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 Energy Mechanics & Built Environment 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 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 actively manage opportunities and risk, allowing you to effectively enable technology transfer from experimental and prototype stages into marketable solutions. You build and manage a project portfolio with new, promising projects by scouting, seeking and screening opportunities. Being in close contact with your target group, the researchers and scientists at TU/e is essential is this job. To optimize this process, they should be stimulated to be alert to the possibilities of valorization of 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.

Protecting knowledge, developing and validating business cases, preparing and realizing license contracts, in collaboration with your IP colleagues, are also part of this job.

In this job you collaborate and connect with various people, parties, stakeholders and other members of the Brainport ecosystem, as well as within TU/e as outside the university. You are a full interlocutor for the scientific staff and you support and challenge the researchers to develop solutions that have societal impact.

Your activities are mainly focused on the themes Energy (-transition) and Built Environment but you are also open to opportunities

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate who has excellent communication and networking  skills. A generalist who is capable to connect people and interests. Able to quickly get to the bottom of  a new application area to understand the relevant business environment. An entrepreneurial and seasoned professional 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 high tech scientific research.
• You have 10-15 years of relevant working experience in the energy and/or built environment domain.
• You have experience in setting up tech businesses.
• Affinity with sustainability and practical applications.
• You have experience in finance and funding/VC opportunities.
• You speak the language of both researchers and entrepreneurs.
• 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 proactive, reliable professional and considered a recognized sparring partner for the researchers.

• Working on an inspiring campus with plenty of room for personal development and growth;
• We offer a 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 €4.612,- and maximum € 5.922,- (in accordance with scale 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).