Deputy Director – Venture Creation & Sector Development

About the role

We are seeking a senior leader to drive venture creation and sector development at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R). The Deputy Director will identify, incubate, and launch new ventures from I²R’s Data‑AI‑Compute research portfolio while building strategic partnerships across the ecosystem.

Key responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate venture opportunities arising from I²R’s DAC technologies and IP.
• Develop venture theses covering customer problems, value propositions, market size, and competitive positioning.
• Lead front‑end activities such as market validation, customer discovery, and business‑model design.
• Manage spin‑off readiness, team formation, and commercialization pathways.
• Prepare and present venture cases for internal approval.
• Design and execute strategies to strengthen I²R’s position in the Data‑AI‑Compute sector.
• Build and maintain relationships with corporates, government agencies, and innovation platforms.
• Monitor sector trends and identify whitespace opportunities to inform research translation.
• Facilitate co‑innovation and partnership development for market adoption of DAC technologies.
• Collaborate with research, IP, and legal teams to align venture creation with sector priorities.

Required profile

• Proven experience leading venture creation, incubation, or technology transfer initiatives.
• Strong track record of building ecosystem partnerships and driving commercialization.
• Deep understanding of the ICT, AI, data, and digital technology landscape.
• Strategic thinker capable of translating research outcomes into market‑ready opportunities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management skills.

Required skills

• Artificial Intelligence
• Data Analytics
• Digital Technologies