Director, New Ventures

About the role

The System Offices is one of several system members within the Texas A&M University System, representing one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. The Texas A&M University System mission is to provide education, conduct research, commercialize technology, offer training, and deliver services for the people of Texas and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage a transparent new-venture creation process with defined stages, decision criteria, milestone maps, startup intake, and hand-offs across Licensing, Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, and Operations.
• Build and maintain startup pipeline infrastructure, including assessment tools, readiness criteria, intake forms, triage methods, templates, playbooks, stage definitions, CRM tracking practices, and regular pipeline review processes.
• Screen invention disclosures and inbound opportunities for startup potential using structured criteria, and help match opportunities to the most appropriate commercialization pathway, including startup formation, direct licensing, sponsored research, strategic partnership, or other routes.
• Support the development of internal programming for venture creation and founder readiness, including Startup 101 programming, venture readiness workshops, first-time founder coaching, educational programming, and practical founder navigation support.
• Create and scale vertical-specific incubator and accelerator programs with member universities and agencies in strategic sectors such as agriculture, energy, health, infrastructure, semiconductors, defense, transportation, manufacturing, and national security, and establish clear intake, referral, progression, and graduation pathways for participating teams.
• Lead and operationalize entrepreneurial competitions and venture-development programs, including the Texas New Ventures competition and similar business-plan, venture-pitch, or commercialization competitions; develop playbooks, timelines, templates, judging frameworks, and support services that allow system members, colleges, agencies, and departments to run local versions with shared standards and branding.
• Develop and maintain founder-facing resources, including handbooks, pathway guides, readiness checklists, milestone maps, and resource libraries that help teams understand approvals, timelines, expectations, and available support.
• Build and manage networks of mentors, founders, operators, investors, venture studios, accelerators, incubators, service providers, and other ecosystem partners aligned to venture stage and sector needs.
• Coordinate referrals to internal and external resources, including the AM System Innovation Fund, NSF I-Corps, SBIR/STTR resources, translational funding programs, external accelerators, incubators, venture studio partners, and capital access opportunities.
• Contribute to development of a coordinated A&M System innovation network by making venture tools, programs, resources, and playbooks accessible across all member institutions and agencies and by helping support consistent venture pathways across the system.
• Partner with Innovation leadership and other functions to improve startup-friendly licensing processes, founder experience, and cross-functional execution speed.
• Define, monitor, and continuously improve venture KPIs and dashboards, and use data to identify bottlenecks, improve conversion rates, refine programming, and support strategic decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in startups, venture development, venture capital, technology commercialization, innovation programming, entrepreneurship support, or related fields.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success building processes, programs, or platforms for new venture creation rather than only advising individual companies.
• Strong project management, relationship management, and cross-functional coordination skills in complex environments.
• Ability to translate research or technical opportunities into practical commercialization and venture-building pathways.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business, engineering, science, public policy, or a related field.
• Experience in a research university, academic medical center, national laboratory, deep-tech startup environment, or venture platform supporting science-based companies.
• Familiarity with university technology transfer, founder support models, conflict-of-interest considerations, startup licensing, and translational funding mechanisms.
• Experience building mentor networks, accelerator or incubator programs, venture competitions, venture studio relationships, or innovation programming across multiple institutions or stakeholder groups.

Benefits

The System Offices provides an outstanding benefits package including, but not limited to: competitive health benefits; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; a defined benefit retirement plan to include an employer contribution through Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS); if applicable, a defined contribution retirement plan to include an employer contribution through an approved ORP vendor: additional voluntary tax deferred annuity (TDA) options; tuition assistance; and wellness programs to promote work/life balance.