Head of External Ventures & VC Relations

About the Role:

Are you an experienced investment professional passionate about shaping the future of deeptech? Do you thrive on discovering breakthrough technologies, partnering with visionary founders, and guiding them from concept to market? At imec, you’llcombine technical insight with capital to help innovators navigate technology roadmaps, accelerate commercialization, and deliver real-world impact.

The Head of External Ventures & VC Relations, US is a senior, highly independent role and is responsible for expanding imec’s presence in the US deeptech ecosystem and driving high-quality early-stage investments. This leader will own the strategic investment process end-to-end, interface directly with top-tier and frontier-tech VCs while leveraging imec’s world-class IP, R&D, and specialty processing capabilities to create strategic and technical value.

• Originate and close high-quality early-stage investments in deeptech and healthtech, leveraging imec’s unique technical capabilities.
• Lead end-to-end deal flow through proactive sourcing (VCs, founders, outbound), screening, due diligence, internal alignment, negotiation, and closing.
• Evaluate early/growth stage ventures where imec’s IP, R&D capabilities, design services, or specialty processing can create meaningful strategic and technical value.
• Shape imec’s investment models for scalable, repeatable collaboration with external startups.
• Drive deal negotiations and structure investment/collaboration terms that maximize imec’s long-term strategic and financial interest.
• Work cross-functionally with global technical, business, and legal teams to align on strategic investment opportunities and execute partnerships.
• Expose US VCs to imec’s internal ventures and support fundraising conversations for imec spinoffs where appropriate.

• Support Head of Venturing Acceleration and Ecosystem US by providing introduction to talent, experts, VCs, venture creation and development hubs, engagement with selected target customers and ecosystem players.
• Increase imec venturing’s visibility and brand in the US by representing imec at key events, investor forums, and founder gatherings: contribute to thought leadership and positioning papers.
• Support imec spinoff creation by contributing to review of imec spinoff projects within domains aligned with your expertise.

• BS/MS in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, or related deeptech/healthtech disciplines.
• 7+ years of VC/CVC investment experience, with a clear track record in early/growth stage hardware, deeptech, or healthtech investments.
• Demonstrated ability to independently originate and close deals; comfort operating with high autonomy.
• Strong, existing network across leading deeptech investors (especially in the east coast)
• Exceptional judgment in evaluating frontier technologies, founders, and early markets.
• Ability to work across distributed technical and business teams and translate complex R&D capabilities into investable opportunities.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and ecosystem-building skills.
• Bonus: experience with co‑development agreements, IP licensing, and specialty processing/foundry models.

Travel: 20%

Location:

Massachusetts / Boston