[USA] Venture Specialist/Venture Lead, Strategic Investments and Venture Partnerships

Reports to:	Managing Director		Group:	Honda Xcelerator Ventures, Alliance Development
Employment Type:	Contingent to Hire		Pay Range:	$73.00 – $89.00 per hour

Overview:

Honda Innovations Silicon Valley, Inc. (HISV), part of global Honda Motor Co., Ltd., drives strategic investment, partnership, and collaboration through Honda Xcelerator Ventures (HXV) – Honda’s corporate venture capital (CVC) program.

As a Venture Lead / Venture Specialist, you will play a hands-on role in sourcing, evaluating, and executing strategic venture investments, in the U.S. West Coast startup ecosystem, while also supporting venture partnerships and open-innovation engagements across Honda’s global R&D and business units. The role level will be determined based on experience.

You will work closely with Honda stakeholders in the U.S. and Japan, startup founders, and VC/CVC partners, with a strong emphasis on early-stage and growth-stage technologies aligned with Honda’s long-term strategy. This role requires sound judgment, strong execution skills, and the ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, cross-cultural environment. Focus areas include electrification, mobility, robotics/AI, and sustainability.

Work Arrangement & Compensation

• Work Arrangement
  Onsite four (4) days per week at the HISV office, located in Mountain View, CA. External conferences or events attended as part of the role count toward onsite days.
• Compensation
  Final level and pay will be determined based on experience and interview assessment. Benefits, if applicable, are provided through the contingent agency.

Key Responsibilities

Deal Sourcing & Investment Execution

• Source Honda-relevant deal flow through venture tools (e.g., PitchBook, Crunchbase), VC/CVC relationships, founder networks, accelerators, and active participation in the West Coast Startup ecosystem.
• Identify, screen, and engage with promising startups to uncover high-impact investment opportunities aligned with Honda’s innovation roadmap.
• Conduct early-stage diligence, evaluating:
  • Market potential and competitive dynamics
  • Technical differentiation and defensibility (“wow factor”)
  • Business model viability and financial outlook
  • Team strength and execution capability
• Develop clear, compelling investment proposals and present recommendations to the HXV investment team.
• Support end-to-end internal investment processes, including coordination with internal business stakeholders.
• Track emerging technology and investment trends relevant to Honda.

Open Innovation, Partnerships & Portfolio Support

• Support open-innovation engagements between startups and Honda Business Units, including pilots, proof-of concepts (PoCs), and early collaborations that may lead to investment.
• Manage follow-up actions, information flow, documentation, and reporting between internal Honda teams and startup partners.
• Help align expectations and ensure accountability across internal stakeholders and external partners.
• If assigned:
  • Serve as a board observer for one or more HXV portfolio companies and provide structured internal reporting.
  • Support value-creation activities such as Joint Development Agreements (JDAs), Joint Research Agreements (JRAs), and other strategic collaborations.
  • Lead and manage relationships with selected accelerator or ecosystem partners, including deal flow reviews, event participation, and potential event planning.

Networking & Ecosystem Engagement

• Build, maintain, and strengthen a robust network of VCs, CVCs, founders, and ecosystem partners, particularly on the U.S. West Coast.
• Actively represent HXV at industry events, panels, startup evaluations, and judging activities.
• Contribute to strengthening Honda’s brand, visibility, and credibility within the venture and innovation ecosystem.

 

Core Competencies

• Venture & Startup Insight
  Strong understanding of early-stage startups and venture dynamics, with the ability to evaluate technologies for both strategic fit and market potential.
• Analytical Thinking & Curiosity
  Quickly synthesize complex technical and market information, ask the right questions, and navigate ambiguity with structured problem-solving.

• Cross-Cultural & Cross-Functional Communication
  Comfortable working across time zones and cultural contexts, particularly with Japan-based stakeholders. Able to communicate effectively with engineers, founders, and executives.

• Professional Judgment & Execution
  Organized and dependable in managing multiple workstreams. Exercises sound judgment in handling sensitive or confidential information while driving deliverables forward.

 

Qualifications

Required

•  Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business or a closely related field
• 2 – 3+ years of experience in venture capital or corporate venture capital (CVC)
• Demonstrated experience sourcing, evaluating, and supporting execution of early-stage venture investments
• Familiarity with venture diligence tools, processes, and common deal structures
• Strong interest in emerging technology domains relevant to Honda’s long-term strategy
• Willingness to travel domestically (and occasionally internationally) up to 40%

Preferred

• Established network within the VC/CVC and startup ecosystem, particularly on the U.S. West Coast (San Francisco Bay Area preferred)
• Proven track record of developing investment theses, building relationships with founders, and advancing deals through the investment process
• Experience contributing to portfolio support, strategic partnerships, or accelerator engagements

 

Why Join Honda Xcelerator Ventures?

At HXV, you will work at the intersection of startups, venture investing, and Honda’s global innovation
strategy – helping shape the technologies that will define the future of mobility, energy, and society.