Co-founder in Residence – Next Generation Herbicides, Weed Control

Role Overview

• Join us to build a new venture eliminating off-target toxicity from agrochemicals by scaling next generation herbicides and weed control.
• We’re seeking an experienced entrepreneur to found and spin out a company with us focused on targeted, durable weed control without off-target ecological or human health impacts.
• The role is full-time, remote initially until venture incorporation and spin-out (circa end of Q1 2027), location TBD.
• You will join DSV’s venture creation programme as a Co-founder-in-Residence and work closely with the DSV and Grantham Foundation teams to spin out the new company.
• During the programme you will refine, improve and complement existing scoping work on:
• The technical thesis for weed control that is scalable, durable and effective without off-target effects (neglect and technical tractability);
• Commercial neglect (IP strategy, differentiation, competition);
• Value proposition (market, value capture, techno-economics);
• Regulatory strategy & positioning;
• Fundraising strategy & pitching;
• Optimising company strategy for the most rapid and derisked path to Series A.
• Preparation for Investment Committee (IC) will involve fulfilling our investment criteria, recruiting advisory and co-founding team members, and parallel fundraising for additional expansion funds.
• Assuming success at IC, you will receive pre-seed investment from DSV and Grantham Foundation, and spinout the company in 2027.
• You and your co-founders will own a significant stake in the business and continue receiving support post-spinout.

Requirements

• You are highly motivated by unsolved challenges in weed control, and driven to challenge the status quo in agrochemicals.
• You are impact driven, take the initiative, make things happen, and think from a first principles perspective to figure out what’s really needed.
• You have clear entrepreneurial spirit and mindset, demonstrated through impactful innovation, and an ability to work in ambiguous, unstructured but fast-paced, demanding and pressurised environments.
• Collaborative nature, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
• Previous Founder experience.
• Previous C-suite experience.
• Previous fundraising experience (from VCs).
• Commercial/BD expertise (licensing, partnering, collaborations).
• Strong track record of building and leading successful teams.
• Core science depth in biochemistry, molecular biology, plant physiology, phytopathology, agricultural engineering or similar, with breadth across technological areas relevant for next generation weed control such as safer small molecule discovery and screening (e.g. molecular glues, PFAS replacement); physical herbicide controls (e.g. autonomous electricide); biological modes of action (e.g. RNAi, pollen sterility); crop trait development; precision application and delivery systems.
• Translational execution: e.g. taking traits/actives from discovery to field efficacy, managing CRO/CDMO programs, building regulator/investor/customer-ready data packages; and/or partnership development (growers, CROs/CDMOs, suppliers) and scalable IP strategy.
• Cross-functional ownership across: R&D
• Product
• Regulatory
• IP, evidenced by shipped results (trial outcomes, submissions, patents, launches); and/or EPA/EU experience and GLP study planning/oversight; or design of pivotal field trials supporting registration.

Benefits

• We provide optimised, purpose-built, proprietary tools, resources and processes to help create high-impact ventures from scratch, using our venture creation methodology.
• DSV and Grantham Foundation's extensive network incl. leaders of biotech VCs, technical & commercial domain expertise, and wide-ranging portfolio company capabilities.
• We jointly provide an initial £250k (~$340k / €290k) investment governed by our Investment Committee to incorporate the new venture and develop early proof-of-concept data that is often needed to attract high profile non-venture studio VCs. This funding is also key for obtaining grant funding, which often needs to be matched with private investment.
• You and your co-founder(s) together will own the majority equity stake in the company.
• We provide minimum guaranteed income of £4,166 per month (fixed), paid to each Founder as a consultancy fee until the company is launched and pre-seed investment is secured.
• We provide continuous support post spin-out, including fundraising, commercial partnerships, recruitment and team-building (amongst other things).
• Other Founders currently at DSV across sectors working collaboratively and supporting one another
• a unique resource to draw on.