Startup Innovation Lead

At Lely a global leader in innovative solutions for the agricultural sector we are committed to accelerating sustainable progress. As part of the Business Development team the startup team together with the sustainability team drives Lelys Impact 30 vision. The startup team is responsible for scouting and developing partnerships with startups worldwide that offer promising technologies or propositions aligned with Lelys strategic goals. The team drives Lelys innovation ambitions through external partnerships.

As a startup innovation lead you will work closely with the head of startup innovation to identify scout and develop partnerships with promising startups that support Lelys strategic objectives. This is a highly independent role requiring strong organizational sensitivity. Internally you act as the central figure connecting startups to relevant Lely stakeholders. Externally you represent Lelys corporate venturing arm to startups and co-investors. You play a pivotal role in setting up pilots and strategic cooperations maintaining relationships with innovative companies in the agricultural sector and evaluating investment opportunities. Additionally you ensure internal alignment with business teams competences and other stakeholders to drive ongoing startup projects. This role has a strong international focus requiring regular travel.

Your responsibilities

• Startup scouting: Proactively search for and evaluate startups relevant to Lelys strategy identify market trends and technologies and maintain dealflow records in relevant systems.
• Relationship and portfolio management: Build and maintain relationships with startups foster a network within startup ecosystems (e.g. incubators and accelerators) and manage and support a portfolio of startups through monitoring their performance and providing strategic advice.
• Pilot setup: Collaborate with internal teams to initiate pilot projects with selected startups and coordinate their implementation and progress.
• Internal alignment: Ensure alignment with business teams competences and other stakeholders on ongoing startup projects and facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across departments.
• Investment evaluation: Assess investment proposals conduct due diligence processes and prepare financial analyses and business cases.
• Reporting and analysis: Prepare reports on the progress of partnerships pilots and investments and provide recommendations for further actions.
• Network development: Actively participate in relevant networking events conferences and meetings to identify new opportunities and build relationships with venture capitalists and other investment partners.

Qualifications :

• HBO/WO degree in a relevant field (e.g. business administration innovation management or similar).
• 7-8 years of experience in venturing preferably with an affinity in tech or agri.
• Strong communication skills capable of representing Lely and pitching why a specific innovation aligns with Lelys strategy.
• Organizational sensitivity and excellent stakeholder management skills at all levels (including EB & Director level) both formal and informal.
• Process-oriented with the ability to build and manage structured processes.
• Passion for the agricultural sector and a high degree of independence.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Aanvullende informatie :

Working at Lely means contributing to sustainable progress within one of the most innovative organizations in the Netherlands. You help make the agricultural sector future-proof and we ensure you have the space resources and support to do so.

• An international work environment with room for initiative and entrepreneurship.
• Excellent employment conditions including up to 8 weeks of vacation per year and a solid pension scheme.
• Strong growth opportunities: you are in control of your development and can choose from various training programs via our Lely Academy ranging from personal development to job-specific courses.
• Our modern Lely Campus offers daily access to extensive sports facilities: an indoor gym outdoor padel courts basketball and volleyball courts table tennis and foosball. You can join Hyrox workouts or sign up for personal training and challenge your colleagues during an active break.
• Enjoy fresh coffee and tea from our in-house barista with milk straight from our own farm and a healthy affordable company restaurant.
• A healthy work-life balance thanks to our hybrid work policy: you work at least three days a week on campus with flexible hours and plenty of opportunity to spend extra time on-site (between 06:00 and 20:00).
• A free shuttle bus takes you to and from the metro station in Maassluis ensuring your workday starts and ends smoothly.
• Successes are meant to be celebrated: from anniversaries to Christmas parties at Lely we know how to do it right!

Recruitment & selection agencies consultancies and/or temp agencies
We appreciate your interest but we recruit all our candidates directly. We understand that as an intermediary you may want to introduce candidates for our exciting roles and contribute to our ambitions but this is not how weve structured our recruitment process. This means that all unsolicited profiles submitted for Lely vacancies will be treated as direct applications.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time