Technical Co-Founder CTO | Hardtech Startup, Berlin

Location: Berlin (Full relocation required by 01.06.2026)

Type: Full-time Co-Founder role

Start: 15 June 2026

Youve spent years in engineering. You know how to build things that work in the real world not just in simulation not just on paper. Youve probably had the itch to start something. But the right idea never came. Or the right team didnt exist. Or both.

Thats exactly who were looking for.

We are looking for a technical co-founder to join one of the hardtech startups currently applying to the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator at . These are ventures building physical products think robotics energy systems advanced materials medtech or industrial hardware. Your co-founders have the domain expertise the idea and the drive. What they need is a technical co-builder who can own the engineering end-to-end.

This is not a senior engineering position. You will co-own the company. You define the architecture build the prototype de-risk the core technology and make the calls that determine whether the product works or doesnt.

What youll own:

• The full technical architecture: from component selection to system integration
• Building and iterating on a works-like prototype hands-on in the lab
• Turning engineering hypotheses into validated results
• Establishing and protecting the IP baseline of the venture
• Feeding market and customer signals back into your build decisions

You have a degree or equivalent hands-on experience in mechanical engineering mechatronics electrical engineering materials science physics or a related field. Youve built something physical a functional prototype a research instrument a piece of hardware that actually worked outside the lab.

You are not looking for a job. You want to build something of your own and youre ready to commit to it fully.

You are not looking for a job. You want to build one of the next great hardtech companies and youre ready to commit fully to making that happen.

What will set you apart:

• Youve shipped a physical product even in a university research or maker context
• Youve worked across disciplines: hardware and firmware mechanics and electronics or similar combinations
• Youve hit a ceiling somewhere a research group a corporate R&D team a role that was never really yours to own and you know its time to change that

The honest ask

This is a full-time commitment. Not a side project.

You will be relocating to or already living in Berlin on-site from 15 June 2026 and will be building a deep tech venture side-by-side with your team members. You will be taking on founder risk: no fixed salary and the kind of uncertainty that comes with building something from scratch.

When you join you dont just get a co-founder. You get a launchpad.

The startup you join is part of the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator at which means instead of spending years figuring out the path from prototype to fundable company you get 9 months of focused structured acceleration to get there.

What that means in practice:

• up to 200000 in non-dilutive funding: 90k cash 110k in-kind. Zero equity taken from you and your team.
• 1M in on-site infrastructure: SLA/SLS/FDM 3D printing 5-axis CNC milling laser cutting full custom PCB lab. Available 24/7.
• Expert support from day one: IP and patent law financial controlling legal setup industrial design and 70 affiliate perks including AWS and HubSpot.
• Direct introductions to 60 DeepTech VCs: including HTGF and IBB Ventures.
• Demo Day March 2027: pitch to 400 people including investors and corporate partners.

You and your team keep 100% ownership. The programme takes 0% equity.