160 Venture jobs in the United Kingdom

The Venture Science Doctorate (VSD) program, 3rd cohort, starting January 2026.

** Applications for the January 2026 intake are now CLOSED. You can still submit an application if you're interested in being considered for future programs. **

About VSD

The world’s first 3-year venture creation focused PhD program run by Deep Science Venture College at Woolf University: a globally recognised, decentralised institution widening access to higher education. Our focus is exclusively on solving global challenges in health, climate, agriculture and computation through science as the basis for designing research projects from first-principles, and creating new companies founded by candidates based on this research.

The VSD is backed by a philanthropic consortium of mission aligned Partners, including Schmidt Futures, Innovate UK and SPRIN-D (Germany), and embedded in a global R&D coalition of universities and national labs, including National Physical Laboratory, the James Hutton Institute, Imperial College, Max Planck, the University of Edinburgh, University College London, Goldsmiths, University of London, Cornell University, the Mayo Clinic, and many others.

Program outline:

The aim of year 1 is for candidates to familiarise themselves with a given industry and mapping the landscape to identify areas of opportunity for high-impact venture creation. In a process called Scoping, candidates will identify the optimal solution to a given problem and - alongside accredited courses such as experimental design - perform lab work to develop their hypotheses, and contact partner research groups for further experimentation.

Year 2 is focused on invention and further developing the initial hypotheses, working within leading research groups to prove the technology against the original hypothesis and validate it through techno-economic analysis.

The goal for year 3 is building further on the research from the previous two years to develop a scalable technology capable of product market fit. If necessary, candidates may join multiple different research groups to do this. Having validated the technology, candidates will work with experienced venture partners to build a complementary team and a rock-solid investment case before venture incorporation and spin-out.

At incorporation, all the intellectual property is transferred into the new venture, which the candidate continues to lead as a co-founder, with continuous support from DSV.

Full details of the program, including FAQs and Prospectus Download available on the dedicated VSD site here .

Requirements

The program is full-time and primarily remote (from anywhere) with in-person study conducted in research laboratories. Applicants for VSD should be impact-driven, want to launch a science company using advanced research and be determined to do this in just a few years.

You should apply if:

• You're impact-driven and have demonstrated interest in investigating or solving large-scale societal problems in climate, agriculture, health or computation;
• You want to build a global science-based company that will make a huge positive impact;
• You're entrepreneurial and can share examples of past experience related to innovation/new technology development/startups/etc.;
• You have a Masters degree related to science/engineering (BSc and equivalent also accepted, PhD also accepted);
• You're determined enough to spend 1 week, during the application process, finding an optimal approach to a societal problem in your own time, using Deep Science Ventures' scoping ideation methodology.

We actively welcome candidates from any part of the world and any walks of life to apply - our primary focus is on mission alignment and the desire to create impact through science.

Benefits

Deep Science Ventures College will cover the tuition and all other expenses related to programme curriculum and research activities. Additionally, each student will receive a monthly stipend of £2,800 (living costs + health insurance subsidy) and upon spin-out you/your co-founder(s) will have the majority ownership in the venture.

You'll join a global community of >200 science entrepreneurs across our portfolio and programs, work with some of the world's most entrepreneurial professors, research labs and government agencies supporting the VSD, and access top-tier investors/funders backing deeptech ventures.

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About DSV

Deep Science Ventures is creating a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive.

We use our unique venture creation process to create, invest in, and spin-out science companies. We empower entrepreneurial scientists to combine scientific expertise and models for business to synthesise high-impact ventures de novo .

We are a team of operators who have founded companies and led the translation of science at some of the most respected universities, charities, funds, and government agencies. 2/3 of the team have founded or led a company at C-suite, and 65% have a Ph.D. We are deeply involved in each venture.

You will access our industry network and receive advice on follow-on fundraising strategy, including introductions to seed investors and potential customers from our global network. Furthermore, you will receive support with term sheet negotiation, grant applications to leverage further non-dilutive funding and value uplift, and access to a community of seasoned science founders in our portfolio.

