Venture Acceleration Manager

Your opportunity: Make a real difference in the blockchain industry! Build the change you want to see. We are looking for a Venture Acceleration Manager to strengthen the Cardano Foundation’s Venture Hub by connecting startups with capital and enterprise opportunities. You will play a dual role in managing the Foundation’s own accelerator and venture support initiatives, while simultaneously facilitating collaborations with external venture programs across the broader Cardano ecosystem. This is a high-impact position combining work with founders, ventures, business development, service providers, VCs, and startup mentors. This opportunity is ideal for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, understands funding dynamics, and can confidently engage with innovators, investors, and enterprise leaders. You’ll have the following responsibilities: Venture Accelerator Management Oversee and scale the Cardano Foundation’s Cardano Accelerator Program, managing cohorts of startups focused on building consumer and enterprise-facing products on Cardano. Manage program operations, including resource allocation, budgeting, quality control, cross department alignment, and process improvements to support future scale. Provide guidance and feedback to participating startups on product-market fit, blockchain strategy, and go-to-market execution. Curate a strong mentor and advisor network across industries and product development domains. Drive ecosystem value creation by identifying synergies between venture initiatives and Cardano’s technological roadmap. Investor Relations Manage relationships with active and potential funds and/or investors through regular communications, tailored updates, and curated events or side sessions. Conduct landscape analysis and track investor interests to inform the foundation, future cohort themes, and competitive positioning. Coordinate investor involvement in Demo Day and other showcase opportunities to increase venture visibility and deal flow. Design and oversee structured follow-on investment pathways, aligning demo days, investor briefings, and post-program capital touchpoints with the Cardano Foundation’s funding strategy. Cross-Sector Innovation & Ecosystem Development Coordinate closely with the ecosystem to drive venture acceleration and support ecosystem growth. Champion community engagement by driving consistent communication, inclusion, and collaboration across the broader Cardano ecosystem. Work cross-departmentally to build bridges between startups and enterprise partners through matchmaking, pilot initiatives, and ecosystem showcases. represent the Cardano Foundation at relevant industry events, innovation forums, and investor/mentor networks. Amplify ecosystem signals and success stories by working with Marketing and Partnerships to showcase venture progress, pilot outcomes, and real-world adoption emerging from the Accelerator. Feed ecosystem insights back into the Venture Hub strategy, identifying gaps, emerging needs, and partnership opportunities that inform future Accelerator cohorts and enablement initiatives. Your story: 5+ years of experience running startup accelerators, innovation hubs, or corporate innovation programs, ideally in fintech, Web3, or digital infrastructure sectors. 2+ years of active involvement in the Cardano ecosystem. Experience in helping startups achieve product-market fit, including technical and business advisory. Strong grasp of blockchain technology, especially public infrastructure and decentralized systems. Excellent network orchestration skills—you know how to engage founders, mentors, industry experts, and enterprise executives. Results-oriented mindset. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent networking and relationship-building abilities. Highly adaptable and resilient. Strong ethical standards and integrity. Your impact: Accelerate the Next Generation of Startups: You will manage the Accelerator Program end to end, providing the guidance and ecosystem resources needed to turn high-potential startups into market-ready, enterprise-grade solutions. Unlock Capital and Enterprise Pathways: You will cultivate a robust network of VCs, funds, and corporate partners to secure vital funding and launch high-visibility pilots that prove Cardano's real-world utility. Drive Global Ecosystem Growth: You will serve as the bridge between startup innovation and Cardano’s roadmap, amplifying success stories globally. About us The Cardano Foundation is an independent, Swiss-based not-for-profit organization. The Foundation is tasked with advancing the public digital infrastructure Cardano and works to anchor it as a utility for financial and social systems, thus empowering the digital architects of the future. The Foundation facilitates the worldwide advancement of Cardano in enterprise applications. It develops infrastructure tooling—including where there may not be an immediate commercial use case—plus strengthens operational resilience, and drives diversity of on-infrastructure use cases as well as the development of sound and representative governance. Another significant part of the Cardano Foundation’s mission is to engage with and support the Cardano community. The Foundation assists the development of tools the community can use to leverage Cardano to solve problems in new ways. The Cardano Foundation has incredi ble employees from over 24 nationalities, across 3 continents, working together to grow the Foundation. Here at the Cardano Foundation we are transparent, inclusive, passionate and innovative. We aim to have a positive impact on global change and breed a harmonious working environment for our employees to flourish. Benefits: Embrace Flexibility & Freedom: Enjoy the benefits of remote work with the flexibility to tailor your hours that best supports your productivity, while staying aligned with the team. Collaborative Culture: We foster a collaborative remote environment where ideas flow freely and everyone feels empowered to contribute. Thrive in a Learning Culture: We believe in continuous growth and development. Every employee receives an annual learning budget to invest in their professional journey. Shape Your Career: We provide opportunities for growth and encourage you to continuously evolve your skills and expertise within a supportive environment. Make a Real Impact: Your work will directly contribute to the development and adoption of Cardano, shaping the future of blockchain technology and its real-world applications. Team Building & Fun: Connect with your colleagues and strengthen team bonds through a dedicated annual team building event, as well as a departmental team-building day. Enjoy an extra day off for your birthday and additional days off to celebrate milestone work anniversaries. Work with Passionate People: Surround yourself with a team of dedicated individuals who are driven by a shared passion for blockchain technology and its potential to change the world. Equal opportunities employer: The Cardano Foundation strives to provide a diverse, inclusive and welcoming working environment. We are committed to being a discrimination free organization - including discrimination free space with regards to age, religion, race, nationality/ethnic origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. Cardano Foundation does not accept any applications from recruitment agencies for this position. We refuse any responsibility for unsolicited applications as well as any associated fees. Unsolicited applications will be treated as direct applications regardless of the channel through which we receive them.