Directors -Startups, Incubation Centre

About Us :

CMR University (CMRU), Bengaluru, is a new-age university fostering creative learning, interdisciplinary research, and innovation-driven education. With a mission to nurture thinkers, innovators, and change-makers, CMRU blends academic excellence with real-world relevance.

At the heart of this mission lies the Centre for Innovation, Startups & Excellence, a dynamic hub designed to empower entrepreneurs, support industry-academia collaboration, and build sustainable ecosystems of innovation.

Scope of Work :

The Director - Startups, Incubation & Centre of Excellence will play a pivotal role in driving CMRU’s innovation agenda, strengthening its startup ecosystem, and creating centers that bridge academia and industry for scalable impact.

Role & Responsibilities :

Drive Innovation & Entrepreneurship : Build, lead, and scale CMRU’s startup and innovation ecosystem by fostering a culture of creativity, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial thinking across the university.

Establish Centres of Excellence : Set up and oversee domain-specific Centres of Excellence in areas such as entrepreneurship, product design, sustainability, systems development, and emerging technologies, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.

Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Development : Develop strong partnerships with investors, venture capitalists, corporates, and government agencies to enable mentorship, funding, collaborative projects, and knowledge exchange.

Startup Mentorship & Research Commercialization : Provide structured support to startups through incubation, mentoring, and access to networks; promote patent filings, technology transfer, and IP commercialization.

Operational & Financial Oversight : Manage budgets, grants, and revenue-generation strategies; ensure compliance with university and funding policies; track and report performance metrics of incubation and CoE initiatives.

Candidate’s Profile :

Master’s in Business, Engineering, Science, or Entrepreneurship. Ph.D. preferred.

12–15 years of leadership experience in innovation, incubation, or startup ecosystems.

Proven track record in building institutional partnerships and managing accelerators / incubators.

Strong entrepreneurial mindset, networking ability, and strategic vision.

Experience in handling government grants, CSR initiatives, and multi-stakeholder projects.

Location : CMR University (Lakeside Campus)

To apply, please share your resume. We would love to hear from you!