Director of Business Development (AR/XR)

Director of Business Development (Fundraising)

Cambridge-Based Deep Tech Startup | Nanophotonics & XR Technology

£70,000 - £80,000 base + up to 2% equity + performance bonus
Full-time | Cambridge (4-5 days/week on-site preferred)

About Our Client

Our client is a Cambridge University spin-out at the forefront of breakthrough optical technology that's set to revolutionize the Extended Reality (XR) industry. Backed by leading VCs and Innovate UK, they've recently closed a successful seed round and are now preparing for Series A in Q2 2025.

This is a brand-new, strategic hire reporting directly to the CEO. Your primary mission in Year 1 is to lead and close the Series A fundraise by Q2 2025, while building foundations for long-term business development and revenue growth.

The Role

You'll be the driving force behind investor engagement, pitch strategy, and deal execution—working closely with the founding team to secure the funding that will scale this technology to market.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the Series A process end-to-end: pitch deck refinement, financial modelling, investor targeting, outreach, meetings, due diligence, and closing
  
  
• Build and manage investor pipeline and CRM
  
  
• Craft compelling narratives that communicate deep tech value to non-technical investors
  
  
• Leverage founder's VC network while bringing your own connections and sourcing new opportunities
  
  
• Prepare all investor materials, data room, and board reporting
  
  
• Target close: Q2 2025
  
  Business Development & Partnerships
  
  
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with AR/VR hardware companies, automotive OEMs, and other enterprise customers
  
  
• Support commercial discussions with existing and prospective partners
  
  
• Build qualified pipeline for future revenue growth
  
  
• Represent the company at industry events, investor forums, and customer meetings
  
  Essential Experience
  
  
• Proven track record leading Series A, B, or C fundraises (ideally having personally closed £5M+ rounds)
  Deep tech or hardware startup experience (optics, photonics, semiconductors, XR/AR/VR, robotics, or similar technical domains)
  Strong existing investor network in UK/EU venture capital
  Ability to translate complex technical innovation into compelling investment narratives
  Experience managing end-to-end fundraising process including pitch refinement, financial modelling, due diligence, and term sheet negotiation
  Self-starter mentality – comfortable owning outcomes in an early-stage, fast-moving environment
  
  What's On Offer
  
  
• £70,000 - £80,000 base salary
  
  
• 1-2% equity – significant upside in a company with genuine breakthrough technology
  
  
• Performance-based bonus (tied to fundraising milestones and partnership achievements)
  
  
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
  
  
• Ground-floor opportunity in a business with established partnerships and clear path to market
  
  
• Work alongside world-class technical founders from Cambridge's Centre for Photonic Devices and Sensors
  
  
• Cambridge location – heart of the UK's deep tech ecosystem (4-5 days/week on-site preferred, 1-2 days WFH flexibility available)