Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (Portland)
About our client
Morio is a stealth-stage AI venture emerging from a global leader in energy and industrial innovation. Backed by a committed corporate anchor investor and operating at the intersection of AI, chemistry, and decarbonization, the company is building a category-defining platform to accelerate compound discovery and optimizationstarting with critical challenges in energy and emissions.
This is not an idea-stage startup. The venture has:
- A validated technical foundation
- A paid commercial pilot with a Fortune 500 energy partner
- A multidisciplinary founding team in place (interim CEO, technical leads, advisors)
What is missing is a full-time founding CEO to drive the next phase: refining the business model, leading the fundraise, and building a world-class team to take the product from 01 and beyond.
About the role
As CEO , the individual will take the reins from the interim executive sponsor and lead the company into its next chapter: from early traction to scaled commercial impact. This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to lead a well-positioned spin-outde-risked, but still early enough to make it their own.
The CEO will have full flexibility to shape:
- Company vision, product roadmap, and GTM strategy
- Team composition (retaining or evolving current staff)
- Operating structure and geographic footprint
The CEO will operate with the speed of a startup, but with insider access to a top-tier corporate ecosystem for early traction, data, and domain expertise.
Key Responsibilities
- Define the mission, value prop, and market strategy to win in the energy sector firstwith optionality for future verticals (chemicals, climate-tech, etc.)
- Attract, hire, and retain an exceptional executive and technical team
- Lead capital raises from VCs, strategic investors, and non-dilutive sources (e.g., government, climate finance)
- Land lighthouse customers, scale commercial pilots, and close strategic partnerships
- Deliver key milestones across tech, revenue, and team-buildingtoward Seed, Series A, and beyond
Ideal Candidate
Morio is open to non-traditional profiles, but is looking for a rare mix of startup grit, technical fluency, and commercial leadership.
The ideal candidate may have:
- Led a venture-backed AI, deep tech, or ChemTech startup from concept to early traction or beyond
- Comfort working alongside AI/ML, LLM, or computational chemistry teams (you dont need to code, but must speak the language)
- Closed institutional rounds (Seed to Series B+) and built relationships with VCs, strategics, or mission-driven investors
- Proven track record launching novel tech products and iterating based on real customer feedback
- Can inspire scientists, corporate execs, and investors alike
- Comfortable navigating cross-border teams, markets, and customers
Compensation
- Total Compensation: USD $200,000 $400,000 (base salary, equity value, and performance bonuses)