Fundraising & Business Development Manager
Role Description
Braid Theory is seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial Fundraising & Business Development Manager to lead fundraising partnerships, sponsorship development, strategic alliances, and business development efforts across its global venture programs.
The role will focus primarily on corporate fundraising, sponsorship development, and partnership building with stakeholders across maritime, port, logistics, shipping, blue economy, climate tech, deep tech, infrastructure, energy, and industrial innovation sectors.
This position is ideal for someone who thrives in relationship-driven environments and can connect corporations, industry leaders, government stakeholders, investors, foundations, universities, and ecosystem partners to mission-aligned innovation opportunities. The ideal candidate combines strong fundraising and business development experience with an understanding of startup ecosystems, venture environments, innovation programs, and emerging technologies.
The position combines a modest base salary with performance-based success fees tied directly to sponsorship and partnership revenue generation.
Key Responsibilities
Corporate Fundraising & Sponsorship Development
- Identify, cultivate, and secure corporate sponsors and strategic partners for accelerator cohorts, innovation programs, startup showcases, conferences, demo days, innovation challenges, and special initiatives
- Develop sponsorship packages, partnership proposals, and customized engagement opportunities aligned with partner objectives
- Lead sponsorship and partnership fundraising activities across Braid Theory programs and initiatives
- Build and manage long-term relationships with corporate stakeholders across maritime, ports, logistics, shipping, blue economy, climate tech, deep tech, infrastructure, energy, and industrial innovation sectors
- Maintain relationships with sponsors and to support successful fulfillment of partnership deliverables
Business Development & Strategic Partnerships
- Identify partnership opportunities with stakeholders including port authorities, government agencies, investors, philanthropic organizations, industry associations
- Support expansion of accelerator, incubator, venture-building, and innovation programming through collaborative partnerships
- Foster long-term collaborations connecting corporates, startups, investors, and emerging technologies
- Represent Braid Theory at conferences, networking events, trade shows, or other industry gatherings or ecosystem building events
Revenue Generation & Growth
- Meet annual sponsorship, fundraising, and partnership revenue targets
- Manage partnership pipeline and CRM tracking
- Assist with grant partnership opportunities, consortium development, and collaborative funding initiatives
- Support monetization strategies for events, innovation challenges, and ecosystem initiatives
Ecosystem Development & Community Engagement
- Strengthen relationships across global innovation ecosystems, with particular focus on maritime, ocean, climate, and deep tech sectors
- Contribute to the expansion of Braid Theory's international network across EMEA, APAC, and other strategic regions
- Help position Braid Theory as a leading innovation partner and ecosystem builder within blue economy, climate, and deep tech innovation ecosystems
Preferred Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in fundraising, sponsorship sales, business development, partnerships, strategic relationship management, or related fields
- Proven track record of securing partnerships, sponsorships, or revenue-generating collaborations
- Experience within accelerators, startup ecosystems, venture development, innovation programs, VC-related environments, nonprofit organizations, sustainability initiatives, or economic development programs
- Strong network and relationship-building experience with corporate and industry stakeholders
- Familiarity with maritime, ports, logistics, shipping, ocean industries, climate tech, deep tech, industrial innovation, energy, or related sectors
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills
- Experience with CRM systems, proposal development, partnership management, and fundraising processes
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to work independently across multiple geographies and stakeholder groups
- International experience and familiarity with EMEA and/or APAC innovation ecosystems preferred
- Passion for ocean innovation, climate resilience, sustainability, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship
- Knowledge of European funding programs, Horizon Europe, EU grants, and public-private funding mechanisms considered a plus
Company Description
Braid Theory is a vertically integrated venture advisory which provides end-to-end services to support science and engineering-led companies in the sustainable blue economy. The firm incorporates a hybrid model of services to assist startups and scaleups based on proven methodology and rigor in evidence-based entrepreneurship focused on technology commercialization. Weaving together entrepreneurs with industry partners, investors and relevant stakeholders, we accelerate the adoption of transformative solutions, drive market growth, and create profitable collaborations.