innovation partners and supporting visibility for Activate and its fellows.
• Build collaborative, cross-functional relationships with staff and partners to ensure the program operates effectively and efficiently.
• Represent Activate at an executive level with public- and private-sector stakeholders from across the technology innovation ecosystem.
• Engage with current and potential government and philanthropic sponsors.
• Partner with Berkeley’s Fellowship Manager to provide best-in-class support to the fellows.
• Support and strengthen engagement with local alumni.

The Ideal Candidate...

• Has an advanced degree in the physical or biological sciences and a minimum of 10 years experience in research, development, management, and commercialization of science-driven technologies.
• Has entrepreneurial experience as the leader of a new company or business unit.
• Has led high-performance technical teams and has demonstrated a commitment to nurturing talent through mentorship.
• Has a strong network and reputation among stakeholders from across the innovation ecosystem (academia, industry, finance, and government) and in the Berkeley area.
• Strongly exhibits objectivity, empathy, and inclusiveness in leadership.
• Is an excellent communicator and collaborator.
• Can manage a complex, dynamic portfolio of projects and stakeholders.
• Believes that groundbreaking science has the power to change the world-but only if it reaches the people and places that need it most.
• Can support a broad range of finance and business models for advancing hard-tech to market.
• Would be excited to wake up each day asking the question, “what can I do to make our fellows successful?”

About the Role

This is a full-time position with a competitive starting base of $215,000 with a generous benefits package that includes professional development, $2,000 in annual wellness funds, flexible paid time off, healthcare coverage for employees and dependents, with 90-100% of premiums covered, and the opportunity to join a retirement plan with a 3% match beginning after 3 months at Activate. 

This position is based in Berkeley, CA. Because we operate an in-person community, our team typically works from the office at least part of each day.

Encouraging Applications from All Backgrounds 

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming workplace for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Activate Global, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.