The Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund (WPSF) is Tech Launch Arizona’s pre-seed and seed investment vehicle, backing UA-affiliated startups at their earliest and most capital-constrained stage. To amplify its impact, TLA is preparing to launch the Wildcat Investor Network (WIN) — a new initiative to connect accredited investors from the UA community with compelling startup investment opportunities in the WPSF pipeline.
We are recruiting a Venture Associate to help build WIN from the ground up. This is a founding role in every practical sense: you will help shape how the network is designed, how it is communicated, and how it grows. The work spans investor outreach and relationship development, marketing and communications, and operational coordination — all in service of connecting the right investors with the right opportunities.
This role is ideal for a student who is excited about the investor side of venture ecosystems, enjoys relationship-building and communications work, and wants to contribute to something genuinely new at TLA.
What You’ll Do
Network Launch & Outreach
- Support the preparation and launch of the Wildcat Investor Network, including helping define outreach strategy, messaging, and initial target audiences
- Identify and research prospective network members — primarily UA alumni and community members who are accredited investors — using available databases, LinkedIn, alumni directories, and other sources
- Draft and send personalized outreach communications to prospective investors, tracking responses and managing follow-up
- Maintain and organize a CRM or contact tracking system to support relationship development across the investor pipeline
Marketing & Communications
- Help develop materials that explain WIN’s value proposition to prospective investors: what the fund does, what kinds of companies are in the pipeline, and how investors can engage
- Contribute to content for email campaigns, newsletters, and social media to build awareness of WIN and WPSF among the UA community
- Assist in preparing investor-facing updates and deal communications that keep the network informed and engaged
- Support event planning and logistics for investor meetings, demo days, and network gatherings
Investor Relations & Operations
- Help coordinate investor engagement activities, including scheduling introductory calls, distributing materials, and preparing briefing documents
- Track investor interest and engagement across the pipeline and flag opportunities for deeper relationship development
- Contribute to operational improvements as WIN scales, including process documentation and workflow design
- Assist with general team operations including scheduling, communications, and documentation
Who We’re Looking For
Strong candidates come from every corner of the university. We care more about how you think and how you communicate than what you’ve studied. You’re likely a good fit if you:
- Are an undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Arizona (any major, any year)
- Are genuinely curious about startups, venture investing, and how innovation ecosystems are built
- Communicate clearly and professionally in writing, on the phone, and in person
- Take ownership of your work, follow through reliably, and hold yourself to a high standard
- Bring energy and initiative to outreach, relationship-building, and operational tasks
Preferred Qualifications
These are genuinely preferred, not required. We expect to hire candidates without any of them.
- Prior experience in outreach, sales, marketing, fundraising, or relationship-building — in any form
- Strong written communication skills; comfort drafting professional emails, summaries, and short-form content
- Interest in venture capital, angel investing, or startup ecosystems
- Familiarity with CRM tools, LinkedIn, or similar outreach and contact management platforms
- Coursework or experience in marketing, communications, finance, entrepreneurship, or related fields
- Ability to work independently on self-directed tasks while staying coordinated with a small team
What You’ll Gain
- Founding-team experience building a new investor network from scratch — a rare opportunity at the student level
- Direct exposure to the investor side of early-stage venture: how accredited investors evaluate opportunities, engage with funds, and make decisions
- Professional skills in investor communications, outreach strategy, CRM management, and content development
- Mentorship from experienced investors and operators at TLA
- A meaningful credential for careers in venture capital, investor relations, startup marketing, or ecosystem development
- Close involvement with a high-impact, mission-driven fund at an early and formative stage