Role Overview

We are seeking an exceptional Venture Ideation Lead to spearhead our venture pipeline development. This role sits at the intersection of strategy, research, and venture building, responsible for identifying and validating the next generation of transformative businesses for Saudi Arabia. You will own the critical "top of funnel" process, delivering 20 validated venture opportunities annually while building strategic partnerships with universities, corporations, and government entities.

Key Responsibilities

Venture Opportunity Development (50%)

• Lead end-to-end identification of 20 venture opportunities annually across priority sectors

• Conduct comprehensive market research combining desk research, expert interviews, and field studies

• Develop investment theses aligned with studios’ strategic priorities and Saudi Vision 2030

• Build detailed venture blueprints including market sizing, competitive analysis, and go-to-market strategies
  
  

Strategic Partnership Management (30%)

• Own relationships with co-building partners including leading universities, corporations, VCs, venture builders and financial institutions

• Structure partnership agreements that accelerate venture validation and development

• Create systematic processes for partner-sourced opportunity identification

• Facilitate joint venture creation workshops and innovation sprints with partners

• Represent Sanabil at industry events and maintain visibility in the ecosystem
  
  

Research & Thought Leadership (20%)

• Build proprietary research capabilities and datasets on Saudi/GCC markets

• Produce quarterly market insight reports positioning Sanabil as a thought leader

• Develop frameworks and playbooks for systematic venture validation

• Collaborate with portfolio companies to share market insights and identify synergies

• Maintain deep expertise in emerging technologies and business model innovations
  
  

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 7-10 years of experience in strategy consulting, venture capital, startup ecosystem, or venture building

• Demonstrated track record of identifying and validating new business opportunities

• Experience conducting both qualitative and quantitative market research

• Previous experience in Saudi Arabia or GCC markets strongly preferred

• Background in one or more of: fintech, enterprise SaaS, AI, or consumer goods & services

Skills & Knowledge

• Expert-level knowledge of venture validation methodologies and frameworks

• Strong financial modeling and analytical capabilities

• Proficiency in research tools and data analysis

• Excellent project management skills with ability to manage multiple workstreams

• Fluency in English required; Arabic proficiency highly preferred

Education

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

• Certifications in design thinking, lean startup, or venture building are advantageous

What We Offer

• Opportunity to shape the future of Saudi Arabia's innovation ecosystem

• Competitive compensation package aligned with international standards

• Professional development opportunities including knowledge exchange with global venture studio networks

• Diverse, high-performing team with deep venture building expertise

Success Metrics

• Number and quality of validated opportunities delivered

• Conversion rate from validation to venture launch

• Strength and productivity of partner relationships

• Quality of research outputs and thought leadership