UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LICENSING & VENTURES GROUP (LVG)

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UVA INNOVATES  

TITLE: Director of Venture Hub, a new founder-focused enrichment center

SUPERVISORS OF RECORD: Executive Director, LVG and Director, UVA Innovates

MANAGING SUPERVISOR: Managing Director LVG Venture Group

 I. POSITION DESCRIPTION

 UVA LVG, in partnership with UVA Innovates, is looking for a dynamic leader to build a new founder focused function called Venture Hub. Venture Hub is envisioned as a catalyst for aspiring UVA founders who are interested in translating ideas and concepts into impactful ventures, whether it be the creation of commercial entities or non-profits. Initial focus will be on faculty, post-docs, and graduate researchers, with the potential to expand to other stakeholders such as advanced professional masters, alumni, and community members. Venture Hub will provide the entrepreneurial training, guidance, and support to help translate discoveries and ideas into impactful solutions.

The Director of Venture Hub will be expected to be entrepreneurial in their efforts, favoring experimentation, learning, and when necessary, pivoting offerings and programs. There are short-term opportunities to create guidance for faculty, post-docs, and graduate researchers interested in learning about and pursuing entrepreneurship. Additional opportunities may include hosting workshops and seminars, fostering alumni networks and mentoring, running experiential programs such as accelerators or incubators, and creating vibrant exchanges with the Charlottesville entrepreneurial community.

Success will be measured by the degree to which Venture Hub empowers and enables UVA stakeholders to be entrepreneurial in their efforts and to execute innovative solutions to the problems they choose to focus their attention. As such, we will need to develop success metrics beyond traditional measures such as well-received programs and successful ventures launched. Such metrics could include ventures that remain in Charlottesville, partnerships with existing companies, satisfaction of participating entrepreneurs, and external funding brought into the ecosystem. The Director of Venture Hub will be expected to work with UVA Innovates and LVG leadership to develop a set of specific metrics in partnership with the sponsoring partners and report on these metrics on a semi-annual basis.

The Director of Venture Hub will be supported by a team of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) empowered to mentor researchers and entrepreneurs and get new ventures off the ground. Each of the EIRs is accountable to create a pipeline of startup opportunities and a targeted number of new ventures. The successful candidate will work constructively with LVG’s Licensing Team and Seed Fund Staff to identify opportunities, assign EIRs, and foster a network of alumni, external entrepreneurs, investors, and interns all with the goal of supporting the aspiring entrepreneur.

The Director of Venture Hub has overall responsibility for Venture Hub including strategy, staffing, programs, budgeting, visibility, hiring, and engagement with key internal and external stakeholders. We have secured a space on Preston Avenue in Charlottesville to serve as the physical home of Venture Hub. The space is located adjacent to LVG and includes opportunities to provide satellite offices for other support functions like translational research funds, legal counsel, and venture financing.

II. BACKGROUND

UVA is a comprehensive public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Home to 13 schools, UVA is consistently rated among the top public universities and a university “best value” in the United States (www.virginia.edu).

UVA Innovates is a platform for catalyzing entrepreneurship and innovation across the University of Virginia. Established in 2024, UVA Innovates provides resources and support for a portfolio of initiatives aimed across various stakeholder groups at the university (www.uvainnovates.virginia.edu).

UVA Licensing & Ventures Group (LVG) was founded in 1977 as a 501(c) (3) UVA associated organization and is the intellectual property management and innovation commercialization organization for UVA’s research portfolio (www.lvg.virginia.edu).

Charlottesville, Virginia is a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem supporting a wide array of ventures across various technology classes and industry sectors. In 2016, Charlottesville was recognized as the #4 best city in the US for starting a business and #1 in venture capital growth.

 III. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategy

• With the Director of UVA Innovates and the Executive Director and the Managing Director of LVG, develop the strategic vision and plan for Venture Hub.
• Innovate programmatic offerings to catalyze aspiring founder entrepreneurial thinking & experiences.
• Partner with entrepreneurship leaders across the University and the broader community in the design and execution of programs and support.
• Develop and execute towards a set of well-defined success metrics.

Engagement

• Raise the awareness, stature, and network of the University of Virginia by amplifying entrepreneurship efforts across Grounds and beyond.
• Work with the broader UVA Innovates platform to catalyze ventures and solutions addressing critical societal needs.
• Foster relationships with broader communities of practice including alumni engaged in entrepreneurial endeavors.
• Seek, support, and promote engagement with faculty, post-docs, and graduate researchers across the enterprise within schools, institutes, and centers at the University of Virginia.

Management

• Oversee all day-to-day operations of Venture Hub.
• Develop, garner appropriate funding for, and hire to a staffing plan to support the strategy and manage day-to-day operations
• Activate and manage an energized physical space.
• Steward the highest standards of integrity, operational excellence, & stakeholder engagement.

 IV. QUALIFICATIONS:

 Required:

• Experience as a successful entrepreneur and company founder
• Experience managing in complex, large institutional environments
• Charisma to project contagious enthusiasm for venture creation
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational and management abilities
• Ability to manage $2M in budgetary responsibility

Strongly preferred:

• Experience as a successful entrepreneur and company founder
• Master’s degree or other relevant advanced degree (JD, MBA, EdD, PhD)
• Ten years of managerial experience
• Knowledge of and experience with university technology commercialization
• Experience working in a university environment.

Distinguishing characteristics:

• Experience as a successful entrepreneur and company founder
• Demonstrated success in achieving metrics-driven goals
• Ability to coordinate the activities of multiple parties to achieve desired objectives
• Ability to translate thoughts and directives into a cohesive plan of action
• Ability to drive results, without direct hierarchical control
• Ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and outside stakeholders
• Ability to get results through creating and sustaining a high performing team
• Ability to interact effectively and build relationships with internal & external stakeholders
• Ability to manage budget processes and procedures
• Belief in the mission of and passion for the University of Virginia

V. Compensation

• $140,000-$160,000 commensurate with experience; 10% performance bonus opportunity

Please send applications to LVG Executive Director Richard W. Chylla: rchylla@virginia.edu.