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Palo Alto, California, United States
Onsite
GenBio AI is an AI for Science company on a mission to make biology fully computable. We are building AIDO (AI-Driven Digital Organism) to simulate living systems, decode biology holistically, and accelerate medical and scientific research. Our first step toward that mission is AIDO Cell, the first virtual cell world model that holistically simulates cell biology from molecules up to whole-cell behavior. It enables researchers to run experiments virtually, predicting how cells respond to genetic changes, drugs and other interventions before going into the lab. It is supported by AIDO Foundry, an AI-builds-AI engineering framework for automating virtual cell development, and AIDO Lab, an interface to digitally run experiments and observe the results. Together they form the foundation for a new paradigm in AI-driven drug discovery, bioengineering, and fundamental biomedical research.
We seek a senior, highly strategic VP of Business & Corporate Development to define and lead GenBio AI's business development and strategic partnership efforts. This is a high-ownership role for a leader who is technically credible, commercially seasoned, and comfortable setting direction rather than waiting for it. You will help shape GenBio AI's business model, build the relationships that turn our technology into durable scientific and commercial partnerships, and make the case to the market for what AIDO Cell makes possible.
You will work alongside the founders and executive team with the seniority and confidence to guide them, intellectually and operationally, and to take external work off their plates. You will see where GenBio AI's technology can create value, identify the gap between what it can do and what the market understands today, and close that gap through new connections, partnership structures, and proposed experiments. The role requires strategic judgment, a strong scientific foundation, and the credibility to engage directly with senior leaders across the pharmaceutical and technology industries.
Define and evolve GenBio AI's commercial strategy and business model, including partnership strategy, pricing/monetization approaches, customer segmentation, and the balance between platform, collaboration, licensing, and other revenue opportunities.
Articulate GenBio AI's vision and educate the market on AIDO Cell, positioning GenBio AI as a leading technology platform rather than a vendor of point solutions.
Identify gaps between the technology's potential and current market understanding, and bridge them proactively through new connections, pilots, and proposed experiments with partners.
Build and maintain senior-level relationships across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and technology companies, and represent GenBio AI at key meetings, conferences, and industry events.
Originate and prioritize high-value opportunities across research collaborations, platform partnerships, data and sample access, technology licensing, and co-development.
Lead commercial structuring and negotiation of strategic transactions, including economics, pricing, milestones, licensing, IP rights, data rights, exclusivity, resource commitments, and other key terms, in partnership with Legal and Finance.Lead corporate development, including evaluating strategic partnerships to accelerate GenBio AI’s objectives
Own the commercial roadmap and support investor conversations
Serve as the internal owner of strategic opportunities, coordinating Research, Product, Legal, Finance, and Operations to advance them.
Advise and, where needed, direct the founders and executive team on opportunities, negotiation strategy, and where their involvement adds the most leverage, while independently carrying the majority of external work.
Track competitive, technology, and pharmaceutical R&D developments, and translate partner feedback into input for research, product, and commercial priorities.
Establish the processes and operating cadence to scale the business development function as the company grows.
MD, PhD or Masters in biology or a related scientific field with broad biological fluency, plus an MBA or equivalent hands-on operating experience.
Roughly 12+ years of relevant experience, including meaningful tenure in both big pharma and a smaller, entrepreneurial environment; ideally a VP-level or higher role at a major organization.
Has personally sourced, negotiated, and closed several meaningful licensing, platform, or collaboration deals.
Has managed complex, multi-month pharma negotiations involving senior stakeholders across BD, R&D, legal, and executive leadership.
Deep understanding of pharmaceutical R&D and decision-making, with standing relationships across pharma BD and R&D organizations at both the working and executive level.
Has developed or reshaped a business model or go-to-market approach around platforms, enabling technologies or novel modalities, rather than selling an existing offering or individual drug assets in a conventional way.
Demonstrates the judgment, creativity, and confidence to shape strategy independently, lead rather than be led, and advise and direct founders as an equal.
Genuine conviction in the AIDO Cell thesis and the ability to articulate why GenBio AI is not a conventional AI-driven drug discovery company.
Has built new relationships and opportunities with limited resources, ambiguous priorities, and minimal organizational infrastructure, rather than relying on an established BD organization.
Strong understanding of AI/ML and computational approaches in life sciences, with the ability to translate technical capabilities into compelling scientific and business value ahead of the market.
Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, including fluent written and spoken English.
Tenure in both big pharma and a smaller, entrepreneurial environment
Experience working with AI-native, computational biology, drug discovery, or other emerging technology platforms.
Experience in an early-stage or high-growth company where building the commercial function required significant individual ownership.
Experience structuring novel partnerships where no industry template exists.
Global experience and an established network across international markets.
Experience building or leading a business development team.
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