Managing Director; Technical

Position: Managing Director (Technical)

CoFounder/Managing Director @ AI2 Incubator — Partnering with founders to build world changing AI products that people love

The AI2 Incubator is hiring a Technical Managing Director to join our leadership team as a partner and key principal. This person will work alongside Jacob Colker, Yifan Zhang, Vu Ha, and Oren Etzioni to source exceptional founders, build applied AI companies, and guide teams through successful venture fundraising.

THE JOB OPPORTUNITY OF A DECADE

Shape the Future of Applied AI — This is one of the few roles in the world where a single leader can help launch dozens of companies and hundreds of careers while influencing the trajectory of applied AI itself. The AI2 Incubator and AI House sit at the center of the Pacific Northwest’s rapidly accelerating AI ecosystem, backed by the research heritage of the Allen Institute for AI and powered by our new $80 million Fund 3.

Join

a Proven, Top-Decile Incubator —

Our founders are already pushing the boundaries of what is possible in healthcare, finance, legal tech, enterprise productivity, and more. The companies we’ve incubated have raised more than $400 million in venture capital and are valued at more than $1.7 billion. 24% of our entire portfolio has already been acquired by companies like Apple, Docu Sign, Thomson Reuters, and Baidu, placing the financial performance of our funds firmly in the top-decile tier nationwide.

Work

Inside a Powerhouse AI Community —

The incubator operates inside AI House, the Pacific Northwest’s central hub for applied AI. More than 15,000 people have already come through the doors for technical talks, founder events, research workshops, and community programming. It has become a magnet for talent, ideas, and momentum, giving our founders (and you) unmatched access to the region’s top engineers, operators, researchers, and investors.

Unleash Entrepreneurial Potential —

In this role, you will help unlock talent, sharpen technical direction, guide fund raises, and accelerate breakthroughs that would not happen without your involvement. This is a rare chance to unleash entrepreneurial potential at scale, shape the next wave of applied AI innovation, and leave a lasting mark on one of the most important technological revolutions of our lifetime.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Technical Talent Evaluation — Can spot real technical excellence, fast. Sense within minutes whether a founder can actually build, architect, and scale. Cut through resume padding and vague jargon with clear, direct questions that reveal true ability, originality, and execution strength.
• Taste for Early Ideas — Can see the difference between a clever project and a venture-scale company. Read markets, see around corners, ask what this could become in five years, and judge whether an idea has real expansion potential or stalls at the prototype stage given the near‑term state of AI.
• Coaching and Mentoring Entrepreneurs — Can take founders from fragile day‑zero ideas to venture‑funding‑ready companies. Work with them on product, architecture, prototyping, pilots, and hiring. Give honest, founder‑tested advice that sharpens execution and builds momentum.
• Fundraising Guidance — Can lead teams through a seed raise because you’ve done it yourself. Help founders craft investor‑ready stories, shape pitches, run tight processes, and navigate meetings, diligence, and negotiation to close strong rounds with top‑tier investors.
• Leadership Team Alignment — Can operate as a true partner within our leadership team. Bring cultural alignment, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to shared success. Contribute meaningfully to strategy, support fellow partners, and put the incubator’s mission ahead of the individual.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Raised institutional venture capital as a startup leader
• Can evaluate world‑class technical talent
• Can judge early ideas and market potential
• Deep technical experience building and deploying generative AI systems
• Can coach founders on all aspects of building a startup, with an emphasis on product and engineering
• Can guide a seed fundraising process end‑to‑end, from introductions to closing
• Thrives as a collaborative partner on a leadership team

COMPENSATION

Compensation for this role includes a competitive salary and long‑term equity/carry participation. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, role scope, and partnership alignment.

Seniority level

Executive

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Business Development and Sales

Industries

Software Development and Financial Services

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