Co-Founder in Residence, Reversing fibrosis (CEO / Commercial Cofounder) in City of London

Join Deep Science Ventures as a Co‑Founder in Residence focusing on reversing fibrosis.

About DSV

Deep Science Ventures is creating a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive. We use our unique venture creation process to create, spin‑out and invest into science companies, combining available scientific knowledge and founder‑type scientists into high‑impact ventures. We operate in four sectors: Pharmaceuticals, Climate, Agriculture and Computation, tackling the challenges defining those areas by taking a first‑principles approach and partnering with leading institutions.

Partnership with General Inception

In collaboration with General Inception, DSV is accelerating the development of novel therapeutics and jointly building a venture solely dedicated to anti‑fibrotic therapies. This new venture harnesses DSV’s first‑principles methodology and General Inception’s domain expertise, network and portfolio.

About the Role

We are looking for entrepreneurially‑minded individuals with deep technical and commercial domain expertise, eager to solve urgent unmet challenges through venture building. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of fibrosis drug development, leading a company solving challenges in immune resolution and myeloid reprogramming to reverse disease. You will join DSV’s Venture Creation Programme as a Founder‑in‑Residence and work closely with the DSV and GI teams to spin out the new company. During the programme you will refine, improve and complement existing scoping work on:

• Fundraising strategy & pitching
• Clinical strategy & positioning
• Commercial strategy (IP strategy, differentiation, competition)
• Value proposition (market, value capture, techno‑economics)
• Optimising company strategy for the most rapid and derisked path to Series A (within 18‑24 months from launch)

Preparation for the Investment Committee will involve fulfilling any outstanding investment criteria, recruiting advisory and co‑founding team members, and parallel fundraising for additional expansion funds. Assuming success at both respective Investment Committees, you will receive pre‑seed investment from DSV and GI and spin‑out the company in Q4 2025. You and your co‑founders will own a significant stake in the business and continue receiving support post‑spin‑out.

The Opportunity

Fibrosis underlies a staggering proportion of human diseases, accounting for 18% of all global deaths (35% including solid tumours). There are only two FDA‑approved anti‑fibrotic drugs – marketed for lung fibrosis – neither of which can meaningfully halt or reverse disease. The unmet medical need is enormous. Competition in the development pipeline is increasingly fierce for liver and lung fibrosis, and many clinical approaches have proven to be intractable at reversing disease. We must achieve multiple biological outcomes – manipulating pathogenic myofibroblasts, resolving pro‑fibrotic inflammation, regenerating healthy epithelia & endothelia, degrading existing ECM deposits, and neutralising upstream triggers. Our focus is on pro‑resolution mechanisms and immune reprogramming to create transformative, multi‑indication medicines.

Requirements

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Exceptional individuals who are highly motivated by unsolved challenges in fibrotic disease and driven to challenge the status quo. You are impact‑driven, take initiative, think from first principles and thrive in ambiguous, fast‑paced environments. You have a collaborative nature and can work effectively in cross‑functional teams.

Essential Experience (must‑have)

• Translational R&D experience in inflammatory, autoimmune or fibrotic disease.
• Analogous experience in similar diseases/cells/tissues/mechanisms such as fibroblast‑targeting in solid tumours.
• 15+ years drug development experience in pharma/biotech and/or BD/corporate development experience.
• Deep commercial & strategic expertise in therapeutic development, demonstrated through successful VC fundraising (ideally at Series A or Seed) or execution of deals (licensing, partnering, collaborations) or transactions (M&A, IPO).
• A strong existing network of investor & pharma BD/CVC relationships is highly preferred.
• Strong track record of building and leading successful teams, ideally integrating in‑house operations with outsourced relationships (CROs and/or academic collaborators).

Preferred Experience (nice‑to‑have)

• Previous CEO experience in biotech.
• Previous Founder experience in biotech.
• Technical or clinical development experience in protein therapeutics and/or bispecific antibodies.
• Technical or clinical development experience in lung, kidney, liver, or heart fibrosis.
• Deep technical experience in fibrotic disease biology.
• Track record of successful non‑dilutive (grant) fundraising.
• Track record of high‑quality publications or thought leadership in the field.

Benefits

• Optimised, purpose‑built, proprietary tools, resources and processes to create high‑impact ventures.
• Access to General Inception’s extensive network (investors, clinicians, academics) and technical domain expertise.
• Access to DSV’s network of partners, advisors, community and pharma scientific advisory board members.
• Initial £250k (~$340k / €290k) investment governed by our Investment Committee to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof‑of‑concept data.
• Potential additional expansion financing and an accelerated Seed round after launch.
• Significant equity stake for you and your co‑founders.
• Minimum guaranteed income of £4,166 per month paid as a consultancy fee until the company is launched and pre‑seed investment is secured.
• Continuous post‑spin‑out support: fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment, team‑building.

Seniority level Executive

Employment type Full‑time

Job function Business Development and Sales

Industries Venture Capital and Private Equity