We offer mentorship and guidance through weekly deep-dive work sessions, access to our opportunity insights and knowledge base, a global network of experts, a community of other science founders working on launching their own companies, and a curated collection of resources and proprietary tools.

We offer Co-Founder(s) sourcing and assessment via our proprietary tools, advisory board sourcing, advice on technical and commercial investment milestones, co-development of technical roadmap and go-to-market strategy, investment readiness pre-launch with further focus on technical and commercial proof, and customer development support.

To learn more about why we launched the VSD program, visit our article on Why we need to reinvent the PhD .

** Applications for the January 2026 intake are now CLOSED. You can still submit an application if you're interested in being considered for future programs. **

Role: Venture Debt Investment Investment Director

Overview

We are seeking an ambitious and highly capable Associate/Investment Director to join our London Venture Debt investment team. This is a key role within a growing platform, offering the opportunity to combine technical financial expertise with client-facing leadership. The successful candidate will play an integral role in originating, structuring, and executing venture debt transactions, while also helping to build our brand and strengthen our relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, and advisors across the innovation ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Origination & Execution

• Support in sourcing and evaluating new venture debt opportunities across high-growth sectors.
• Lead financial analysis, due diligence, and credit risk assessments.
• Develop and maintain advanced financial models to evaluate transaction structures and sensitivities.
• Prepare investment committee materials and present recommendations clearly and persuasively.

Portfolio Management

• Monitor portfolio performance, working closely with portfolio companies to track financial metrics and operational KPIs.
• Proactively identify risks, challenges, and opportunities across the portfolio.
• Assist in portfolio reporting for internal and external stakeholders.

Relationship Building & Brand Development

• Represent the firm in meetings with founders, CFOs, investors, and advisors.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, and the wider ecosystem.
• Actively contribute to the firm’s profile through networking, conferences, and industry events.
• Partner with the leadership team to enhance the firm’s market visibility and positioning.

Leadership & Team Contribution

• Take ownership of key transactions and client relationships.
• Mentor and support junior colleagues in financial modelling, analysis, and deal process management.
• Contribute to the strategic growth of the London office and broader investment team.

Candidate Profile

Financial & Analytical Expertise

• Strong track record in financial modelling, structuring, and credit/valuation analysis.
• Prior experience in venture debt, leveraged finance, structured credit, growth lending, or related investment roles.
• Strong understanding of early- and growth-stage businesses, ideally in the technology and innovation sectors.

Commercial & Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage credibly with founders, boards, and investors.
• Personable, approachable, and collaborative, with the confidence to represent the firm externally.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to lead meetings effectively.

Mindset & Drive

• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growing investment platform.
• High level of initiative, self-motivation, and adaptability.
• Passion for supporting high-growth companies and contributing to the venture ecosystem.

Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in venture debt, growth equity, leveraged finance, or private credit.
• Strong academic background (finance, economics, business, or related discipline); professional qualifications (CFA, ACA, etc.) advantageous.
• Demonstrable deal experience, with exposure to credit or structured transactions.

Role: Venture Debt Investment Investment Director

Overview

We are seeking an ambitious and highly capable Associate/Investment Director to join our London Venture Debt investment team. This is a key role within a growing platform, offering the opportunity to combine technical financial expertise with client-facing leadership. The successful candidate will play an integral role in originating, structuring, and executing venture debt transactions, while also helping to build our brand and strengthen our relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, and advisors across the innovation ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Origination & Execution

• Support in sourcing and evaluating new venture debt opportunities across high-growth sectors.
• Lead financial analysis, due diligence, and credit risk assessments.
• Develop and maintain advanced financial models to evaluate transaction structures and sensitivities.
• Prepare investment committee materials and present recommendations clearly and persuasively.

