Venture Associate

Laine Recruiting has partnered with a Rochester-based venture capital firm focused on strategic growth. They are dedicated to backing visionary founders who are building the next generation of category-defining companies, particularly with early-stage technologies across FoodTech and AgTech.

What truly sets them apart is their deeply integrated, services-based approach to value creation. They believe that capital is just the beginning. To add transformational value, they have developed a unique model to provide their portfolio companies with the tools for success. This is accomplished by delivering exceptional, hands-on support on a per-discipline basis from go-to-market and product strategy to talent and operations. Their team of former operators, investors, and technologists leverages deep industry expertise to provide this foundation, ensuring their portfolio companies can thrive in an ever-competitive marketplace.

Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious Associate to join their investment team. The ideal candidate is a "player-coach" who can both lead the charge on new investments and dive deep into the details of due diligence. You will be responsible for the entire investment lifecycle, from sourcing and evaluating new opportunities to executing deals and actively supporting portfolio companies post-investment. This role is for an individual with a proven track record and a passion for technology and entrepreneurship.

Deal Sourcing & Pipeline Management:

• Proactively source and identify high-potential investment opportunities through a robust network of entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and industry experts.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships within the startup and venture ecosystem to ensure a consistent flow of high-quality deals.
• Represent the firm at industry events, conferences, and demo days to build brand awareness and connect with promising founders.
• Manage and prioritize the firm’s investment pipeline, leading initial screening calls and meetings.

 

Due Diligence & Investment Execution:

• Lead comprehensive due diligence on potential investments, including market analysis, competitive landscaping, product-market fit assessment, financial modeling, and customer/management reference calls.
• Build and own complex financial models to analyze business performance, project future growth, and determine valuation (e.g., cap table analysis, returns modeling, unit economics).
• Author and present detailed investment memorandums to the Investment Committee, providing a clear and compelling investment thesis, risk assessment, and recommendation.
• Assist General Partners in negotiating term sheets and closing investment transactions.

 

Portfolio Management & Value Creation:

• Act as a key point of contact and strategic advisor for a subset of portfolio companies.
• Serve as a board observer, working closely with founders and executive teams on strategic initiatives, including product strategy, go-to-market, fundraising, and key hires.
• Monitor portfolio company performance, providing regular updates and analysis to the partnership.
• Leverage the firm’s network and resources to add tangible value and support the growth of investments.

 

Ecosystem Engagement & Firm Building:

• Develop deep domain expertise in one or more of their core investment sectors, becoming a thought leader in the space.
• Publish thought leadership content (blog posts, market maps, white papers) to elevate both your personal brand and the firm’s profile.
• Mentor and develop junior investment professionals, contributing to a culture of collaboration and excellence.
• Contribute to internal firm strategy, including thesis development, fundraising efforts, and operational improvements.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Computer Science, or a related STEM field are a plus.
• MBA from a leading institution is strongly preferred.

Professional Experience:

• 3+ years of relevant professional experience.
• 2+ years in a venture capital or growth equity firm.
• Experience in investment banking (M&A or Tech coverage group), private equity, or strategy consulting.
• Experience leading and closing investment transactions from start to finish.

Core Competencies:

• Analytical & Financial Acumen: Strong financial modeling, valuation, and quantitative analysis skills. Deep understanding of SaaS metrics, unit economics, and capitalization tables.
• Strategic Mindset: Exceptional business judgment and the ability to quickly assess market opportunities, business models, and management teams to form a clear investment thesis.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. Ability to articulate complex ideas simply and persuasively. Natural ability to build rapport and trust with founders and co-investors.
• Ownership & Autonomy: A self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit. Capable of working independently with a high degree of autonomy and taking ownership of projects from inception to completion.
• Network: A strong, existing network within the technology and venture capital community is highly desirable.
• Passion & Curiosity: A genuine passion for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. An insatiable curiosity and a desire to learn constantly.

Technical Skills:

• CRM & Pipeline Management: High proficiency with modern CRM platforms such as Affinity, DealCloud, or Salesforce for deal flow tracking and network management.
• Market Intelligence & Data: Expert-level user of private company databases including PitchBook, Crunchbase, and CB Insights for sourcing, diligence, and market mapping.
• Cap Table Management: Strong working knowledge of Carta for analyzing capitalization tables and modeling financing rounds.
• Financial Analysis: Advanced mastery of Microsoft Excel for building complex financial models, waterfalls, and returns analyses. Familiarity with S&P Capital IQ or FactSet is a plus.
• Proficiency in both Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word) and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for creating investment memorandums, presentations, and collaborative documents.
• Familiarity with core communication platforms such as Slack and Zoom.

Other Requirements:

This role requires the candidate to work fully on-site at their Rochester, NY office and involves occasional business travel to support company objectives, due diligence, conferences, and portfolio company support.

 

Compensation:

• Base salary: $90,000 - $100,000
• 401k contribution – 5% contribution after 90 days of employment
• HSA contribution – Individual yearly maximum, for 2025 this was $4,300
• Benefits are 100% covered for the employee; 70% of partner/dependents. This goes for all benefits.
• PTO - 4 weeks/160 hrs of PTO, 5 Sick days, 4 mental health days (1 per quarter), 2 floating holidays.

Posted On: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Compensation: $90,000 - 100,000