Own the full commercial motion for a specific product line from first conversation to signed order and build the sales infrastructure that will define how it goes to market.
ABOUT US
Designing Alley is a Delhi-based deep-tech startup that engineers and manufactures precision scientific instruments. We work at the intersection of hardware, life sciences, and applied research building products that are technically complex, capital-intensive, and sold into institutions with long procurement cycles.
This role is focused on a specific product line within our portfolio. Your mandate starts deep and focused with the genuine possibility of expanding across other product lines as you establish yourself and the business grows.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We are moving from founder-led, opportunity-driven sales to a structured, repeatable commercial operation and we need the person who will make that transition happen for this product.
There is no inherited pipeline. No handed-over playbook. You will define the outreach strategy, build the institutional relationships, and close the deals. This is a ground-floor commercial mandate for someone who wants to architect a sales function, not slot into one that already exists.
Strong performance here creates a clear path to owning the commercial function across our broader product portfolio.
WHAT YOU WILL OWN
Build the sales function
- Design and execute a go-to-market strategy for this specific product line across India's academic, research, and biotech ecosystem
- Create prospecting SOPs, outreach cadences, and a scalable pipeline process from scratch
- Map and prioritise target accounts: IITs, IISc, AIIMS, DBT/ICMR-funded labs, biotech incubators, and private R&D centres
Drive deals to close
- Generate qualified leads through direct outreach, conference presence, and your existing institutional network
- Run product demonstrations and technical presentations, with internal application support
- Navigate academic procurement, government tender processes, and multi-stakeholder buying cycles
- Own proposals, quotations, and negotiations all the way through to signed orders
Build the market position
- Develop trusted, long-term relationships with principal investigators, lab directors, and procurement officers
- Position this product as the serious choice for research institutions not a vendor relationship, a partnership
- Feed market and competitor intelligence directly into product and roadmap discussions
- Maintain a clean pipeline with accurate forecasts and deal timelines
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Experience
- 49 years selling scientific instruments, lab equipment, or research platforms
- Proven track record closing high-value deals in academic or institutional accounts
- Experience managing long, multi-stakeholder sales cycles and capital equipment procurement
Network
- An active network inside universities, government-funded institutes, or biotech incubators that you can activate from day one
- Existing relationships with principal investigators, lab heads, or procurement officers in the Indian research ecosystem
Skills & mindset
- Self-directed and outcome-focused you build the system, you do not wait for one
- Comfortable operating with high autonomy in an early-stage environment
- Background in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred
- Prior startup or early-stage commercial experience is a strong advantage
COMPENSATION & STRUCTURE
- This is a full-time, permanent, on-site role based in Delhi.
- Compensation comprises a competitive fixed salary plus uncapped commission on closed deals. The specific band and commission structure are discussed openly with shortlisted candidates. We pay well for people who build real things.
- The role starts focused on a specific product line. For the right person, it is the entry point into owning the commercial function across a growing product portfolio.
HOW TO APPLY
We review applications on a rolling basis and move quickly with strong candidates.
In your application, tell us three things:
- The most significant capital equipment or instrument deal you have closed size, institution, and how you got in the door
- The academic or institutional network you would bring on day one
- Why you want to build a sales function rather than join one that already exists
For more information, reach out to us via [Confidential Information]
All applications are treated with full confidentiality.
