Venture CTO - QuantumAI Venture Building (Science & Ecosystem)

• Technological problem definition and structured hypothesis formation, and evaluation of scientific differentiation and technological moats
• Close collaboration with founders to translate complex research into clearly defined, marketable product and technology concepts
• Evaluation and prioritisation of quantum, AI and deep-tech use cases from the perspectives of TRL, feasibility, scalability and differentiation
• Support with hardware integration, for example with quantum hardware partners
• IP analysis, protection strategy and patentability in collaboration with external partners
• Assessment of technology readiness levels (TRL) and likelihood of implementation
• Ensuring scientific robustness and technological differentiation

• Responsible for conducting technical feasibility analyses, including architecture design, build-vs-buy decisions and analysis of critical dependencies (e.g. hardware, cloud, vendor lock-in), as well as resource estimation
• Translation of scientific, technological and IP requirements into concrete, implementable engineering and system decisions
• Design and management of the implementation of technically robust prototypes and MVP concepts (including feasibility of implementation and resource estimation)
• Definition of technical roadmaps, scaling logic and system architectures, as well as technical dependencies and their likelihood of realisation
• Deriving clear technical go/no-go, build/buy and architectural decisions with ownership in a venture-building context
• Quantification of technological risks and identification of critical system dependencies (hardware, cloud, vendor lock-in)
• Ensuring technical feasibility and architectural consistency across all development stages
• Sharing responsibility for investment or PoC readiness in accordance with defined targets
• Compliance with global product, management and growth guidelines, IP standards and quality requirement

• Contributing to the structured derivation of product approaches from scientific or technological innovations
• Assessment of the technological differentiation of use cases
• Support in defining clear, technologically robust value propositions for technology-driven products
• Close collaboration with founders in translating technological concepts into comprehensible product architectures and solution designs

• Supporting founders in the development of technically feasible and scalable product concepts
• Translating product requirements into concrete system architectures and implementable technical solution designs
• Support in the structured definition of technology-driven challenges and customer problems
• Evaluation of use case priorities based on technological feasibility, market potential and implementation effort
• Support with the technological evaluation of customer discovery results
• Structuring the problem-solution fit and early product concepts from a technical perspective
• Ensuring consistency between product logic, architecture and feasibility

• Assessment of the scientific quality of applications for venture building and accelerator programmes
• Conducting technical due diligence as part of internal investment decisions, including FTO (Freedom to Operate) analyses and assessment of the patent landscape.
• Assessment of TRL, scientific substance and long-term differentiation
• Classification of technological developments within the research and ecosystem context

• Assessment of the technical feasibility and architectural viability of venture concepts
• Identification of technical risks, system dependencies and scaling limits
• Structuring and delivery of technical sections of pitch decks, data rooms and investor meetings
• Assessment of engineering effort, system complexity and feasibility of implementation

• Liaising with professors, researchers, technology transfer offices and deep tech communities
• Identification of spin-off potential and science-based venture opportunities
• Support in the design and delivery of scientific formats such as roadshows, hackathons and research-to-venture workshops
• Representing QAI Ventures at scientific conferences and technology events
• Close coordination with the Head of Science and Technology Global and APAC, as well as local venture leads

• Contributing to the establishment of an effective venture-building structure in Basel
• Close collaboration with the local QAI team and global roles to ensure stable delivery capacity
• Supporting the promotion and documentation of clear roles, responsibilities and efficient processes
• Active support in integrating with global methodology, governance and reporting structures

• Contribution to the local positioning of the venture-building offering as a high-quality and trustworthy player, particularly vis-à-vis our portfolio start-ups
• Representation of QAI in relevant ecosystem contexts
• Support in defining industry focus areas and market priorities

• PhD or Master’s degree in Quantum Physics, Physics, Computer Science, Quantum Engineering or related deep tech disciplines, but quantum physics must have been a key part of the candidates education

• Several years’ experience as an engineer, architect or technical lead in deep tech, AI or comparable technological environments
• Experience in developing PoCs, MVPs or technical validation projects, ideally in start-up or venture contexts
• Experience of working with start-ups, scale-ups or venture-building environments is an advantage
• Experience in collaborating with universities, research institutes or technology transfer organisations

• Experience in taking responsibility for technical feasibility, architecture and build-vs-buy decisions
• Experience in prototyping, architectural design, technical roadmap planning, and the end-to-end implementation of MVPs and experimental systems (e.g. sandbox environments)
• Ability to translate scientific, technological and product-related requirements into concrete system architectures and actionable solutions
• Strong judgement regarding technical feasibility, realistic resource allocation and scalability
• Experience in structuring technical content for investment, due diligence or partnering processes
• Ability to act as a technical sparring partner for founders and venture teams

• In-depth expertise in at least one of the following areas: quantum computing, quantum security, advanced AI or comparable deep-tech fields
• Experience in translating scientific research into product architectures or start-up contexts, including TRL development and scaling planning
• Understanding of IP strategies, patent logic and technological moats, including FTO analyses
• Experience in dealing with technological dependencies (e.g. hardware, infrastructure, vendor lock-in)
• Experience in building or collaborating with technological or scientific ecosystems is an advantage

• Strong analytical thinking combined with an entrepreneurial focus on implementation
• High degree of personal responsibility and a structured approach to work
• Excellent communication skills for explaining complex technological issues to investors, founders and partners
• Ability to balance scientific depth with pragmatic implementation
• Fluent in English
• Based in Switzerland, ideally near Arlesheim, with at least 50% onsite presence at the Uptown Basel offices to work closely with the venture teams.

QAI Ventures