USA] Venture Specialist​/Venture Lead, Strategic Investments and Venture Partnerships

[USA] Venture Specialist/Venture Lead, Strategic Investments and Venture Partnerships

Reports to:

Managing Director Group:
Honda Xcelerator Ventures, Alliance Development

Employment Type:

Contingent to Hire Pay Range: $65.00 – $86.00 per hour Final level and pay will be based on the interview assessment and approved work location.

Honda Innovations Silicon Valley, Inc. (HISV), part of global Honda Motor Co., Ltd., drives strategic investment, partnership, and collaboration through Honda Xcelerator Ventures (HXV) – Honda’s corporate venture capital (CVC) program.

As a Venture Lead / Venture Specialist, you will play a hands‑on role in sourcing, evaluating, and executing strategic venture investments, in the U.S. West Coast startup ecosystem, while also supporting venture partnerships and open‑innovation engagements across Honda’s global R&D and business units. The role level will be determined based on experience.

You will work closely with Honda stakeholders in the U.S. and Japan, startup founders, and VC/CVC partners, with a strong emphasis on early‑stage and growth‑stage technologies aligned with Honda’s long‑term strategy. This role requires sound judgment, strong execution skills, and the ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, cross‑cultural environment. Focus areas include Deeptech, mobility, robotics/AI, and sustainability.

• Work Arrangement
  Onsite four (4) days per week at the HISV office, located in Mountain View, CA. External conferences or events attended as part of the role count toward onsite days.
• Compensation
  Final level and pay will be determined based on experience and interview assessment. Benefits, if applicable, are provided through the contingent agency.

• Source Honda-relevant deal flow through venture tools (e.g., Pitch Book, Crunchbase), VC/CVC relationships, founder networks, accelerators, and active participation in the West Coast Startup ecosystem.
• Identify, screen, and engage with promising startups to uncover high‑impact investment opportunities aligned with Honda’s innovation roadmap.
• Conduct early-stage diligence, evaluating:
  • Market potential and competitive dynamics
  • Technical differentiation and defensibility (“wow factor”)
  • Business model viability and financial outlook
  • Team strength and execution capability
• Develop clear, compelling investment proposals and present recommendations to the HXV investment team.
• Support end‑to‑end internal investment processes, including coordination with internal business stakeholders.
• Track emerging technology and investment trends relevant to Honda.
• Support open‑innovation engagements between startups and Honda Business Units, including pilots, proof‑of concepts (PoCs), and early collaborations that may lead to investment.
• Manage follow‑up actions, information flow, documentation, and reporting between internal Honda teams and startup partners.
• Help align expectations and ensure accountability across internal stakeholders and external partners.
• If assigned:
  • Serve as a board observer for one or more HXV portfolio companies and provide structured internal reporting.
  • Support value‑creation activities such as Joint Development Agreements (JDAs), Joint Research Agreements (JRAs), and other strategic collaborations.
  • Lead and manage relationships with selected accelerator or ecosystem partners, including deal flow reviews, event participation, and potential event planning.

• Build, maintain, and strengthen a robust network of VCs, CVCs, founders, and ecosystem partners, particularly on the U.S. West Coast.
• Actively represent HXV at industry events, panels, startup evaluations, and judging activities.
• Contribute to strengthening Honda’s brand, visibility, and credibility within the venture and innovation ecosystem.

• Venture & Startup Insight
  Strong understanding of early‑stage startups and venture dynamics, with the ability to evaluate technologies for both strategic fit and market potential.
• Analytical Thinking & Curiosity
  Quickly synthesize complex technical and market information, ask the right questions, and navigate…