Job Description

Would you like to shape the future of cloud computing and GenAI by identifying and working with the most promising startups emerging from top universities and AI institutes? Do you have the technical depth, business acumen, and strategic insight to help establish AWS as the foundation for cutting-edge research and its commercialization?

Trusted by more startups around the world, AWS makes the power of cloud computing accessible to all. We give founders everywhere access to the same technology that powers the world’s largest companies. With nearly 20 years of experience, gained from supporting hundreds of thousands of startups, the AWS Startups team helps founders prove that their world-changing ideas are possible, at any stage of growth, and any level of funding. This is why more startups, and over 80% of unicorns, choose to launch on AWS.

As a Startup Investor Manager, Accelerators & Institutes, you will lead initiatives with premier universities, top- tier AI research institutes, Innovation Hubs and startups emerging from their innovation and research. You'll combine deep technical knowledge of cloud technologies with business development expertise to identify, evaluate, and support high-potential founders and its commercial applications. Your technical background will enable meaningful discussions with researchers and founding teams, while your business acumen will shape how AWS approaches startups born from academic and innovation hubs.

Key job responsibilities
- Develop and drive initiatives with top universities, AI Hubs, and tech offices, educating them on AWS capabilities and identifying strategic collaboration opportunities
- Design and implement initiatives that address specific startup and investor needs
- Collaborate on cross-functional initiatives involving AWS Startups, Sales, Marketing, and Product teams
- Track program effectiveness and provide insights based on feedback and results
- Gather early-stage market signals from investors and founders to inform AWS innovation and to meet the evolving needs of tomorrow's breakthrough companies
- Prepare and present business reviews to senior management on trends, opportunities, and challenges in the academic and research startup space

About the team
Diverse Experiences
Amazon values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.

Why AWS
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.

Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.

Inclusive Team Culture
Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon (gender diversity) conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.

Mentorship and Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional

Basic Qualifications

- 5+ years of developing, negotiating and executing business agreements experience
- Experience developing strategies that influence leadership decisions at the organizational level
- Experience managing programs across cross functional teams, building processes and coordinating release schedules
- Experience leading complex, multi-year initiatives that may be cross-functional and/or span business and technology
- Bachelor's degree, or 5+ years of equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience interpreting data and making business recommendations
- Experience identifying, negotiating, and executing complex legal agreements
- Strong understanding of university ecosystems, research labs, institutes, accelerators, and the process of commercializing academic research
- Experience founding or working in a university spin-off company or startup
- Advanced knowledge of AI/ML and other emerging technologies relevant to early-stage startups or current academic research
- Strong analytical and technical assessment capabilities, particularly in evaluating the commercial potential of academic research
- Demonstrated ability to understand and evaluate cutting-edge technologies emerging from research labs

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.