Open Positions – Villgro

Villgro is India’s oldest and one of the world’s largest social enterprise incubators. Our belief in the ability of market-based models to alleviate poverty has enabled us to champion our mission of creating impactful, innovative and successful enterprises in Agritech, Cleantech, Medtech and Employability. Since our inception in 2001, we have incubated over 315 social enterprises that have generated 4500+ jobs and secured INR 4,164 million in follow-on funding to impact over 20 million lives. Apart from India, Villgro also supports enterprises in Vietnam, Kenya and the Philippines.

1. Incubation Manager – Healthcare (SRH Program)

Location: Bangalore or Chennai,

India Villgro seeks a young professional who is passionate about social impact, has strong business acumen with a bias for action to manage a new incubation-cum-acceleration program in the Healthcare sector being funded by a well-known international donor.

This new multi-donor project has been designed to contribute to the achievement of India’s family planning goals and shall focus on improving the Reproductive Health (RH) and Family Planning (FP) outcomes of our country.

Though teams currently work remotely, the role will involve in-person interactions and travel across the country, when it gets safe to travel or reopen offices.

Incubation at Villgro starts with identifying the relevant social enterprises for the program – build a compelling case as to why Villgro should be supporting them.

Successful incubation in this sector involves quality business advice as part of portfolio management, expanding one’s capabilities by leveraging subject experts and mentors right, and by enabling relevant partnerships for the incubatees. It also requires working technical knowledge of investments and deal structuring.

Job Description The ‘Incubation Manager’ role under SRH Program (Healthcare Sector) at Villgro is all about evaluating, supporting and evangelising Innovation and Social Impact focused healthcare startups developing technologies, products and services in the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) space.

Key responsibilities of the Program Manager will include:

1. Actively network and build a pipeline of innovative social enterprises in the SRH sapce for the program through building strategic partnerships with various stakeholders focusing in this sector.

2. Lead / Conduct preliminary assessment and detailed due diligence (business, financial and legal) on companies that fit with Villgro’s investment mandate. Conduct secondary research on market opportunity and study competitive landscape for prospective companies.

3. Assessment of key inputs such as clinical, technical and business needs in various settings, the size of the problem, opportunities and the scale of the impact along with risks in business, clinical and technologies employed by companies selected under this program. This includes identifying which clinical and technical experts need to be consulted; building and maintaining a network of them.

4. Build detailed business assessment including alignment with investment thesis, size of the opportunity, anticipated return on investment and understanding business risks and opportunities. Includes preparation of exit strategies and provide detailed investment theses to members of the Investment Committee. Preferably must have experience in Term sheet negotiations and transaction structuring.

5. Identify investment priorities and strategy based on First-hand assessment and understanding of the largest gaps in low resource settings; India (and global) public health priorities and Government policy priorities.

6. Actively manage and support health portfolio companies. Identifying the key operational and strategic risks in their businesses as well as strategies to mitigate these risks.

7. Add value to existing portfolio companies, including strategic advisory support to entrepreneurs on operations, with resources relevant to the challenges they are facing such as introductions to mentors, investors, and potential partners.

8. Develop tools and analytics / dashboards to analyse trends as well as support the portfolio companies. Present gaps, make recommendations, monitor progress of the business and support the portfolio companies. Work closely with the entrepreneurs and use Villgro’s tools and interventions appropriately.

9. Collaborate with Investor Relations, Finance and Compliance teams for managing the investment management operations, preparing investor reports and board presentations on a periodic basis. Keep all market connects for supporting the exit / follow on investment for portfolio companies

10. Support Villgro’s other activities to build the social enterprise ecosystem in India.

If the role excites you, we would like you to possess:

• Masters in medicine/biomedical engineering/life sciences or a Master’s in any relevant field.

• 3 – 5 years of work experience.

• Working knowledge of a wide variety of healthcare delivery environments in India and the current standard of care for a range of conditions in those environments is preferred.

• Experience in the Sexual and Reproductive Health space or Healthcare Industry will be an advantage.

• Preferable experience in investing early health stage investing and deal structuring in social enterprises is a must.

Compensation: We offer competitive, industry-standard salaries

Villgro alumni have gone on to found social businesses, study at Ivy League and Indian B Schools and public policy institutes, but most importantly – they have become voices of change. We are committed to providing the same exposure, learnings and experiences to help you shape your next big career move. Most of these will begin with some chai-coffee on our beautiful office terrace in Bangalore, or at the heart of startup hustle at the IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai.

But remember, these are just the contours of the role as we have envisaged it. We would love to have you expand its boundaries and take on more.

Apply to this role by Filling This Form.

We look forward to hearing from you!

2. Incubation Manager – Health Practice

Location: Bangalore or Chennai, India

Villgro seeks a young professional who is passionate about social impact, has strong business acumen with a bias for action to run its incubation and related programs in the Healthcare sector. Though teams currently work remotely, the role will involve in-person interactions and travel across the country, when it gets safe to travel or reopen offices.