Portfolio Management

• Monitor portfolio performance, working closely with portfolio companies to track financial metrics and operational KPIs.
• Proactively identify risks, challenges, and opportunities across the portfolio.
• Assist in portfolio reporting for internal and external stakeholders.

Relationship Building & Brand Development

• Represent the firm in meetings with founders, CFOs, investors, and advisors.
• Build trusted, long-term relationships with entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, and the wider ecosystem.
• Actively contribute to the firm’s profile through networking, conferences, and industry events.
• Partner with the leadership team to enhance the firm’s market visibility and positioning.

Leadership & Team Contribution

• Take ownership of key transactions and client relationships.
• Mentor and support junior colleagues in financial modelling, analysis, and deal process management.
• Contribute to the strategic growth of the London office and broader investment team.

Candidate Profile

Financial & Analytical Expertise

• Strong track record in financial modelling, structuring, and credit/valuation analysis.
• Prior experience in venture debt, leveraged finance, structured credit, growth lending, or related investment roles.
• Strong understanding of early- and growth-stage businesses, ideally in the technology and innovation sectors.

Commercial & Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage credibly with founders, boards, and investors.
• Personable, approachable, and collaborative, with the confidence to represent the firm externally.
• Strong negotiation skills and ability to lead meetings effectively.

Mindset & Drive

• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growing investment platform.
• High level of initiative, self-motivation, and adaptability.
• Passion for supporting high-growth companies and contributing to the venture ecosystem.

Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in venture debt, growth equity, leveraged finance, or private credit.
• Strong academic background (finance, economics, business, or related discipline); professional qualifications (CFA, ACA, etc.) advantageous.
• Demonstrable deal experience, with exposure to credit or structured transactions.

Who are we?

IOG, is a technology company focused on Blockchain research and development. We are renowned for our scientific approach to blockchain development, emphasizing peer-reviewed research and formal methods to ensure security, scalability, and sustainability. Our projects include decentralized finance (DeFi), governance, and identity management, aiming to advance the capabilities and adoption of blockchain technology globally.

We invest in the unknown, applying our curiosity and desire for positive change to everything we do. By fueling creativity, innovation, and progress within our teams, our products and services are designed for people to be fearless, to be changemakers.

What the role involves:

As the Product & Venture Specialist within the Strategic Initiatives Office (SIO), you will serve as the critical bridge between product teams and venture studio initiatives. The role facilitates seamless collaboration, streamlines workflows, and ensures alignment across teams to accelerate product development and venture growth. It combines strategic coordination with hands-on support, enabling the organization to scale innovative solutions with agility.

The position requires strong capabilities in cross-functional communication, project coordination, budget oversight, and problem-solving. Success in the role depends on the ability to operate effectively in the dynamic intersection of blockchain technology and venture incubation.

Product & Venture Coordination

• Act as the primary liaison between product teams, venture studios, and key stakeholders to align priorities and remove roadblocks.
• Support the adoption and refinement of IOG’s venture studio , ensuring it meets the evolving needs of product and venture workflows.
• Develop lightweight frameworks to standardize communication, documentation, and decision-making processes across teams.

Operational Support

• Coordinate resources, timelines, and deliverables for high-impact ventures, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Support with the development of Venture/Product/OKR/KPis BU budget development, and maintenance 
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops and meetings to drive clarity and momentum in product-venture collaborations.
• Key member of operations roundtable, and intake process
• Identify inefficiencies in workflows and propose scalable solutions tailored to a decentralized environment.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with the Culture, Communications, and Adoption team to foster a collaborative ethos between product builders and venture teams.
• Document and share insights, best practices, and lessons learned to strengthen IOG’s ecosystem of innovation.
• Provide tactical support to leadership by preparing reports, tracking KPIs, reviewing Venture studios budgets  and synthesizing feedback from distributed teams.

