We are looking for an Investment & Discovery Associate

Investment & Discovery Associate 

We are now looking for an Investment & Discovery Associate to join the Kiilto Ventures team. In this role, you have the possibility to impact the sustainability and liveability of the built environment, which is currently responsible for about 40% of global carbon emissions. To achieve this goal, you will play a key part in ramping up the investment function of Kiilto Ventures as well as new idea discovery related to market trends, founder cases and internal projects. By doing so, you can create positive impact aligned with Our Promise to the Environment and 2080 vision. 

Your main responsibilities 

  • Actively present Kiilto Ventures within Kiilto and the startup ecosystem, events, etc.  
  • Participate in investment deal flow incl. Initial screening, founder calls 
  • Assist the investment decision making process via. analysis, due diligence 
  • Deep dive into industry specific trends and insights to support the investment and discovery functions 
  • Ramp up the discovery function related to internal innovation and external investment
    • Discovery processes
    • Internal sprints & validation 
    • Incubation of ideas 
    • External validation with industry experts, customers and investors
  • Be curious, innovative and communicative when working with the wider Kiilto organization  

Our expectations

  • You are humble and hungry to learn on the job 
  • You have operational experience related to a startup, accelerator or similar environment  
  • You are passionate about the early-stage startup journey – from discovery to incubation and beyond
  • You are active in your network, ideally the startup ecosystem (companies, incubators, investors) in the Nordic and Baltic regions 
  • You have a proven track record of project ownership and leadership with exceptional end results
  • You hold a university degree in Business, Chemistry or Engineering

Your skills 

  • You are fluent in both written and spoken English 
  • You are hands in day to day matters, attacking problems and developing solutions 
  • You have a detailed and analytic approach, but can still see the big picture 
  • You aren’t afraid to take initiative and drive ideas and projects forward 
  • You understand what it takes to build a company from nothing, offering support and sharing open dialogue with our portfolio companies and founders 

This job is preferably based in Helsinki, Finland, but for the right candidate we are happy to discuss the opportunity of working from one of our other Kiilto locations. 

If you got this far, continue reading for just a bit more  

The last day to apply is 20 August, 2023. Please apply here and attach an introduction of yourself with a one-minute video. Also attach your application with salary request and CV.

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Kiilto Ventures Matti Rönkkö at +358 40 6280 999 on 8th of August 2-4 pm and 6-7 pm. 

We operate in compliance with Kiilto's recruitment process and treat all communications related to the posting with absolute confidentiality. We will start to contact potential candidates from 21 August onward and ask applicants to reserve 23 August 2023 as possible interview date. The selected candidate will need to pass a health check, which includes drug testing. 

A workplace that cares   

At Kiilto, you will be working with a growing and international, but down-to-earth family business. Kiiltonians appreciate our long-term perspective, open and transparent company culture, the Kiiltonian team spirit and versatile opportunities to acquire new skills and grow alongside the company. We organise internal innovation programmes and encourage Kiiltonians to develop their skills through our own training programmes. We are especially proud of our award-winning activities that promote the well-being of our employees. For example, we have been awarded the 'Finland's Most Active Workplace' certificate twice.

About Kiilto Ventures

Kiilto Ventures is the VC arm of Kiilto, a Finnish family-owned company aiming to be an environmental leader in its field of business. Kiilto Ventures was born in 2019 to personify the same startup spirit as its parent company, which was founded over 100 years ago. 

Kiilto Ventures is building and funding early-stage ventures through Discovery, Incubation, and Investment activities, further boosted by its curious and daring entrepreneurial network, Kiilto’s professional experience, and science-backed innovation.

Kiilto is a family-owned company based in Finland, with over a hundred-year history and a vision looking ahead to 2080. We develop, produce and market chemical industry solutions in the fields of construction, industrial adhesives and fireproofing, professional hygiene, and consumer goods. The key principles underlying our operations are environmental leadership, closeness and commitment to the future. Our operations span 9 countries, and we employ around 800 people. In 2022, the group's net sales amounted to 260 M€. www.kiilto.com