Incubation at Villgro starts with identifying the relevant social enterprises for the program – build a compelling case as to why Villgro should be supporting them. Successful incubation in this sector involves quality business advice as part of portfolio management, expanding one’s capabilities by leveraging subject experts and mentors right, and by enabling relevant partnerships for the incubates. It also requires working technical knowledge.

Job Description

The ‘Incubation Manager – Health Practice’ role at Villgro is all about evaluating, supporting and evangelising Innovation and Social Impact focused med-tech startups.

Details of how your role will shape up are below:

I. Pipeline Building and Deal Sourcing

● Actively network and build a pipeline of innovative social enterprises in the health sector using our iPitch brand and/or other means as necessary

● Build key strategic partnerships with organisations in the investment and health sectors

● Assessment of key inputs such as clinical need in various settings, the size of the problem, and the scale of the impact if executed well

● Assessment of the business risks and opportunities associated with the proposed solution

● Assessment of the clinical and technical risk associated with the proposed solution II. Championing Incubatee Success

● Lead / Conduct preliminary assessment and detailed due diligence (business, financial and legal) on companies that fit with Villgro’s investment mandate

● Conduct secondary research on market opportunity and study competitive landscape for prospective companies

● Build detailed business assessment: Alignment with investment thesis? Size of the opportunity? Anticipated return on investment? Business risks and opportunities?

● Contribute and take assistance from other portfolio managers in clinical and technical areas for diligences they are leading

● More detailed clinical and technical risk assessment: Identifying which clinical and technical experts need to be consulted; building and maintaining a network of them

● Prepare exit strategies and provide detailed investment theses to members of the Investment Committee

● Term sheet negotiations and transaction structuring

III. Portfolio Management

● Actively manage and support health portfolio companies

● Identifying the key operational and strategic risks in the business as well as strategies to mitigate these risks

● Add value to existing portfolio companies, including strategic advisory support to entrepreneurs on operations, with resources relevant to the challenges they are facing such as introductions to mentors, investors, and potential partners

● Develop tools and analytics / dashboards to analyse trends as well as support the portfolio companies. Present gaps, make recommendations, monitor progress of the business and support the portfolio companies

● Understanding the clinical need gap and market dynamics and design appropriate solutions

● Work closely with the entrepreneurs and use Villgro’s tools and interventions appropriately

● Keep all market connects for supporting the exit / follow on investment for portfolio companies

IV. Investment Priorities and Strategies

Work with the health incubation team to identify investment priorities and strategy based on:

● First-hand assessment and understanding of the largest gaps in low resource settings

● India (and global) public health priorities

● Government policy priorities

V. Other

● Collaborate with Investor Relations, Finance and Compliance teams for managing the investment management operations, preparing investor reports and board presentations on a periodic basis.

● Support Villgro’s other activities to build the social enterprise ecosystem in India.

If the role excites you, we would like you to possess:

● MS in biomedical engineering/biochemistry/molecular biology or a Master’s in any relevant field, but we don’t obsess over institutional degrees and industry knowledge will be paramount.

● 5 – 8 years of work experience.

● Working knowledge of a wide variety of healthcare delivery environments in India and the current standard of care for a range of conditions in those environments is preferred.

● Deep interest in social sector and passionately driven by early health stage investing in social enterprises is a must.

Compensation: We offer competitive, industry-standard salaries

Villgro alumni have gone on to found social businesses, study at Ivy League and Indian B Schools and public policy institutes, but most importantly – they have become voices of change. We are committed to providing the same exposure, learnings and experiences to help you shape your next big career move. Most of these will begin with some chai-coffee on our beautiful office terrace in Bangalore, or at the heart of startup hustle at the IIT Madras Research Park in Chennai. But remember, these are just the contours of the role as we have envisaged it. We would love to have you expand its boundaries and take on more.

Apply to this role by Filling This Form.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Meanwhile, a little bit more about us:

Villgro is India’s oldest and one of the world’s largest social enterprise incubators. Villgro creates impactful, innovative, and successful enterprises in Health, Agribusiness, and Climate Action. Since 2001, Villgro has supported over 300 social enterprises that have raised over INR 4,164 million in investments and impacted over 20 million lives. Villgro was recognised as the “Top Incubator” in India by Invest India (DPIIT, GoI) in 2020.

Villgro fosters an open culture where each member is encouraged to express his/her/their views and opinions. We are a small, but highly committed team of 30 and we thrive on collaboration. We are an equal opportunity employer and extremely committed to fostering workplace equity. (Brag alert) Villgro has won the prestigious DivHersity Awards as a recognition for this!

An ideal candidate will resonate strongly with one or more of the following values.

● Empathetic: We walk in the shoes of our entrepreneurs and partners

● Bold: We embrace uncertainty, ambition, and believe in limitless possibilities

● Entrepreneurial: We take initiative and capitalize on opportunities

● Demonstrating Integrity: We are transparent, candid, and honest in our dealings