Requirements

Who you are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Preferred: Master’s degree or certification in Project Management or Innovation Management
• Certifications: PMP or Agile-related preferred
•  3+ years in project coordination, product support, or venture/startup environments; familiarity with trade finance or blockchain is a plus.
• Qualification in project management or equivalent
• Knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of project management
• Knowledge of project management techniques and tools
• Direct work experience in project management capacity
• Proven experience in people management
• Proven experience in strategic planning
• Proven experience in risk management
• Proven experience in change management
• Proficiency in collaboration tools (e.g., Notion, Jira, Slack) and data-driven decision-making.
• Exceptional organizational and multitasking abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills to navigate diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Proactive mindset with a knack for creative problem-solving.

Benefits

• Remote work
• Laptop reimbursement
• New starter package to buy hardware essentials (headphones, monitor, etc)
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Competitive PTO and Sick Leave plan

At IOG, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Our client, a highly regarded international law firm with a sophisticated corporate practice, is seeking an experienced associate to join its venture and growth capital team in London. This is a rare opportunity to work alongside a market-leading partner who is widely recognised for advising both high-growth companies and prominent investors across the private equity and venture capital spectrum.

The role offers access to cutting-edge work in the technology and fintech sectors, with exposure to headline-making investment rounds and complex cross-border M&A. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-moving, deal-focused environment and have a strong interest in innovative businesses.While the core focus will be on venture and growth capital, the role also offers involvement in broader private equity transactions, M&A, and other complex corporate matters.

Flexible and hybrid working options are available. The firm also supports secondments to clients on an ad-hoc basis, which may be offered as part of your development.

The Role

The successful candidate will advise a varied client base ranging from disruptive tech startups to top-tier private equity houses and global venture capital funds. Key responsibilities include:

• Acting on early-stage and later-round investments, including Series A–G financings
• Advising on company-side capital raises for scaling tech and fintech companies
• Supporting cross-border buyouts, strategic exits, and trade sales
• Leading legal due diligence and preparing core investment documentation

Recent Matters Include:

• Supporting a conversational AI leader in a $30m Series B investment
• Advising scaling companies in UK and Europe across sectors such as payments, digital health, enterprise software, and BaaP platforms
• Assisting growth investors on transactions involving high-profile scaleups and unicorns
• Company-side advisory on significant equity raises for fintech innovators with valuations exceeding $500m
• Handling strategic M&A exits including high-value sales to major listed corporates
• Acting on the restructuring and secondary sale of private equity fund interests

Candidate Requirements

• England & Wales qualified, or another common law jurisdiction
• 1 to 2 years' PQE gained within a leading corporate, private equity, or venture capital team
• Strong track record advising on equity financings, private M&A or tech transactions
• Experience working with fast-growing or founder-led companies is a plus
• Familiarity with cross-border elements and investor-side negotiations advantageous
• Outstanding drafting, commercial acumen, and client-handling skills
• Ability to lead on workstreams with appropriate partner oversight
• Interest in technology, innovation and emerging growth sectors

Team Environment & Growth Trajectory

You will be joining a fast-paced, entrepreneurial team operating at the heart of the growth capital ecosystem. The team regularly acts for some of the most prominent names in private capital and is well integrated across international markets including North America, Europe, and Africa.

The group has been recognised in multiple legal directories and is known for fostering long-term relationships with both companies and institutional investors. For the right candidate, this position offers a strong platform for career development and direct client exposure.

Rutherford is a leading legal recruiter that also works closely with tier one sponsors, buyside firms and investment banks for in-house roles. Please get in contact if you would like to be alerted to the most exciting Counsel opportunities.

To find more of our jobs please visit our website:

Job Reference: NWC8773

Keywords:

venture capital, growth equity, Series A to G, private equity, M&A, capital markets, fundraising, London, fintech, startups, technology transactions, investor-side advisory, NQ to 2PQE, buyouts, exits, private capital, institutional investors, transactional law, emerging companies, tech scaleups, cross-border transactions