Assistant Director, I&E Fellowship Programme

About the role

The Assistant Director (I&E Fellowship Programme) leads NTU's I&E Fellowship Programme, which develops the next generation of deep-tech entrepreneurs. The role identifies, develops and supports high-potential researchers so they can become technology entrepreneurs and founders of deep-tech ventures, working with researchers, faculty, NTUitive, national programmes such as NGRIP and Activate Global Fellows, investors, industry partners and other ecosystem stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the programme, including annual plans, milestones, participant journeys, budgets and operating processes.
• Identify, select and onboard high-potential postgraduate researchers from NTU, Singapore and abroad, and design individual development plans.
• Support researchers in assessing commercial potential, developing business models and validating markets, and facilitate the move from research to venture, including IP and licensing discussions, technology validation and go-to-market planning.
• Engage venture capital funds, corporate partners, accelerators, government agencies and others, and organise mentoring and investor engagement.
• Prepare participants for fundraising, coordinate pitch development, financial and business-model preparation and due diligence, and support founders in understanding financing options.
• Monitor KPIs on participant progression, venture creation, IP commercialisation, investment and career outcomes, benchmark against leading university programmes and prepare reports for management.
• Coordinate the programme across NUS and NTU under the NGRIP framework, including recruitment, onboarding, researcher development and links to industry and investors.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Technology, Business, Entrepreneurship, Innovation or a related discipline; a Master's or PhD is an advantage.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in innovation and entrepreneurship programme management, technology transfer, research commercialisation, venture building, startup ecosystem development, entrepreneurial education, venture capital or related fields.
• Proven experience developing and delivering complex innovation or commercialisation programmes with measurable outcomes, and experience working with universities or research-intensive institutions.
• Experience supporting early-stage ventures and engaging researchers, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors and government agencies.
• International exposure and an established network in the innovation and startup ecosystem are advantageous.

Required skills

• Knowledge of innovation, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, IP management, venture creation and startup funding ecosystems.
• Programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, including use of metrics.
• Strong programme and project management, stakeholder engagement, mentoring and coaching skills.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.