Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Position Description

Position Title:                  Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Department:                    Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Reports to:                       Chief Operating Officer

Position(s) Supervised:  Director of Entrepreneurship Advancement, Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Senior Venture Investment Director, Director, entrepreneurship Access and Inclusion

FLSA Status:                      Exempt

Position Summary

The Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation is responsible for providing leadership, strategy, and vision in directing the state’s efforts to 1) advance startups and emerging growth companies; 2) support R&D to commercialization activities, 3) grow early stage and venture investment in Wisconsin start-up businesses; and 4) expand entrepreneurship opportunity for underserved individuals and communities. The VP has budgetary responsibility in overseeing the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Division. In addition, the VP will analyze and report on entrepreneurship results and determine strategy and program implementations to successfully achieve goals in support of statewide entrepreneurs.

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Responsibilities

The VP will align activities to support the following primary roles:

• Provide a vision, strategy and management of programs and initiatives to support startups, emerging growth companies, and other entrepreneurs in the State of Wisconsin.
• Develop and implement innovative programs to increase R&D to commercialization, startup activity, enhanced business modeling for startup success, investor incentive programs and investment seed capital.
• Develop and direct an annual E&I operating and budget plan, timelines, program revisions or implementations, marketing vision and alignment and management of key partners.
• Develop and direct a plan promoting Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the State’s and WEDC’s supporting investments.
• Build strong relationships with state-wide organizations, the business and entrepreneurial community and collaborate with university and technical college entities.
• Lead, coach and support the Entrepreneurship & Innovations Team and oversee the Division’s operations plan and budget.

The VP will spend a majority of their time in these activities:

• Evaluate and implement innovative entrepreneurial programs to best serve Wisconsin entrepreneurs.
• Monitor and report on existing E&I programs and refine programs to most effectively serve Wisconsin’s entrepreneurs, would-be-entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Provide entrepreneurial and investment guidance to startups and emerging growth companies.
• Manage a pipeline and portfolio of companies utilizing WEDC entrepreneurial programs and investment.
• Lead and manage a team of entrepreneurship and investment professionals.
• Collaborate with the university system, technical colleges, accelerators, incubators and other entrepreneurial support organizations to stimulate startup, emerging growth activity, and more inclusive access to entrepreneurship opportunity.
• Serve as the WEDC spokesperson for entrepreneurship and innovation; represent WEDC in entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and innovation events.
• Maintain working knowledge of industry trends, targeted business assistance opportunities, and financing/incentive programs appropriate for business sectors served.
• Develop and implement yearly E&I operations plan, goals, and budget.
• Participate as a member of the Strategic Investment Steering Committee strategic planning, evaluation and implementation.
• Other duties as assigned.

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