GLP-1s Venture: Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Mission Studio is creating the future of mission-driven tech startups. We're tackling the UK's toughest social challenges - from net zero to obesity - by building commercially successful businesses. Our Venture Design team has identified a promising problem space aligned to our Healthy Life mission, and we are looking for an EIR to co-design a commercially viable, impact-led venture concept with us over 2 months, before pitching to become the concept’s founding CEO. Then, as you transition to being a Mission Studio founder, you’ll receive a living stipend during an intensive 6‑month build, plus funding to create an MVP and test it with real customers. You’ll work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with experienced builders, designers, technologists, and founders — and finish with the opportunity to pitch for £200k in pre‑seed funding to spin out your venture as a standalone business.

Across the UK, 1.5 million people are now taking GLP-1 medications, 95% of which are obtaining them on the private market. The clinical system is struggling to keep up with the pace of demand and the changing needs of patients. We believe there are multiple opportunities to explore within this space, including:

• Clinical strain: Demand for GLP-1s has outpaced the infrastructure to manage it. Pharmacies and clinics are overwhelmed, follow‑up is inconsistent, and patients are left to self‑manage between appointments with little guidance.
• Siloed care: Lack of integration between the medication and personalised, dynamic lifestyle factors (diet, muscle preservation, and behavioural change).
• The lack of an off‑ramp: No clear, sustainable clinical pathways for long‑term maintenance or safe weaning, leading to high risks of weight rebound.
• A market built on opacity: Patients are navigating provider choices, dosing decisions, and switching between medications in a market defined by commercial noise, inconsistent pricing, and almost no trustworthy independent information.
• Identity and community shifting: People are displaced from food and alcohol centered social lives. Research shows that behaviour change sticks when it is anchored in a new social identity. We are interested in how community and peer networks can be used to make the change last.

As an EIR, you will work with us to explore these opportunity areas, with an aim of identifying, developing and validating 1 venture concept ready to move into Build.

Who You Are

We’re looking for someone who wants to be a founder in the GLP-1 & health space, with the following skills:

• Pre-existing experience in the GLP-1 space – whether as an operator, clinician, user or founder. Ideally you have direct experience in obesity, behaviour change or a comparably stigmatised health journey where trust, identity, stigma, and dropout are the real design challenges.
• You might have some of the following experience:
• Built or scaled a consumer product in weight management or chronic disease or worked as a prescribing clinician.
• Sold into or operated within pharmacy channels, and understand the commercial realities of that environment OR worked within a telehealth business where pharmacies are the key distribution channel.
• Built products or programmes where identity shifting and social belonging are the mechanism for change.
• Concept design experience – you’ve previously designed and validated an early stage venture concept, and are familiar with testing assumptions, understanding markets and validating customer demand.
• Entrepreneurial experience – you’re an experienced founder or builder that can work from zero to one.
• Commercial acumen – Must prioritise quickly validating the business model and go‑to‑market strategy to de‑risk viability before scaling.
• Test & learn mindset – thrives in fast‑paced, uncertain environments: rapidly testing and validating assumptions and pivoting as required.
• Scrappiness and resourcefulness – takes initiative and is proactively able to get things done with low resources when needed.
• Inspirational leadership – exceptional at rallying teams to achieve shared goals in an inclusive environment.
• Skilled storytelling – effective at communicating with diverse audiences and stakeholders.

What we offer

Location: At least 2 days a week at our Thames‑side, Blackfriars office in London with the freedom to work remotely on other days.

Compensation: Competitive salary equivalent, between £60‑70k pro rata depending on experience, paid in 2 instalments.

Start date and role duration: 2 month contract – starting end of June ideally.

Reporting: Leah Pattison, Senior Venture Designer.

The founder package we offer, if you pitch to continue building the concept is successful:

• A de‑risked concept with initial inroads into relevant customer and partner networks.
• A living stipend of ~£4k per month for up to 6 months whilst you build with us.
• £25k of additional funds to support the build and launch of the company.
• Dedicated, hands‑on operational support from a passionate team specialising in venture design and building, product development, fundraising, tech, and strategic partnerships.
• Access to Nesta’s mission‑relevant internal and external networks.
• The opportunity at the end of 6 months to pitch for an additional £200k investment and establish the venture as an independent company – and receive a majority equity stake in the new company.