EIC Tech to Market Venture Building: Twelve teams seek entrepreneurial deep tech talent for paid residencies
- ›The EIC Tech to Market Venture Building Programme is recruiting entrepreneurs to join 12 deep tech project teams through its Team Creation activity.
- ›Roles are paid, part time residencies of four to six months intended to test fit and potentially convert into co-founder, advisor or key team member roles.
- ›Openings cover C-suite and advisor roles across life sciences, energy, agritech, space and materials and are linked to university and research institute backers.
- ›Applications are managed through the implementing partner Mobile World Capital Barcelona and positions are expected to start around September or early October 2024.
- ›Locations reflect the project bases but work is expected to be mostly remote. Selection is competitive and conversion to equity roles is not guaranteed.
EIC Tech to Market Venture Building Programme seeks entrepreneurs to join deep tech teams
The EIC Tech to Market Venture Building Programme, launched in early 2023, is recruiting entrepreneurial talent for its Team Creation activity. The initiative aims to help research teams supported under EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition turn laboratory results into investable startups. To date the Team Creation phase has onboarded 12 teams. The programme now lists several open Entrepreneur in Residence and senior leadership roles meant to complement technical founders and accelerate venture creation.
How the Team Creation activity works
Current open positions and brief descriptions
Interested candidates are directed to the implementing partner Mobile World Capital Barcelona for full job descriptions and application details. The list below is a preview of openings published in August 2024. Locations indicate the city where the project team is based and do not necessarily require on-site work. The roles are expected to begin in September or early October 2024.
| Role | Project | Location (team base) | Backing or Host | Profile sought |
| Entrepreneur in Residence | MARVEL | Milan, Lombardy, Italy | National Research Council of Italy CNR | Business acumen, startup experience, knowledge in peptide technology |
| Entrepreneur in Residence | Super-HEART | Kiel, Germany | Fraunhofer ISIT and Kiel University | Business acumen, startup experience, solid knowledge in power converters and energy projects |
| Entrepreneur in Residence | FORESEE | Barcelona, Spain | Pompeu Fabra University | Business acumen, startup experience, solid knowledge in medical devices |
| Chief Technology Officer (CTO) | Persei Space (E.T.Pack-F) | Madrid, Spain | Universidad Carlos III de Madrid | Entrepreneurial profile to lead technology development and complement current founder team |
| Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | Achilleus | Heidelberg, Germany | DKFZ German Cancer Research Center | Business acumen, founder experience, solid knowledge in drug development |
| Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) / Co-Founder | Puresurf | Graz, Austria | Puresurf project | Commercial leadership, strategic thinking, entrepreneurial mindset |
| Advisor (Senior Business Advisor) | LiveSen-MAP (Nutrisen) | Straubing, Bavaria, Germany | Technical University of Munich via Nutrisen | Business acumen, senior advisory experience, solid knowledge in the agrisector |
| Advisor (Business Advisor) | 3P-TEC | Bremen, Germany | University of Bremen | Entrepreneurial profile, business acumen, solid knowledge in the agrisector |
Application logistics and practical notes
Full vacancy descriptions and application forms are available on the Mobile World Capital Barcelona website. Candidates who do not find a current match are encouraged to join the talent pool so they can be matched to future projects. The positions are generally remote by default but may require some on-site interaction depending on the project. Compensation is paid for the residency but the exact terms vary and are specified in each vacancy. Interested candidates were asked to apply as soon as possible in August 2024 for intended starts around September or early October 2024.
Context, implications and caveats
The Venture Building Programme sits within the EIC Business Acceleration Services. Its design is typical of European venture building initiatives that try to bridge research and entrepreneurship by placing experienced businesspeople alongside academic teams. This model can speed up customer discovery and help shape regulatory and commercial pathways. It can also surface conflicts over equity, IP ownership and strategic direction when researchers and entrepreneurs have different expectations.
Selection is likely competitive. The EIC and its implementing partners typically receive many applications for limited roles in such programmes. Candidates with prior startup experience in the specific technology domain and a track record of commercial development will be advantaged. Joining the talent pool can be a pragmatic route for candidates not matched immediately.
Broader programme status and where to follow updates
The EIC Tech to Market Programme is an element of the European Innovation Council support ecosystem. Implementation is handled through service providers who ran the Entrepreneurship and Venture Building components up to late 2024. The EIC maintains a community page with news and calls for experts and entrepreneurs in residence. Interested professionals should monitor the EIC Community pages and the Mobile World Capital careers area for new calls and for reopening of applications. The EIC published a general note that some programme activities were paused and expected to resume in 2026. Applicants should confirm current programme status when they apply.
Final practical checklist for applicants
1) Review full vacancy details on the Mobile World Capital page. 2) Confirm format, compensation and remote expectations before accepting a residency role. 3) Clarify potential equity or longer term terms in writing if you expect to convert to co-founder. 4) Consider joining the talent pool if no immediate match is found. 5) Use the EIC Community helpdesk for programme related questions and select the relevant subject for faster replies.
This account integrates all meaningful information published in the original announcement while adding critical context on mechanisms and risks. It aims to help entrepreneurial candidates evaluate the opportunity and to set realistic expectations about what the residency can and cannot deliver.