Foundry by Aviture / The Garage
Foundry exists to turn consequential problems into durable companies. Across The Garage (venture build), The Lab (R&D), The Good (civic tech), and The Signal (thought leadership), we combine Aviture’s engineering depth with operator discipline to create products that matter—and businesses that last. As Head of Ventures & Innovation, you will lead the formation of new companies inside The Garage: select and shape theses, assemble founding teams, architect clean governance and incentives, and drive the zero-to-one arc from concept to pilots to first revenue. Your mission is both strategic and hands-on—standing up the operating cadence, securing lighthouse customers, and structuring early capital so each company is set up to compound. Success is measured in real users, paying customers, and mission outcomes across the Midwest and beyond. foundry.aviture.us.com
Key Responsibilities
- Thesis-aligned pipeline: Source, evaluate, and champion opportunities with clear paths to product-market fit and revenue.
- Company creation: Convert theses into prototypes, pilots, and paying customers; establish a weekly operating cadence and transparent dashboards.
- Deal architecture: Structure co-builds, revenue-share, and seed investments that align incentives and protect fundamentals.
- Go-to-market leadership: Stand up initial sales motions, secure lighthouse customers, and form partnerships that accelerate trust.
- Decision rigor: Produce concise go/hold/stop memos; run pre-mortems; discontinue non-performing efforts early.
- Ecosystem building: Publish Foundry’s point of view, convene partners, and strengthen our Midwest presence.
Ways of working
- Cadence: Weekly pipeline and build reviews; monthly operating reviews covering P&L, funnel, and runway.
- Mechanisms: Living scorecards, lightweight data rooms, explicit commit/hold/stop gates.
- Culture: Substance over theatrics; low ego, high signal; bias to action.
Location & travel
Omaha-centric with flexibility; travel for founders, customers, and events (~20–30%).
Compensation / Benefits
Competitive salary plus meaningful upside via portfolio participation.
Why You’ll Love It Here
- You’ll be at the center of Foundry by Aviture’s next chapter, building not just companies but an entire platform for Midwest innovation.
- You’ll work with founders, engineers, and investors who believe in creating companies that matter.
- You’ll live the Garage culture: freedom to pursue ideas, trust to lead, and a team that backs execution over talk.
- You’ll get to shape how deals get done, how companies get built, and how the Foundry brand shows up in the world.
