Position Overview

As an Investment associate at Zacua Ventures, you will be a core member of a small, high-performing investment team backing the most promising startups across the built environment. You will take end-to-end ownership of deals, from sourcing and thesis development through diligence, investment decision, and portfolio support.

This role anchors the fund’s coverage of deep-tech and hard-tech: industrials, advanced materials, energy, and decarbonization more broadly. It also complements the rest of the team, across technologies like AI, robotics, SaaS, and digital construction technologies. You will be the team’s point person for the science- and engineering-heavy opportunities that define the harder end of our mandate, and you will be expected to develop a differentiated point of view on where the built environment decarbonizes and re-industrializes next.

You will work directly with the Partners, lead diligence processes independently, and help mentor junior members of the team. The position is full-time based out of Madrid with a hybrid set-up between office and home work and frequent international travel.

Tasks

Key Responsibilities

1. Deal Sourcing & Thesis Development:

• Own sourcing across the fund’s deep-tech and hard-tech verticals, including industrials, advanced materials, energy, and decarbonization, through proprietary networks, industry events, research, and ecosystem relationships.
• Develop and maintain differentiated investment theses, mapping emerging technologies, value chains, and market timing, and translate them into a focused pipeline.

2. Due Diligence Leadership:

• Lead end-to-end diligence on prospective investments, with particular ownership of technical and commercial validation for science- and engineering-intensive companies.
• Assess technology readiness, IP, scalability, unit economics, team, and market, and coordinate external technical experts and reference calls where needed.

3. Investment Analysis & Financial Modeling:

• Build and own financial, valuation, and exit models, including cap table and returns analysis, to underpin investment decisions.
• Pressure-test founder assumptions and structure terms in coordination with the General Partners.

4. Investment Recommendations & IC:

• Author clear, opinionated investment memos summarizing the thesis, key risks, and recommended terms.
• Present recommendations to the Investment Committee and drive deals to a decision.

5. Portfolio Management & Value Creation:

• Support portfolio companies post-investment, with a focus on deep-tech and hard-tech names, including follow-on strategy, fundraising support, and board or observer engagement.
• Track performance against milestones and help unlock commercial, technical, and strategic introductions across our network.

6. LP, Co-investor & Ecosystem Relationships:

• Manage relationships with co-investors, strategic corporates, and Limited Partners relevant to the deep-tech mandate.
• Represent Zacua Ventures externally and contribute to the fund’s visibility and reputation in the climate and built-environment ecosystem.

7. Mentorship & Team Leadership:

• Guide and review the work of analysts and interns, upholding the team’s standards for diligence, modeling, and written analysis.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience in high-speed, demanding environments. Venture capital is ideal; relevant experience in industry, startups, VC / CVC, investment banking, or consulting is also strongly valued.
• Degree in engineering, physical sciences, or a related field. An MBA or an advanced technical degree is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to lead due diligence and own deals or workstreams independently, with sound investment judgment.
• Background in, or strong affinity with, deep-tech and hard-tech, such as industrials, advanced materials, energy, decarbonization, or related engineering and physical-science fields, and the ability to get up to speed quickly on complex technical topics.
• Strong modeling skills (Excel), building automations / platforms and grip of AI tools, and the ability to synthesize and produce investment memos and Investment Committee materials.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. English proficiency required; Spanish a plus.
• Comfort operating with autonomy and a high degree of ownership within a small, globally distributed team.

Desired Traits

• Genuine passion for decarbonizing the built environment and for hard-tech and industrial innovation.
• Intellectual curiosity and the ability to translate complex science and engineering into clear investment judgment.
• An ownership mentality, high standards, integrity, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills, with an existing network (or the ability to build one quickly) across deep-tech, industrials, energy, and climate.
• Adaptability, a proactive approach, and a willingness to tackle new challenges.
• Willingness to travel as required.

Benefits

• A hybrid working model with flexibility between office and remote work.
• Exposure to an international business environment and cross-cultural collaboration.
• A performance-based bonus schemes.
• The opportunity to join a young, dynamic, and ambitious team.

About Zacua Ventures

Zacua Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund with a global reach, specializing in innovations within the built environment and physical industries.. Our core focus is on investing in transformative technologies that enhance sustainability, productivity, and urban development.

Zacua Ventures is managed by an international and diverse team, each having more than a decade of industry experience. Our first and second funds were oversubscribed, drawing interest from investors across the world.

In alignment with our international perspective, we maintain a presence in key global hubs. Our offices are strategically located in San Francisco and Madrid, with additional team members based in New York, Mexico City, Dubai and Melbourne. This global footprint allows us to remain at the forefront of innovation and tap into diverse technologies and emerging markets.

Zacua Ventures is supported by some of the largest and most influential companies in the built environment, giving us privileged access to the industry's leading innovation hubs, strategic customers, and global decision-makers.

zacuaventures.com