UP.Abundance Venture Platform Lead: Portfolio and Ecosystem

Role Overview

The Venture Platform Lead will own the experience of UP.Abundance's portfolio companies—from pre-investment through scale—and ensure they fully leverage New Mexico's technical, industrial, and governmental ecosystem. This role sits at the center of how we win: turning New Mexico into a competitive advantage for startups—and a "right to win" in competitive venture deals.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive UP.Abundance’s “right to win” in competitive venture deals by creating tangible New Mexico-based advantages for companies during diligence
• Identify and deliver high-impact opportunities across partnerships, customers, infrastructure, and funding
• Expand and activate a network across:
• National labs (Los Alamos, Sandia, AFRL)
• Government (EDD, EMNRD, Environment, Legislature, etc.)
• Industry (utilities, energy, aerospace, manufacturing, mining)
• Academic institutions and workforce programs
• Real estate, infrastructure, and economic development partners
• Unlock non-dilutive funding (grants, incentives, pilots, RFPs)
• Help companies win and execute on opportunities that would not happen without your involvement
• Support sourcing and diligence by proactively creating real opportunities pre-investment (e.g., partnerships, funding pathways, customers)
• Build systems and processes to scale this across the portfolio

What We're Looking For

• Deep, existing NM network with a track record of turning relationships into outcomes
• Proven ability to get complex things done across government, labs, and industry
• Ability to originate and close opportunities—not just make introductions
• Experience working with startups or operators in fast-moving environments
• Strong understanding of incentives, grants, and public-private dynamics
• High ownership, low ego, and ability to operate without a playbook
• Experience building or operating within a venture platform, startup, or ecosystem organization
• Background in energy, climate, deep tech, aerospace, or industrial sectors

Qualifications

Total compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. If you’re one of the few people in New Mexico who can actually do this job—you’ll know.