Incubation Associate, Catalyst AIC

Organisation: Catalyst AIC
Role Type: Full Time
Location: Jaipur (Hybrid)
Travel: Minimal

About Catalyst:

Catalyst is an impact-focused accelerator established in 2016 by IFMR, initially in partnership with USAID and subsequently with support from NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission and Ministry of Commerce’s DPIIT. Catalyst works closely with entrepreneurs building scalable, sustainable, and disruptive ventures grounded in impact-first business models. The accelerator supports founders through a combination of early-stage capital (via an in-house seed fund), syndicated investments, market access, and strategic growth mentorship. To date, Catalyst has supported over 60 startups and invested in nearly 20 companies across emerging impact sectors such as Crafts, Culture, Climate, Sustainability and Agri-Tech.

Catalyst is supported by over 10 national and global organisations for its programs across a wide range of the impact spectrum.

About LEAD at Krea University:

LEAD is an action-oriented research centre of IFMR Society (a not-for-profit society registered under the Societies Act), leverages the power of research, innovation and co-creation to solve complex and pressing challenges in development. LEAD specialises in developing in-depth granular understanding of socio-economic contexts and harnessing actionable insights that have a wide range of applications in industry, policy, and academia. LEAD is a collaborative hub that brings experts from diverse disciplines and sectors together to develop innovative solutions by harnessing innovation, technology and analytics.

Role Overview:

The Incubation Associate will be a part of the core incubation team and will be key in supporting early-stage startups, student-led ventures, and founders across various stages of their entrepreneurial journey. The role involves close coordination with founders, mentors, investors, and internal teams to ensure smooth program execution, effective mentor engagement, and efficient management of incubation activities, including the in-house seed fund. This is a hands-on, dynamic role suited for individuals passionate about startups, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem building.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist student-led and early-stage startups in navigating incubation support services such as mentoring, workshops, infrastructure, and ecosystem connect;
• Coordinate mentor mapping, outreach, and scheduling to ensure startups receive timely and relevant mentoring support;
• Assist in managing in-house seed fund processes, including documentation, coordination, tracking, and basic compliance support;
• Act as a support interface between startups and internal teams to address operational, programmatic, and process-related needs;
• Maintain records, reports, and documentation related to startups, mentors, programs, and incubation activities;
• Support startups in accessing extended incubation support, such as partner networks, events, demo days, and ecosystem opportunities.

Key Skills & Qualifications:

• Graduate or postgraduate in Business Administration, Management, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Engineering, or other relevant disciplines. Candidates with up to 1 year of experience in startups, incubation, or ecosystem roles are preferred. Freshers with strong startup exposure are welcome. Prior founder or co-founder experience will be an added advantage;
• Strong coordination and communication skills to support startups, mentors, and internal teams during the incubation process;
• Basic understanding of startups, early-stage incubation, and entrepreneurial ecosystems;
• Good organisational and documentation skills to manage programs, records, and incubation-related processes.

Benefits:

• Hands-on exposure to the startup ecosystem, including early-stage incubation processes and venture funding fundamentals;
• Opportunity to work closely with high-growth startups, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners, building a strong practical understanding and networks;
• Direct, hands-on experience in seed and venture capital funding processes, including startup evaluation, funding documentation, and exposure to investor interactions;
• Other applicable benefits as per company policy.

Application Instructions:

Deadline: Applications will be open till the position is filled. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter in the form here.

Note: Applications are accepted only via the above form. Due to the large volume of applications we receive, we are unable to contact each candidate individually regarding the status of their application. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purposes.