- The Venture Development Officer will support the development and growth of health innovations, start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures within the Health Innovation Hub. The role will help innovators translate ideas, research outputs and prototypes into viable, market-oriented and sustainable ventures, with a focus on business modelling, market validation, customer development, financial viability, commercialization and venture growth.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support innovators and start-ups to develop viable business models and growth strategies.
- Provide business advisory and practical support to ventures.
- Support development of business plans, value propositions and revenue models.
- Guide ventures from ideation and validation through market entry and growth.
Market and Customer Development
- Support market research and validation of health innovations.
- Help ventures identify customers, users and market opportunities.
- Support customer acquisition, sales and market-entry strategies.
- Facilitate linkages between ventures and potential customers, healthcare organizations and industry.
Financial & Commercial Advisory
- Support basic financial modelling, costing, pricing and revenue planning.
- Help innovators assess the commercial viability and sustainability of their ventures.
- Provide basic financial literacy and business management guidance.
- Support preparation of business and investment-readiness materials.
Commercialization & Venture Growth
- Support the transition of innovations from prototype to market-ready solutions.
- Develop commercialization and growth strategies with innovators.
- Identify opportunities for adoption, scale and market expansion.
- Track and support the growth of ventures within the Hub.
- Support incubation, acceleration, innovation challenges and entrepreneurship programmes.
- Mentor students, innovators and entrepreneurs on business development.
- Coordinate business development workshops, venture clinics and pitch preparation.
- Support innovators to develop and present their ventures professionally.
Partnerships & Ecosystem Engagement
- Build relationships with businesses, healthcare organizations, industry and entrepreneurs.
- Facilitate market and business linkages for supported ventures.
- Represent the Hub at relevant innovation and entrepreneurship forums.
- Support collaboration with universities, research institutions and other ecosystem partners.
- Track the progress and growth of ventures supported by the Hub.
- Monitor market validation, customer development, commercialization and growth indicators.
- Prepare periodic venture development reports.
- Document success stories, lessons learned and venture impact.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in commerce, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Marketing or a related field.
- 2 - 5 years' relevant experience in business development, banking, sales, entrepreneurship, venture development or customer relationship management.
- Experience working with startups, sales, recruitment of new customers, managing clients' portfolios and financial records will be an added advantage.
- Advanced excel
- Market and customer development
- Venture and business development
- Loans management, financial advisory and commercial analysis
- Sales and relationship management
- Coaching and mentoring of enterprise founders
- Stakeholder engagement
- Communication and presentation skills
- Problem-solving and analytical skills