You'll identify and engage early-stage companies for fundraising on StartEngine, qualify opportunities, and build relationships with funding ecosystems.
About StartEngine
StartEngine is the FinTech powerhouse driving the future of fundraising and alternative investing. StartEngine was founded by Howard Marks, the co-founder of Activision (now valued at over $75B), with the goal of helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams by removing funding barriers. Howard partnered with co-founder Ron Miller, a veteran entrepreneur and early advocate of equity crowdfunding, to build a platform that democratizes access to capital. In 2020, StartEngine welcomed Shark Tank judge and serial entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful) as Strategic Advisor and Investor. Since its inception, StartEngine has helped over 550 companies raise more than $1.5B from retail investors, with investments starting at as little as $100.
Why merely back a company when you can own a piece of it?
As a Startup Sourcing Associate, you’ll be responsible for discovering and engaging early-stage and growth-stage companies that could raise capital on StartEngine.
This is a top-of-funnel, lead-generation role — you’ll be researching the startup landscape, finding promising companies, and sparking conversations with founders to gauge their interest in raising on our platform. Once a company is interested, you’ll introduce them to our Account Executive team to take it from there.
This position is perfect for someone who loves the startup ecosystem, enjoys networking with founders, and thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
What You'll Do
- Identify high-potential startups through online research, funding databases, news outlets, pitch competitions, and accelerator networks
- Engage founders and leadership teams via LinkedIn, email, and other creative channels to introduce StartEngine
- Qualify opportunities and schedule intro meetings for our Senior Sales (AE) team
- Build relationships with accelerators, incubators, and venture programs to create ongoing deal flow
- Monitor trends in venture capital and private markets to stay ahead of emerging opportunities
- Collaborate with sales and marketing to refine messaging and outreach strategies
- Maintain accurate records of outreach and pipeline activity in our CRM
Who You Are
- 1–3 years of experience in business development, venture scouting, or startup outreach
- FINRA series 7,63 required
- Deep interest in the startup world, venture capital, or early-stage investing (absolutely required)
- Excellent written communication and persistence — you know how to get founders’ attention
- Resourceful and creative in sourcing leads — you love finding new ways to identify potential partners
- Organized and proactive, comfortable working independently and meeting ambitious goals
- Familiarity with platforms like Crunchbase, PitchBook, AngelList, or LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a plus
Perks & Benefits
- 100% covered Medical/Dental/Vision - pick your own plan
- Generous Equity package
- Unlimited PTO and sick days
- Paid WeWork Usage (optional)
- 100% Remote
- Team Off-sites and Celebration Dinners
- Paid Maternity/Paternity leave
- 401K program
- Flexible hours
- Be part of one of the fastest growing parts of the FinTech Industry
- A chance to work with a highly profitable and rapidly expanding startup (not VC funded)
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What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
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- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
