At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead fundraising efforts and build relationships with finance partners in the fintech space.
- Company: Join a pioneering fintech startup focused on device subscription infrastructure.
- Benefits: Equity co-founder role with potential for significant ownership and growth.
- Other info: Flexible location; ideal for entrepreneurial spirits ready to make an impact.
- Why this job: Be part of an innovative solution that transforms the retail electronics landscape.
- Qualifications: Senior experience in lending, capital markets, or investment banking required.
I’m building Techster — checkout infrastructure that lets independent electronics retailers offer device subscriptions and keep their customers at upgrade, instead of losing them to Amazon, Currys, or the carriers.
The problem: Independent UK electronics retailers sell a device once, then lose the customer at upgrade — usually 24 months later. Acquiring a customer is expensive; the infrastructure to keep them doesn’t exist in this channel. Raylo and Grover proved consumers want device subscriptions. Nobody has built it as infrastructure for retailers.
Where we are: Early stage. Pre-seed, pre-raise, pre-revenue. The MVP is built and deployed — checkout, subscription management and customer portal, live and demo-ready. The recent months have gone into building this. Targeting a £750K pre-seed for September 2026. No signed retailers yet. A scored pipeline of 51 retailer targets and active outreach.
About me: I’m a systems thinker and architect — I designed and built the platform myself. I’m not the natural networker or rainmaker. That’s the gap this role fills. I’m Manchester-based; location is flexible.
The role: This is the commercial, outward-facing half of the company:
- Lead the pre-seed raise — investor outreach, the process, the close.
- Drive finance partner conversations to heads of terms. Specialty lenders fund the devices; this relationship is core to the model.
Who I’m looking for: Senior background in lending, capital markets, asset finance, consumer credit or investment banking — someone a specialty lender treats as a peer across the table. Evidence you’ve built or closed things outside a large institution — founded something, joined something early, or built a desk or product from nothing. The career banker who has never left the building isn’t a fit. Neither is the generalist entrepreneur who can’t read a facility term sheet. Grover was led by ex-Goldman; Raylo’s founders came out of Funding Circle. That’s the type. This is a finance company, not a SaaS company. You’ll stand out if you have investor relationships you can name — angels or seed funds you could realistically put this in front of. Exposure to point-of-sale finance, consumer credit, or device/asset leasing.
What’s on offer — read this carefully:
- Co-founder equity with vesting. Meaningful, negotiated openly, and formalised after we’ve worked together for a defined period. Equity only. There is no salary until the round closes. If you need income now, this isn’t the right time for you — and that’s fine.
- No commission. I’ve had a number of approaches from people wanting a percentage of the raise, a finder’s fee, or an “advisory for success fee” arrangement. The answer is no, in every form it comes in. If that’s what you’re looking for, please don’t apply.
- Titles are worked out as we go and earned through delivery. If you need a C-title before contributing, we won’t get along.
Finance/Capital Co-Founder employer: ChipIn
Techster is an innovative fintech startup based in Manchester, dedicated to revolutionising the device subscription market for independent electronics retailers. As a co-founder, you will be part of a dynamic and entrepreneurial work culture that values creativity and initiative, with the unique opportunity to shape the future of the company through equity participation. With a focus on meaningful collaboration and growth, this role offers a chance to make a significant impact in a burgeoning industry while working alongside a passionate founder who has built the platform from the ground up.
