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  • Designation: Chief of Accelerator
  • Organization: SwitchON Foundation
  • Location: Kolkata/Bangalore (Open to travel across India)
  • Work Experience: 12 - 20 years of relevant experience
  • Compensation: 24 - 30 LPA per annum
  • Language Proficiency: English; Hindi or regional languages preferred



About SwitchON

SwitchON Foundation (est 2008) is a mission-driven organization working to strengthen sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience. We partner with Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), Climate startups, investors, and institutions to build scalable solutions that create both economic and social impact.

Our growing enterprise platform combines acceleration, advisory, market access, capacity building, and investment facilitation to help FPCs and agri-enterprises and other climate become sustainable, growth-oriented businesses. Through strategic partnerships and ecosystem support, we enable enterprises to scale their impact and reach.

The SwitchON Foundation is part of the ON Universe, which operates accelerator, impact fund and advisory that is dedicated to supporting proximate climate startups / social entrepreneurs andFPCS’s. Through the Greenovation and ONganic Accelerator—which runs challenges, bootcamps, and cohort-based programs—and the EarthON Fund, which leverages blended capital approaches, we address complex climate challenges across the Global South.


Position Summary

The Chief of Accelerator will lead the Organisation's climate innovation and entrepreneurship platform ,designing, scaling, and managing accelerator, incubation, challenge, and ecosystem-building initiatives across India and the Global South. A core focus of this role is scaling the accelerator into new countries and geographies, establishing the Organisation as a global leader in localized climate solutions.

The accelerator is uniquely structured to support a diverse spectrum of innovators, serving both Social Enterprises / Tech Startups and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) / Rural Businesses, ensuring that innovation reaches the last mile.

The role requires strategic leadership across:

  • Startup Sourcing and Acceleration
  • Ecosystem Partnerships
  • Mentor and Investor Networks
  • Innovation Programs
  • Capacity Building
  • Fundraising and Ecosystem Development

The individual will work closely with founders, investors, ecosystem enablers, corporates, governments, philanthropic institutions, and climate innovators to build a globally relevant climate innovation ecosystem.

As this role involves FPO acceleration as well, the individual will need to have prior experience of working with FPOs or other forms of agri-collectives, along with a passion to not only nurture solutions but also see them through to deployment on the ground.

Key Responsibilities

Accelerator Strategy & Leadership

  • Define and lead the accelerator vision, strategy, and growth roadmap
  • Design accelerator models, cohorts, bootcamps, and innovation programs
  • Develop thematic focus areas aligned with EarthON priorities
  • Build scalable program structures and operational systems, that can work for both innovators and end-user collectives

Startup & FPO Sourcing & Portfolio Development

  • Build a high-quality pipeline of climate startups, innovators and farmer collectives
  • Lead startup selection, evaluation, and cohort management processes
  • Support startup growth, investment readiness, and ecosystem access
  • Build portfolio support systems and founder engagement frameworks

Ecosystem & Partnership Development

  • Build relationships with:
  • Investors
  • Accelerators
  • Corporates
  • Governments
  • Universities
  • Philanthropic organisations
  • Industry experts
  • Develop strategic partnerships for program scale and sustainability

Mentor & Investor Network Management

  • Curate and manage networks of:
  • Mentors
  • Technical experts
  • Investors
  • Domain specialists
  • Ensure strong engagement and value delivery for startups

Program Oversight & Quality

  • Oversee execution quality across all accelerator initiatives
  • Ensure strong participant experience and measurable outcomes
  • Build systems for monitoring, feedback, learning, and reporting

Innovation & Ecosystem Building

  • Identify emerging trends and opportunities in:
  • Climate innovation
  • Agrivoltaics
  • Green livelihoods
  • Regenerative systems
  • Circular economy
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Position EarthON as a leading climate innovation ecosystem platform

Fundraising & Strategic Growth

  • Support fundraising and partnership development efforts
  • Engage with donors, ecosystem funders, and strategic partners
  • Contribute to blended finance and investment ecosystem initiatives

Education Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Management, Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, Development Studies, Agriculture, Engineering, Environmental Studies or related fields

Master’s degree preferred.

Preferred Skills & Competencies

  • Deep experience in accelerators, incubators, innovation ecosystems, or venture building
  • Strong startup ecosystem understanding
  • Prior experience working with agri-collectives
  • Experience working with investors and ecosystem partners
  • Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
  • Understanding of climate, sustainability, and impact ecosystems
  • Ability to build systems, teams, and partnerships at scale

Compensation

  • Annual CTC: 24 - 30 LPA per annum
  • Reimbursement: All official travel, accommodation, and logistics will be covered as per organisational policy.

Reporting To : Executive Director

Travel for: Ecosystem events, Startup engagements ,Partner meetings, Investor interactions, National and international ecosystem convenings.