Head of Ecosystem Development

Background for this Role

Uptake Alliance is an intersectional community of corporates, startups, policymakers, investors and academics built to create the market conditions for frontier climate ventures to thrive. Supported by NYSERDA and launched in September 2023, Uptake is grounded in the problems worth solving - therefore, a central pillar of our work is to facilitate the development, creation, and articulation of problem statements from incumbents and corporate partners to guide our climate solutions. Everything we do, from the startup participants that we select to the projects that we fund, depends on this tight feedback loop between corporates and startups. Uptake is looking for a Head of Partnerships to identify and engage innovation leaders from across the corporate landscape to help build the innovation ecosystem for climate technologies to achieve market adoption.

The ideal Uptake Alliance teammate gets fired up about applying technology to make the world more sustainable, and believes that better leveraging the power of entrepreneurship can change the world. At the same time, Uptake’s work is grounded in an appreciation for the necessity - and complexity - of corporate adoption of new technologies to drive industry transformation. Our core areas of focus include infrastructure-heavy sectors such as energy (utilities, distributed energy), buildings (building materials, advanced construction, prefab/offsite), transportation (EVs, public transit), and other industries (manufacturing, processing, etc.).

Expectations of the Head of Ecosystem

As the Head of Ecosystem, you will be responsible for identifying, sourcing and engaging partners throughout the New York ClimateTech ecosystem to collaborate with Uptake in order to  develop high-potential start-ups with a pathway for adoption in the corporate world. This begins with working hand in hand with our Head of Corporate Engagement to identify start-ups solutions from around the world that we can successfully seed and incubate in the New York ecosystem.  That mission in hand, you will be the ecosystem ambassador and pathfinder helping the Startup Seed find the right mentor, incubation / acceleration program, workforce opportunities and funding to get the start-up from to a point where the ecosystem is coordinated and pulling together to help the Startup Seed sprout.

Responsibilities

• Drawing upon - and fearlessly expanding - your existing network, identify, prospect, engage and build relationships with target ecosystem partners in the energy, construction, transportation and industrial sectors
• Seamlessly navigate the New York State ecosystem, promoting our activities and selling the value proposition of Uptake partnering to leaders in the space
• Work closely with our program managers at NYSERDA to improve our collaboration network, more closely align with its key initiatives and serve as an extension of its programmatic goals
• Develop ecosystem partnerships where possible allowing us to quickly assemble “willing coalitions” of ecosystem partners 
• Develop non-dilutive and dilutive Startup Seed funding opportunities 
• Coordinate Uptake Startup Seed selection process with the selection processes of the other ClimateTech ecosystem participants to develop join selection processes 
• Raise profile of the Uptake and promote its value proposition to our Ecosystem Partners by engaging in regional speaking engagements
• Gather quantitative input from engagements optimize your ability to create more successful Startup Seeds coalitions 
• Keep up to date with industry trends and emerging technologies in the energy, buildings and transportation industries

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience, minimum 5 years in New York State developing innovation ecosystems, developing a successful start-up in the New York ecosystem, forging public-private partnerships
• Venture / Team Building experience
• Previous work experience for government, academic or mission focused corporation
• Domain expertise in energy, buildings, transportation and/or industrial sectors
• Preferably 2+ years of marketing experience with your aim being to promote your Uptake appearances, maintain a steady stream of positive media into the start-up and corporate ecosystems  the capability of promoting Uptake to the NY ecosystem 
• Strong, disciplined ability to set a process and tirelessly execute
• An articulate and polished writing/communication style 
• Self-starter who is highly motivated and responsive, and thrives under limited guidance in uncertain situations
• Team player who enjoys working with and managing stakeholders toward common goals
• Demonstrated passion for effecting innovative, sustainable and equitable evolutions in the energy, transportation, and buildings sectors
• Strong balance of interpersonal skills with the ability to build presentable work products with a high degree of organization
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
• Bachelor’s degree

Benefits

• Salary range: $130,000 - $140,000 base

• Performance bonus
• Other benefits: 
• Management carve-out (similar to equity)
• 401(k)
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Life insurance
• Hybrid/remote work environment
• Unlimited vacation policy
• Telecommuter allowances