The Gate is a platform for tech startups in the first stage of their existence. An information and advice platform, physical and digital, they can reach out to for a successful take off.

At The Gate, business developers of Brainport Development and Eindhoven University of Technology offer honest and independent advice. The shared goal is to improve the quantity and quality of new high tech startups in the Brainport Eindhoven region.

Together with partners Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Summa College and the regional startup ecosystem, the business developers provide information and guidance on workspaces, access to finance, training and coaching to entrepreneurial students, researchers and tech starters in the region. Through The Gate they are ready for take-off.The Gate is physically located in the Alpha Hub on the TU/e Campus, a new vibrant startup hub that also provides flexible and affordable office accommodation for startups.

The Gate is looking for a Business Developer Student Entrepreneurship to be part of the Business Development team of TU/e.

TU/e is transitioning to become a more entrepreneurial university and wants to create a stimulating environment for its academics and students to learn entrepreneurial skills and to successfully found new startups to bring their innovations to market and thus create more impact. In the position of New Business Developer, you are engaged in scouting, screening, selecting and setting up (valorization) projects to bring inventions with latent exploitation potential to maturity.

As a Business Developer you fill and manage a project portfolio with new, promising projects by seeking and maintaining contact with your target group, the Student Teams. To optimize this process, the Student Teams should be stimulated to be alert to the possibilities of marketing their work.

You guide the selected projects through a process that must ultimately lead to valorization of the new developed technology. Searching for partners, financing possibilities, subsidies and possible entrepreneurs who will apply the technology, for example in the form of a start-up or transfer of the innovative technology to an already existing company, are also an important part of the job.

As Business Developer Student Entrepreneurs you closely collaborate with TU/e innovation Space. TU/e innovation Space is the center of expertise for challenge-based learning and student entrepreneurship at TU/e, a learning hub for education innovation and an open community where students, researchers, industry, and societal organizations can exchange knowledge and develop responsible solutions to real world-challenges. Innospace offers a place where students learn to deal with complex societal and industrial challenges, develop innovative projects with researchers, business and other stakeholders.

In this role you are the driving force in the collaboration between The Gate and TU/e innovation Space. You have an active and substantial contribution in organizing activities and creating opportunities for students. You facilitate and stimulate students to become an entrepreneur, help them in the process to grow into  a start-up company.

Your extensive knowledge and vast experience in entrepreneurship, accelerating and incubating companies, business proposals, finance etc. makes you a "trusted and reliable advisor" not only for the students but also for your colleague business developers at The Gate. You are a networker pur sang and a generalist, a linking pin between the numerous stakeholders and you actively involve and connect all relevant parties.

More specific, on behalf of The Gate and in close consultation with TU/e innovation Space you are a contact person for Fontys and Summa College. Being successful in setting up a start-up company with a student team consisting of students from TU/e, Fontys and Summa College is high on the agenda and would be a highly valued achievement.

As mentioned earlier, in this role you will be in frequent contact with your direct colleague, the junior Business Developer to exchange experiences and knowledge en be a sparring partner for each other about what is going on the Student Teams domain.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced candidate with outstanding communication and networking skills and with an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset. You are capable to bring parties and stakeholders together and connect people and interests. A seasoned professional who has affinity with students and who is curious about new innovations, driven to commercialize innovations and establish partnerships.

Furthermore we expect the following qualifications:

• You have completed a WO degree and affinity with tech innovation.
• You have 10-15 years of relevant working experience.
• You have experience in setting up (tech) businesses.
• You have knowledge of finance and funding opportunities.
• You are strong in unifying interests and people, collaborating and communicating. Also you have a feel for organizational sensitivity.
• You have excellent proficiency in the Dutch and English language, orally as well as in writing.As a person you are a goal-oriented, proactive, hands-on team worker with excellent communication skills.

• Working on an inspiring campus with plenty of room for personal development and growth.
• We offer an initial one-year contract (1.0 fte), possibly an appointment via Euflex (the secondment organization of the TU/e). After a mutual positive evaluation this appointment will be extended or converted into a permanent contract.
• The full-time gross salary is in accordance with the CAO-NU and depends on knowledge and experience; minimum € 3.807 and maximum € 5.922,- (in accordance with scale 11/12).
• The year-end bonus is 8.3% of the annual salary (equivalent to one month's salary). The vacation allowance is 8% of the annual salary. The TU/e also offers excellent secondary employment conditions (including childcare, a minimum of 41 leave days for a 40-hour work week and excellent sports facilities).