Catalyst Associate

About Marvelous

Marvelous is an early-stage investment fund focused on championing Europe’s pioneering industrial DeepTech entrepreneurs. We invest in breakthroughs within Food, Agriculture & Land Use, Heavy Industry, and the Built Environment. Our approach recognizes a transformative period in the physical economy and supports companies that enable sustainable and impactful advances.

The Marvelous Catalyst is our unique innovation engine, linking industrial partners with startups to provide technical assessments, manufacturing opportunities, real-world pilots, and commercial pathways from the outset. This integration offers portfolio companies unmatched credibility and accelerated scaling prospects.

We embody core values including radical honesty, deep expertise over superficial breadth, prioritizing impact over personal recognition, mission-driven motivation, and a proactive, no-passenger mentality.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead structured growth efforts in portfolio companies by facilitating introductions to customers, enabling Proofs of Concept, and prioritizing competing tasks.
• Manage onboarding for new portfolio companies into the Catalyst environment and coordinate ongoing support alongside designated partners.
• Track portfolio health and generate actionable insights for General Partner decisions.
• Design and implement Industry Challenges that align corporate innovation needs with appropriate DeepTech solutions from our network.
• Develop and maintain relationships with corporate industry partners across sectors, managing engagements from initial contact to signed agreements.
• Oversee end-to-end partner interaction, including scoping, challenge design, execution, and follow-up.
• Coordinate expert technical reviews and validations with Catalyst’s industrial partners.
• Plan and host key events such as Deep Tech Runway and Industry Challenges, enhancing Marvelous’s presence in Berlin and broader European DeepTech ecosystems.
• Act as Marvelous's external representative with credibility across executive roles and cultivate collaborations with research networks, accelerators, and co-investors.
• Support General Partners by managing strategic priorities, preparing reports, and ensuring follow-through on critical initiatives.
• Create high-quality deliverables including partnership proposals, pitch decks, portfolio analyses, and stakeholder communications.
• Assist with dealflow operations by screening startups, market mapping, and conducting due diligence where needed.
• Conduct outreach and sales activities on behalf of the fund.

Candidate Profile

Ideal candidates will have 2–3 years of professional experience, preferably including tenure at top strategy consultancies where they honed skills in navigating ambiguity and performing under pressure. Experience in open innovation programs, corporate-startup collaborations, or ecosystem development is essential, alongside familiarity with corporate venture capital or venture client activities.

Exceptional organizational skills to manage multiple projects and stakeholders are required, as is an ability to handle frequent context switching seamlessly. Clear, precise English communication is mandatory; German proficiency is a notable advantage. Candidates must be proactive, self-driven, and based in Berlin or prepared to relocate with EU work authorization.

Strong differentiators include degrees in engineering or natural sciences (e.g., materials science, mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, biology), research experience at prestigious institutions, startup operational experience, leveraging AI tools for process optimization, and a knack for sales.

Benefits

• Contribute to building the foundational Catalyst function within an emerging fund with a collaborative GP team.
• Engage directly with C-level executives, fund Limited Partners, and innovative founders on a weekly basis.
• Enjoy significant autonomy and opportunity for rapid professional growth.
• Gain an insider perspective on European DeepTech venture capital from inception to scaling.
• Learn within a lean team rich in VC and tech-transfer expertise.
• Access an extensive pan-European network of researchers, corporate partners, investors, and entrepreneurs.
• Work from a vibrant office situated in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, a hub for DeepTech activity.
• Participate in shaping an expansive investment platform including direct investments, Fund-of-Funds, and growth vehicles.

Application Instructions

Applicants are requested to submit a brief note addressing:

• Motivations for engaging in DeepTech value creation and ecosystem development, including unique contributions to Marvelous Catalyst.
• An example of organizing a complex, multi-stakeholder initiative under ambiguity and handling challenges.
• Perspectives on integrating industrial partners into portfolio value creation, challenges anticipated, and problem-solving approaches.

These answers are intended to reveal applicants' thought processes rather than right or wrong responses. Applications are reviewed continuously with swift progression for suitable candidates.