Job Summary:
The Head of Technology Business Incubator at AP will be responsible for driving the overall vision, strategy, and growth of the incubator. The role focuses on building a strong startup pipeline from campus, scaling high-impact incubation programs, enabling funding access, and positioning as a leading innovation and entrepreneurship hub at regional and national levels. A combination of techno-managerial expertise with ecosystem leadership - to deliver measurable startup outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Growth
- Define and drive the vision, strategy, and long-term roadmap of the organisation aligned with institutional and national innovation goals.
- Build a strong pipeline from student innovation → pre-incubation → incubation → scale.
- Position as a leading university-based incubator through impactful programs and partnerships.
Startup Ecosystem Development
- Lead the design and scaling of pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration programs.
- Ensure high-quality startup selection, mentoring, and outcome-driven support.
- Drive conversion of student ideas into validated startups and funded ventures.
Partnerships & Fundraising
- Build strategic partnerships with corporates, investors, government bodies, CSR partners, and global incubators/accelerators.
- Lead fundraising through grants (MeitY, MSME, DST, etc.), CSR, sponsorships, and institutional collaborations.
- Enable market access, pilot opportunities, and investor connects for startups.
Operations & Governance
- Oversee financial sustainability, budgeting, compliance, and governance of the incubator.
- Ensure effective utilization of infrastructure, labs, and institutional resources.
- Establish strong policies, processes, and performance tracking systems.
Startup Success & Impact
- Monitor startup progress through KPIs, ensuring measurable outcomes (revenue, funding, jobs created, innovation impact).
- Provide strategic guidance to founders on scaling, business models, and market expansion.
- Identify risks and proactively support startups in overcoming early-stage challenges.
Institutional & Ecosystem Leadership
- Work closely with university leadership to integrate entrepreneurship into academics and research.
- Representation at national and international platforms, building visibility and credibility.
- Foster a collaborative innovation culture across students, faculty, and external stakeholders.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Master's / PhD in Engineering, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, or related field (Techno-managerial background preferred).
- 12+ years of experience in startup ecosystem, incubation, innovation management, or venture building.
- Proven track record in building and scaling incubation programs or startup ecosystems.
- Strong experience in fundraising, partnerships, and stakeholder management.
- Deep understanding of startup lifecycle (idea to scale), funding landscape, and policy ecosystem.
- Demonstrated leadership in managing teams, programs, and multi-stakeholder environments.
- Strong strategic thinking, execution capability, and decision-making skills.
