Investment Director; AI

Investment Director – AI

Location: Global / Remote

YZi Labs is investing in the next generation of transformative technologies. We partner with exceptional founders building category-defining companies and believe artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape industries, economies, and society.

We are seeking an experienced Investment Director to lead investment activities across the AI ecosystem. This role focuses on identifying, evaluating, and supporting high-potential AI startups, from early-stage ventures to growth-stage companies.

The ideal candidate combines strong investment judgment with a deep understanding of the AI landscape, emerging technologies, and startup ecosystems. You will play a key role in shaping our AI investment strategy and building a portfolio of future market leaders.

What You'll Do

Investment Strategy & Research

• Develop and refine YZi Labs' investment thesis across the AI ecosystem.
• Identify emerging opportunities across:
• Foundation Models
• AI Infrastructure
• AI Agents
• Enterprise AI
• Developer Tools
• Robotics & Embodied AI
• Applied AI
• Analyze industry trends, market dynamics, competitive landscapes, and technology developments.
• Build relationships with founders, researchers, operators, and industry experts.

Deal Sourcing & Due Diligence

• Source and evaluate investment opportunities across AI startups globally.
• Conduct commercial, strategic, technical, and financial due diligence.
• Assess product-market fit, team quality, business models, defensibility, and scalability.
• Evaluate AI technology stacks, data advantages, model differentiation, and go-to-market strategies.
• Identify key investment risks and opportunities.

Investment Execution

• Build investment cases and valuation frameworks.
• Prepare investment memoranda and present recommendations to the Investment Committee.
• Lead transaction execution, negotiations, and deal structuring.
• Support investments across Seed, Series A, Growth, and later-stage opportunities.

Portfolio Management

• Partner with portfolio companies to support growth and value creation.
• Provide strategic guidance on fundraising, hiring, partnerships, product strategy, and scaling.
• Monitor portfolio performance and identify follow-on investment opportunities.
• Maintain strong relationships with founders and leadership teams.

Market Intelligence & Ecosystem Development

• Stay ahead of developments in AI research, products, and venture ecosystems.
• Represent YZi Labs at industry events, conferences, and founder communities.
• Build and maintain a strong network across the AI ecosystem.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in venture capital, private equity, growth equity, investment banking, corporate development, hedge funds, or related investment roles.
• Strong understanding of AI technologies, machine learning, and the broader AI ecosystem.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating high-growth technology companies.
• Strong financial modeling, valuation, and investment analysis capabilities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship management skills.
• Ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct investment experience in AI startups or frontier technology companies.
• Technical background in AI, machine learning, data science, or software engineering.
• Existing network across founders, researchers, operators, and investors in the AI ecosystem.
• Strong passion for emerging technologies and innovation.

Why Join YZi Labs

• Invest in the most important technological transformation of our generation.
• Work alongside ambitious founders building category-defining AI companies.
• Shape investment strategy and portfolio construction with significant autonomy.
• Join a high-performance, entrepreneurial team with a global perspective.
• Help identify and support the companies defining the future of AI.