Founder in Residence, Priming plant resilience for climate risks

As a Founder-in-Residence, you will:

• Refine and complement existing scoping work on technical thesis, commercial neglect, value proposition, regulatory strategy, fundraising strategy, and company optimization
• Lead the development of a company at the intersection of climate risk, plant biology, and deployable agricultural products
• Prepare for Investment Committee by fulfilling investment criteria, recruiting team members, and parallel fundraising
• Spin out the company by end of Q2 2027 with pre-seed investment and significant equity stake

This role creates a company that addresses climate adaptation for food security and the wider bioeconomy by developing on-demand plant resilience solutions, helping crops withstand increasingly unpredictable climate pressures while maintaining productivity.

Essential requirements:

• Core science depth (PhD or equivalent industry R&D) in plant physiology, crop science, molecular biology, epigenetics, or microbiology
• Translational execution experience taking traits/actives from discovery to field
• Cross-functional ownership across R&D, Product, Regulatory, and IP
• Venture creation/fundraising experience or product leadership in agtech/biotech
• Entrepreneurial spirit, impact-driven mindset, and collaborative nature

Compensation and benefits:

• Minimum guaranteed income of £4,166 per month (fixed) as consultancy fee until company launch
• Initial £250k investment for venture incorporation and proof-of-concept development
• Majority equity stake in the company for you and your co-founders
• Continuous support post spin-out including fundraising, partnerships, and recruitment
• Access to DSV's venture creation methodology, tools, and extensive network
• Collaborative environment with other Founders at DSV across sectors

Deep Science Ventures (DSV) creates a future where both humans and the planet can thrive by using a unique venture creation process to build, spin-out, and invest in science companies across Pharmaceuticals, Climate, Agriculture, and Computation sectors.