Designation: Start-up Accelerator Lead

Organization: SwitchON Foundation

Location: Kolkata (Candidates from Kolkata or willing to relocate)

Work Experience: 8 - 12 years of relevant experience

Compensation: 14-18 Lpa (Annual CTC will be decided based on experience, skills, and role fit)

Language Proficiency: English; Hindi or regional languages preferred

About SwitchON

SwitchON Foundation (est 2008) is a mission-driven organization working to strengthen sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience. We partner with Farmer

Producer Companies (FPCs), Climate startups, investors, and institutions to build scalable solutions that create both economic and social impact.

Our growing enterprise platform combines acceleration, advisory, market access, capacity building, and investment facilitation to help FPCs and agri-enterprises and other climates become sustainable, growth-oriented businesses. Through strategic partnerships and ecosystem support, we enable enterprises to scale their impact and reach.

The SwitchON Foundation is part of the ON Universe, which operates an accelerator, impact fund and advisory that is dedicated to supporting proximate climate startups / social entrepreneurs and FPCs. Through the Greenovation and ONganic Acceleratorwhich runs challenges, bootcamps, and cohort-based programsand the EarthON Fund, which leverages blended capital approaches, we address complex climate challenges across the Global South.

Position Summary The Startup Accelerator Lead manages the day-to-day execution of our climate innovation accelerator programs, supporting both climate tech startups and Farmer Producer Organizations

(FPOs). This role focuses on sourcing, evaluating, and supporting entrepreneurs and agri-collectives through structured acceleration initiatives. You'll work with founders, FPO leaders, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners to help them achieve business readiness,

investment readiness, and scale their climate and agricultural solutions.

This is an operational yet strategic role requiring strong execution capabilities, deep understanding of both startup and agricultural ecosystems, and the ability to bridge commercial innovation with ground-level rural impact.

Key Responsibilities

Startup & FPO Sourcing & Pipeline Development

Build and maintain high-quality pipelines of climate startups, tech-enabled social enterprises, and Farmer Producer Organizations

Design and execute recruitment campaigns across India

Lead application review and evaluation processes aligned with accelerator criteria

Manage cohort formation and maintain balance between startup, FPO, and sector diversity

Startup & FPO Support & Acceleration

Provide mentorship, guidance, and strategic support to portfolio startups and FPOs

Identify and address critical gaps in capabilities, business models, market fit, and operational efficiency

Facilitate meaningful connections between startups/FPOs and mentors, investors, and strategic partners

Track progress against KPIs and provide ongoing feedback tailored to each entity's stage and context

Program Management & Execution

Design and deliver cohort-based acceleration programs (bootcamps, workshops,



pitch events, farmer field schools)

Oversee program curricula, logistics, and participant experience for diverse audiences

Manage batches from application through demo day/showcase and post-acceleration support

Build systems for monitoring progress, outcomes, and learning metrics

Mentor & Investor Network Management

Curate and engage networks of mentors, technical experts, domain specialists, and agri-experts

Facilitate introductions between startups/FPOs and ecosystem stakeholders

Build relationships with angel investors, early-stage VCs, and impact funders

Organize networking events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions

Ecosystem & Partnership Development

Build relationships with corporate partners, universities, government agencies, and NGOs

Develop partnerships for co-acceleration, pilot programs, market access, and distribution channels

Collaborate with complementary accelerators, agricultural organizations, and ecosystem enablers

Represent the accelerator at industry events and ecosystem convenings

Program Quality & Reporting

Ensure high-quality execution across all accelerator initiatives

Build monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for continuous program improvement

Maintain accurate reporting on cohort composition, startup/FPO metrics, and outcomes

Generate insights and recommendations for program optimization

Fundraising & Ecosystem Support

Support efforts to secure grants, corporate sponsorships, and philanthropic funding

Develop compelling program documentation and impact narratives

Engage with donors and ecosystem funders to communicate value and results

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in Management, Entrepreneurship, Business, Agriculture, Engineering,

Development Studies, Environmental Science, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Experience

8-10 years of relevant experience in one or more of:

NGO/non-profit sector (required)

Accelerators, incubators, or startup ecosystems

Agricultural development, farmer collectives, or rural enterprise programs

Program management in innovation, entrepreneurship, or social impact spaces

Venture development or advisory roles

Demonstrated experience working with farmer organizations, agricultural collectives, or rural communities

Solid understanding of climate tech, sustainability, agri-innovation, or rural livelihoods sectors

Proven track record of supporting entrepreneurs/social enterprises and building pipelines

Preferred Skills & Competencies

Core Competencies

Dual Ecosystem Knowledge: Understanding of both startup ecosystems AND agricultural/rural development ecosystems

Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Ability to manage diverse stakeholdersfounders, farmers, investors, NGO partners, government officials





Program Management: Experience designing and executing programs with measurable outcomes for different audiences

Communication: Excellent ability to communicate with founders, FPO leaders, mentors,

investors, and rural communities

Strategic Thinking: Balancing operational execution with ecosystem development and long-term impact

Technical & Domain Skills

Understanding of climate innovation, sustainability, renewable energy, or green livelihoods

Familiarity with agri-tech, agricultural innovation, sustainable farming practices, or rural development

Experience with startup evaluation frameworks and investment readiness criteria

Knowledge of farmer collectives, FPC models, cooperative structures, and agricultural supply chains

Understanding of blended finance or impact investing models (preferred)

Operational Skills

Strong organizational and project management capabilities

Ability to build systems and processes that work across different contexts (urban startups and rural FPOs)

Comfortable with data tracking, analytics, and performance reporting

Proficiency with startup ecosystem tools and digital platforms

Personal Attributes

Entrepreneurial mindset with strong execution focus

Passion for climate innovation and rural/agricultural impact

Ability to thrive in fast-paced, evolving environments

Strong work ethic and comfort with ambiguity and multitasking

High emotional intelligence and coaching ability

Genuine interest in bridging the gap between technology innovation and ground-level agricultural transformation

Comfort working across different contextsurban tech spaces and rural communities

Reporting & Collaboration

Reporting To: Leadership

Key Collaborations

Founder community and portfolio startups

FPO leaders and farmer communities

Mentor and investor networks

Ecosystem partners (corporates, governments, universities, NGOs)

Internal teams (Operations, Impact & Learning, Fundraising)

Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is:

NGO-rooted: Brings deep experience and understanding of the non-profit sector and community-based approaches

Dual-focused: Equally comfortable working with tech-savvy startup founders and with farmer leaders in rural areas

Execution-oriented: Drives tangible results and builds systems that work in diverse contexts

Impact-driven: Passionate about both climate solutions and agricultural transformation reaching the last mile

Relationship builder: Strong ability to build trust and meaningful connections across different communities

Systems thinker: Balances tactical program delivery with strategic ecosystem development

Adaptable: Comfortable in evolving, resource-constrained environments with changing priorities

Field-experienced: Ideally has spent time on the ground understanding farming communities and rural challenges

Data-conscious: Uses metrics and learning to continuously improve programs while valuing qualitative impact stories To learn more about our work, please visit: www.switchon.org.in

Travel for: Ecosystem events, Startup engagements ,Partner meetings, Investor interactions,

National and international ecosystem convenings.

📌 Start-up Accelerator Lead (Kolkata)
🏢 SwitchON Foundation
📍 Kolkata