Accelerator Program Director
About OIST Innovation:
OIST Innovation is the technology commercialization hub at OIST. We work closely with OIST faculty, students, and staff to promote the development of new technologies, embrace collaborations with industry, support innovators, and launch startups. We provide a full-service suite of programs, networks, and resources designed to facilitate the transition of innovative technologies from the lab to the market, generating meaningful societal impact. OIST Innovation is a key part of the University’s strategy to seed an innovation ecosystem in Okinawa that is linked to technology transfer, industry partnerships, and startups.
Position summary:
The OIST Innovation Accelerator is not your traditional startup accelerator program. It is an entrepreneurship training program, a bootcamp competition, and an incubator all rolled into one. We offer an entirely unique environment for the world's most innovative entrepreneurs to launch their startup companies.
The OIST Innovation Accelerator is Okinawa's first global startup accelerator program to provide entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world an opportunity to incubate their startups in Japan, leveraging the university as a launchpad. Each year, we bring entrepreneurs to OIST, one of the top research universities in Japan, and provide them with funding, personalized coaching, facilitated introductions to corporate partners and investors, and access to state-of-the-art lab facilities and specialized equipment.
The Program Director is responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading the day-to-day operations of the OIST Innovation Accelerator. The Program Director will be at the forefront of innovation by working closely with university stakeholders, passionate entrepreneurs, and global companies and investors.
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University was established in 2011 to contribute to the development of science and technology worldwide and to serve as a hub of innovation in Okinawa. OIST is a dynamic new graduate university of science and technology in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan which offers a 5-year PhD program and brings together outstanding researchers from across the country and across disciplines to conduct cutting-edge scientific research.
The university is located on 85 hectares of protected forestland overlooking a beautiful shoreline and coral reefs. The campus is striking architecturally, and the facilities are outstanding. To facilitate multidisciplinary research, there are no academic departments. Outstanding resources and equipment are provided and managed to encourage easy access and collaboration.
English is the official language of the University, and the university research community is fully international, with more than 50 countries represented. OIST is rapidly gaining recognition in the worldwide academic community as a model for excellence in education and research, and our unwavering commitment to scientific and technological innovation is dedicated to generating progress that will fuel Okinawa's economic growth.
1. Program Leadership and Operations
- Day-to-day operations – Oversee the day-to-day operations of the OIST Innovation Accelerator.
- Strategic planning – Develop multi-year strategies and annual action plans for the program, including the program’s development and future expansion, sponsorships, partnerships, fundraising, relationships with existing and future sponsors and local and national governments, startup recruitment, program content, marketing, alumni relations.
- Reporting and oversight – Collect feedback, continuously evaluate the program, and provide regular updates and reports to OIST management and other key stakeholders.
- Connect to OIST Research – Work in close collaboration with the OIST Innovation team, the Provost Office, the Bioconvergence Center of Innovation, and other OIST stakeholders to strengthen the interactions and collaborations between current and alumni startup cohorts with OIST faculty, students, and researchers.
2. Startup Recruitment and Support
- Recruitment – Lead the program's recruitment, evaluation, and selection of startups.
- Program curriculum – Work closely with entrepreneurship and leadership education staff at OIST to design and implement programming to train and empower entrepreneurs, including workshops, speaker events, and founder support services.
- Startup support – Hold regular check-ins and feedback sessions with startups to review progress. Identify partnership and investment opportunities for startups and facilitate discussions.
3. Resource Management and Funding
- Resource management – Align internal resources, such as access to university facilities and core services, and collaborate with the OIST Innovation team and the wider university to ensure the cohorts have the resources they need to get the most out of the
- Funding – Raise funding and sponsorships to operate and expand the program, including identifying and pursuing grant opportunities, corporate partnerships, and other revenue streams.
- Financial management – Manage the operational budget, sponsor/grant funding, and reporting.
4. Ecosystem Engagement, Outreach, and Partnerships
- Stakeholder management – Proactively cultivate and manage relationships with stakeholders, including the startup founders, OIST faculty, researchers, and students, mentors, corporate and government partners, investors, other accelerator programs, and OIST management to create long-term value and impact for the program.
- Sponsor relations – Manage relationships with financial sponsors to align interests and expectations and to ensure the program adheres to sponsor guidelines.
- Program promotion – Represent the program at conferences, events, and internal and external meetings
(Required)
- Bachelor’s degree
- 5+ years of experience in managing or operating an entrepreneurship program, incubator, or accelerator, or equivalent business development or project management experience
- Proven track record of securing grants, sponsorships, or other funding
- Ability to collect, analyze and leverage data to make informed decisions
- Excellent research, copy and proposal writing, and presentation skills in English
- Highly self-directed with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks flexibly based on evolving requirements
(Preferred)
- Deep understanding of and connections to the startup and venture ecosystem in Japan and globally
- Experience in social media marketing or public relations
Expected Annual Salary: 8,800,000 yen
*This amount represents the median annual salary for this position, which will be determined based on your experience and skills in accordance with the OIST Employee Compensation Regulations.
Benefits:
- Relocation, housing and commuting allowances
- Annual paid leave and summer holidays
- Health insurance (Private School Mutual Aid)
- Welfare pension insurance (kousei-nenkin)
- Worker's accident compensation insurance (roudousha-saigai-hoshou-hoken)
- Access to Child Development Center
- Access to Schooling Options
- Language Education
- Resource Center (Daily Life Support in Okinawa)
- Curriculum vitae in English required. Japanese version required only for Applicants whose native language is Japanese.
* Please be sure to indicate where you first saw the job advertisement.
- OIST Graduate University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty, students and staff.
- Information provided by applicants or references will be kept confidential, documents will not be returned. All applicants will be notified regarding the status of their applications. OIST Privacy Policy
- Recruiting Organization: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology School Corporation
- Prevention of Passive Smoking: No smoking indoors
- Please view our policy for rules on external professional activities
(Information Disclosure – 10. Others – 6. OIST Rules for Concurrent Appointment). - Further details about the University can be viewed on our website
Full-time appointment. Contract initially with 3 month probationary period (inclusive). This contract may be renewed each fiscal year for up to 5 years from the date of initial appointment. However, the term of the contract may be subject to adjustment based on the amount of work remaining and progress of work assigned at the termination of this Agreement, performance evaluation, conduct, and behavior of the Employee, and OIST’s financial and other circumstances.
9:00-17:30 (Discretionary)