Co-Founder in Residence, Avoid water scarcity in industry (Open Application)

Join us as a Founder in Residence to revolutionise industrial water recycling

You’ll work closely with the DSV team and the current Founder in Residence for this project to co-found a company that aims to revolutionise industrial wastewater treatment with novel plasma technology. Our approach offers rapid, compact, and highly effective treatment of high-strength hazardous effluents across multiple industries, including petrochemicals, chemicals, oil and gas, food and beverage, paints and coatings, and paper manufacturing.

We’re after a co-founder with strong commercial acumen and industry expertise to drive market entry and growth. Experience in commercialising innovative technologies within industrial sectors, particularly in wastewater management or related fields is a must. Experience in B2B sales targeting major industrial facilities, start-up and fundraising experience, or established connections to key industrial hubs internationally would be particularly valuable.

Your role will be crucial in:

• Developing and executing go-to-market strategies for various industrial sectors
• Building strategic partnerships with industry leaders and key stakeholders
• Securing funding and driving rapid business growth

Once the new venture is incorporated and spun-out of DSV, you and your co-founders will own the majority stake in the business and continue receiving support from the DSV team post-spinout.

The Opportunity

Industry requires the use of colossal volumes of water every day, with 40% of water demand in industrialised nations going to industrial purposes. Sources of clean, accessible water are dwindling due to unsustainable abstraction and contamination of our freshwater resources.

Industry’s growing water demands, coupled with depleting freshwater resources, have led to tighter regulations and a need for sustainable water supplies. Wastewater, an underutilised resource, presents a potential solution. However, current treatment methods are often complex, costly, and inefficient, failing to align with industry’s needs.

We’re developing a ground-breaking plasma-based technology concept for industrial wastewater treatment – a compact device that rapidly processes high volumes of concentrated effluent at unprecedented speeds. Our approach offers multiple benefits: preventing toxic and methanogenic sludge generation, destroying persistent pollutants, eliminating fouling risks, and producing valuable byproducts. We’re focused on outperforming existing technologies while maintaining competitive treatment costs: by enabling near-instantaneous transformation of hazardous wastewater, we alleviate operational bottlenecks and reduce expenses associated with standard water treatment and waste disposal, effectively addressing the practical challenges faced by companies worldwide.

By joining us, you’ll be working towards revolutionising industrial water management across these critical sectors, addressing a significant global challenge while creating substantial value for industries worldwide.

Who Should Apply

Most suitable candidates will likely meet multiple of the following criteria (we don’t expect you to meet all):

• MBA or equivalent experience in business development, sales, or marketing within industrial sectors;
• Proven track record in commercialising new technologies, particularly in water treatment, plasma systems, or related industrial equipment;
• Extensive experience in B2B sales, specifically targeting major industrial facilities such as oil refineries, chemical plants, or similar operations with complex effluent management needs;
• Strong understanding of the wastewater management challenges faced by heavy industries;
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers in operational roles within target industries;
• Experience in startup leadership, preferably in companies that have successfully brought innovative technologies to market in industrial sectors;
• Proven ability to develop and execute go-to-market strategies for complex, high-value industrial solutions;
• Skilled in negotiating and closing deals with large industrial clients, including navigating complex procurement processes;
• Deep network within relevant industries, particularly in Europe, Middle East, or Asia;
• Experience in securing funding, managing investor relationships, and driving business growth in a startup environment;
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to coordinate between technical development and commercial objectives;
• Excellent communication skills, capable of translating complex technical benefits into compelling value propositions for industrial clients;
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify and capitalize on market opportunities in the industrial water treatment sector.

Personal attributes we value very highly:

• Strategic Thinker: Ability to see the big picture and develop long-term business strategies;
• Results-Driven: Focused on achieving tangible outcomes and meeting business objectives;
• Relationship Builder: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to forge strong connections across diverse stakeholder groups;
• Resilient: Thrives in high-pressure environments and maintains composure when facing challenges;
• Persuasive Communicator: Articulate in presenting complex ideas and adept at influencing decision-makers;
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Self-motivated with a passion for building and growing businesses;
• Adaptable: Flexible in approach and able to pivot strategies in response to market dynamics.

Our Offer

By joining DSV, you will be part of a team of operators who have founded companies and led the translation of science at some of the most respected universities, charities, funds, and government agencies. Here’s what we offer:

• Access to optimised, purpose-built, proprietary tools, resources, and processes to help create high-impact ventures from scratch;
• Opportunity area-specific know-how from our network of Partners and Advisors;
• Up to £250k in investment to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof-of-concept data;
• Guaranteed income of £4,166 per month paid as a consultancy fee until the company is launched and the pre-seed investment is secured;
• Majority equity stake in the new company for you and your co-founders;
• Continuous post-spinout support, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, and team-building;
• Collaborative support from dozens of Founders currently at DSV across sectors.

About DSV

Deep Science Ventures (DSV) is on a mission to create a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive. We use our unique venture creation process to create, spin-out, and invest in science companies, combining available scientific knowledge and founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures. Operating in four sectors—Pharmaceuticals, Climate, Agriculture, and Computation—we tackle the challenges defining these areas by taking a first principles approach and partnering with leading institutions.

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