Venture Development Associate

Venture Development Associate

Company: Smilix

Program: Innovation UBC – Venture Founder Cohort 52

Location: Metro Vancouver, BC

About Smilix

Smilix is an early-stage dental-tech venture participating in Innovation UBC's Venture Founder Cohort 52.

We're working to make dental care more accessible by helping patients better understand their oral health, treatment options, costs and insurance coverage.

We're currently conducting customer discovery to better understand the challenges patients and dental professionals experience and use those insights to shape our product and business strategy.

About the Role

We're looking for a proactive and motivated Venture Development Associate to work directly with our founding team.

This is a hands-on opportunity to contribute to an early-stage startup, from identifying potential customers and conducting interviews to exploring market opportunities and developing partnerships.

You'll play an active role in helping us connect with the right people, understand their experiences, validate our assumptions and turn research into actionable insights.

This role is particularly suited to someone who enjoys communicating with people, taking initiative and turning ideas into action.

Key Responsibilities

1. Customer Discovery & Research

• Identify and connect with potential interviewees, including dental professionals, patients and relevant community groups.
• Help organize and conduct customer discovery interviews and surveys.
• Understand customer experiences, challenges and unmet needs, particularly around dental treatment decisions, costs, insurance and access to care.
• Document findings and identify recurring themes to inform product development.

2. Outreach & Partnerships

• Research and build lists of relevant dental clinics, professionals, organizations and potential partners.
• Conduct outreach through LinkedIn, email and existing networks.
• Develop connections and coordinate conversations with potential customers and partners.
• Follow up on outreach and help maintain relationships.

3. Market Research & Business Development

• Research market opportunities, customer segments and industry trends.
• Support market validation and the development of our business strategy.
• Identify potential opportunities for collaboration and venture growth.

4. Pitching & Presentations

• Help communicate Smilix's vision, value proposition and customer insights.
• Contribute to pitch decks, presentations and venture development materials.
• Support the preparation of presentations for mentors, stakeholders and potential partners.

What We're Looking For

• Strong communication skills: Comfortable approaching new people, initiating conversations and conducting interviews.
• Networking & outreach: Enjoys connecting with people and is comfortable reaching out to professionals and organizations.
• Research & critical thinking: Able to ask meaningful questions, listen actively and identify useful insights.
• Organization: Can manage follow-ups, coordinate conversations and keep track of ongoing tasks.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: Curious, adaptable and willing to contribute in a fast-moving early-stage environment.
• Previous startup experience is not required. Existing connections within the dental industry, healthcare or student communities are a plus.

What You'll Gain

• Hands-on experience building an early-stage startup.
• Direct collaboration with the founding team.
• Experience in customer discovery, business development and market validation.
• Opportunities to connect with dental professionals, industry stakeholders and startup mentors.
• Exposure to venture development, pitching and entrepreneurial strategy through Innovation UBC's Venture Founder Cohort.

Interested in Joining Us?

If you're someone who enjoys taking initiative, connecting with people and helping turn ideas into something real, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply through our interest form:

https://forms.gle/yShKZ3GecMdGdHCdA

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview to discuss their interests, experience and potential contributions to Smilix.