Founder CEO - AI D2C Product (SEND)
~£4k/month stipend + £25k build funds | London-based studio | 6-month build, majority equity on spin-out
We're working In Partnership with a UK Venture Studio to hire a Founder CEO to lead a six-month build: shaping and launching an AI coordination platform for families navigating the UK's SEND system, from semi-validated concept to a real, fundable company.
This venture studio is backed by a major UK innovation foundation, built to turn early-stage ideas into venture-backable, impact-driven companies. Led by a founder with a prior consumer exit reaching 5m+ users and $35m+ raised. A small team spanning senior leadership, a portfolio head and venture builders, plus a CTO and developer on demand - all trained in a two-week sprint de-risking methodology, backed by a growing network of tech, brand and legal contractors ready to plug in around you.
What makes this studio different: dedicated capital, hands-on operational support from a team who specialise in venture design, product, fundraising, tech and partnerships - plus access to the foundation's own ecosystem of experts, research and industry connections most studios can't offer. This isn't a studio that hands you a deck and wishes you luck.
⚙️ About the venture
Parents of children with SEND are the single point of failure in a fragmented system - juggling EHCP applications, clinical correspondence, school portals and daily logistics, usually with no backup. The mission is to externalise that load: an AI layer that reads every input against the SEND system and the family itself, then drafts, flags, delegates or routes - with the parent staying in control of what gets sent.
The Early signal is strong - mockups tested with real families point to genuine pull, and the concept is backed by a detailed investment memo covering market, model and validation to date. This is your six months to take it from proof of concept to a product people can rely on daily.
✅ What you'd own
- Turning the concept into a live product and testing it with real families, from day one
- Running the venture through the studio's sprint-based build methodology
- Tapping into the studio's network for tech, brand and legal support, and building out your own where it counts
- Owning the pitch for £200k pre-seed funding at the end of the six months
✨ Who we're looking for
- An ex-founder, startup operator, product leader, or someone with prior venture studio experience - you've been close to the 0-to-1 grind before, ideally led it
- Someone who genuinely loves this mission, not just the \"build a startup\" pitch
- Understands the realities of building something from near-nothing - the ambiguity, the resourcefulness, the days where you're doing everything yourself
- Grit and resilience - this is a build from near-zero, not a scale-up
- Coachability and genuine willingness to pivot on the concept
- Bias to action and scrappiness with limited resources
- A real grasp of lean startup methodology, not just familiarity with the term
- Ideally, quick progression through startups or scale-ups
- Unambiguous conviction in the SEND space
💜 What you leave with
Beyond the ~£4k/month stipend and £25k in build funds, this is a shot at founding your own company: a majority equity stake, opportunity to pitch for £200k pre-seed to spin the venture out as an independent business, and six months of hands-on support behind you rather than in front of you.
Founder in London employer: In Product
Join a dynamic healthtech company in London that champions innovation and collaboration, offering a vibrant work culture where your ideas can flourish. With a focus on employee growth, you'll have access to mentorship and professional development opportunities, all while enjoying the flexibility of a hybrid work model. This is not just a job; it's a chance to make a meaningful impact in the health sector as you lead product initiatives with a founder's mindset.
