Deep-Tech Technical Founder - Singapore

About ATUM Ventures

ATUM Ventures supports bold founders transforming innovative technologies into impactful companies addressing critical issues in Energy, Medtech, and Advanced Manufacturing. By combining capital investment, operational expertise, and collaborations with academia, industry, venture capital, and government, ATUM co-invests in every venture it builds.

The organization develops companies from the ground up by helping researchers, corporate innovators, and founders turn groundbreaking research into scalable ventures, providing capital, corporate connections, and operational guidance ranging from technology validation and grant acquisition to market launch and expansion.

The Opportunity

The Deep Tech Venture Building Program facilitates the comprehensive creation of startups using breakthrough research. The program identifies research-backed innovations, validates them through a scientific advisory council, assembles complementary founding teams, and supports these teams toward readiness for investment and market launch.

We are seeking aspiring Deep-Tech Technical Founders to lead the technological direction and innovation for emerging high-impact startups. As a Technical Founder, you will collaborate with a Commercial Founder to develop products based on pioneering technology, laying the foundation for scale and societal impact. Your domain expertise, whether through doctoral research, engineering, or science, will be essential in defining feasible technical solutions and achieving venture milestones.

Role Responsibilities

• Define and own the technological vision and architecture, transforming research or prototypes into commercial-grade, scalable, and reliable systems.
• Lead initial product development by designing, building, and refining core technologies, managing the balance between rapid experimentation and ensuring long-term robustness and defensibility.
• Develop the venture's technical strategy, pinpointing core proprietary challenges and competitive advantages to create sustainable technological moats.
• Coordinate cross-functional collaboration across science, engineering, and business areas, aligning technical objectives with broader venture strategies alongside commercial founders and research partners.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead early-stage technical teams capable of handling uncertainty from minimal viable products to production-level systems.
• Represent the technical vision and progress to investors, partners, and stakeholders, establishing credibility in scientific and commercial communities.
• Promote responsible innovation by making thoughtful decisions balancing speed, quality, and ethical considerations throughout company growth.

Candidate Requirements

• Demonstrated entrepreneurial initiative through previous experience starting and sustaining complex projects, startups, business units, or product lines.
• Strong technical background typically supported by a PhD, MSc, or extensive hands-on expertise in relevant areas such as AI/ML, biotechnology, robotics, clean technology, or materials science.
• Prior exposure to startups, research commercialization, or product engineering, including experience developing prototypes, models, or proprietary intellectual property.
• A builder’s mentality marked by motivation for experimentation, iterative development, and creation from fundamental concepts with high adaptability to ambiguity and decisive action orientation.
• Exceptional ability to connect and translate complex technologies to business contexts with an ongoing customer-centric approach and effective communication skills.

Benefits and Offerings

• Direct involvement in ATUM’s distinctive deep-tech venture building methodology and team expertise.
• A systematic program to reduce risk associated with launching deep-tech ventures.
• Access to laboratory facilities, domain specialists, early adopter networks, and funding channels.
• Equity participation as a true co-founder plus salary once the company incorporates.
• Significant opportunity to shape the company, role, and the future impact of deep technology innovations.
• The challenge and adventure of establishing a pioneering, category-defining startup from inception.

Equal Opportunity Statement

ATUM is committed to equal opportunity employment and partnership, embracing applicants of all identities and backgrounds. Selections are made aligning with core company values. Candidates passionate about our mission are highly encouraged to apply.