Executive Director, Incubator

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mHUB is seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial executive to lead the mHUB Incubator, one of mHUB’s three core business units. The mHUB Incubator is a nationally recognized hardtech innovation and commercialization center and represents approximately $5.5M in annual revenue via memberships, fabrication services, grants, partnerships, and other sources.

As the nation’s leading hardtech incubator and Chicago’s largest tech innovation hub, mHUB is home to one of the most dynamic and active entrepreneurial communities in the country. Each year, more than 60,000 members and visitors work onsite in our 80,000 square-foot innovation center and prototyping facility, supported by a network of world‑class mentors, engineers, investors, manufacturers, and corporate innovation partners.

The Incubator community includes more than 325 active member companies and hosts hundreds of annual events, industry delegations, investor showcases, and community‑building activities bringing in thousands of visitors. Since launching in 2017, mHUB has solidified itself at the epicenter of Chicago’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem with an impact footprint that extends beyond the Midwest to across the nation and around the world.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Executive Director, Incubator will be responsible for setting and executing the growth strategy for this division, driving day‑to‑day operational excellence, expanding membership and programs, overseeing prototyping/micro‑factory labs and services, building strategic external partnerships, and ensuring strong collaboration across mHUB’s other business units:
Hardtech Development Services and Ventures. The Executive Director will oversee an initial expanding team of 8 full‑time employees across two teams (Prototyping Lab & Shop and Membership, Programs & Engagement) and a portfolio of contracted experts‑in‑residence and volunteer mentors and instructors.

This is both a strategic and hands‑on role, ideal for a growth‑minded leader who can operate and innovate. The Executive Director will be charged with doubling the incubator’s reach, revenue, and measurable impact over the next three years. The Executive Director will ensure that as it grows, mHUB’s incubator continues to deliver best‑in‑class resources that accelerate commercialization, manufacturing readiness, and economic impact, enabling member companies to launch new products, scale production, and create good jobs in the Midwest and beyond.

• Drive revenue growth through partnerships, memberships, expansion, and programmatic offerings.
• Lead ongoing performance tracking, impact metrics, and financial management to ensure profitability and sustainable growth.
• Establish credibility as an innovation leader nationally, continuing to heighten mHUB’s reputation and prominence as a leading organization in order to attract new members, partners, and ecosystem organizations.
• Develop and implement a strategic growth plan and potential geographic expansion for the Incubator, aligning with mHUB’s overall mission and organizational goals.

• Establish and sustain a best‑in‑class member experience that positions mHUB as the nation’s premier hardtech incubator.
• Drive growth in activity within the incubator, increasing daily traffic and annual visitors and raising mHUB’s prominence nationally.
• Lead development of innovative programming, mentorship networks, and partnerships that directly increase the growth, investment readiness, and commercialization success of member companies.
• Build scalable systems to measure and continuously improve member company outcomes, using data to inform resource allocation and new program development.
• Champion a culture of performance, learning, and accountability across teams that support the member community.

• Oversee incubator operations, including member experience, educational programs, community engagement, prototyping lab operations, and access initiatives, ensuring efficiency,…