About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is one of the world's most active early-stage venture investors and the largest innovation platform globally, with over 65 locations across multiple continents. Since its founding, Plug and Play has invested in hundreds of technology companies, including Dropbox, PayPal, and LendingClub, connecting startups with the corporates, investors, and mentors they need to scale. The platform operates industry-specific programs spanning fintech, health, supply chain, mobility, insurance, and more, with a proven track record of accelerating startup growth through structured corporate partnerships and direct access to decision-makers. Now, Plug and Play is making a landmark expansion into New York City — one of the world's most dynamic technology ecosystems. In partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Plug and Play will co-lead the NYC AI Nexus, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to accelerate Applied AI adoption across the city's most critical industries, including financial services, healthcare, media, real estate, logistics, and the public sector.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Lead to spearhead the design, launch, and operational execution of the NYC AI Nexus program. This is a senior individual contributor and program leadership role reporting directly to Plug and Play's global leadership team, with a dotted-line relationship to NYCEDC's innovation and economic development divisions. The Lead will serve as the primary architect of the program's strategy, responsible for building the operational framework that connects emerging AI startups with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across New York City that are ready to pilot and adopt AI solutions. You will be the connective tissue between corporates, SMEs, universities, government agencies, investors, and founders — ensuring that the NYC AI Nexus becomes the definitive hub for Applied AI innovation in the metropolitan region. This role is based in New York City and requires a hybrid work model with regular presence at program events, partner offices, and co-working spaces throughout the five boroughs.

Key Responsibilities

Program Strategy & Launch Execution: Design and implement the full operational blueprint for the NYC AI Nexus, including program timelines, cohort structures, milestone frameworks, and success metrics aligned with NYCEDC economic development goals.
Startup Sourcing & Selection: Build and manage a rigorous pipeline of Applied AI startups through partnerships with university incubators (Columbia, NYU, Cornell Tech, CUNY), accelerator networks, venture capital firms, and direct outreach. Oversee application review, due diligence, and cohort selection processes targeting 15–25 startups per cohort.
SME Catalyst Program Development: Design and run the SME Catalyst program, identifying and onboarding 30–50 small and medium enterprises per cycle that are prepared to pilot AI solutions. Develop structured pilot frameworks including scope definition, success criteria, data sharing agreements, and post-pilot evaluation.
Corporate & Government Partnership Management: Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with Fortune 500 corporate partners, NYC government agencies (NYCEDC, Department of Small Business Services, Office of Technology and Innovation), and institutional stakeholders to secure pilot opportunities, sponsorship, and long-term program sustainability.
Ecosystem Building & Community Engagement: Organize and host monthly ecosystem events, demo days, industry roundtables, and investor showcases that bring together founders, corporates, academics, and policymakers. Target 200+ attendees per major event and consistent community growth quarter over quarter.
Mentorship & Founder Support: Coordinate a network of 50+ mentors drawn from Plug and Play's global network, local universities, and corporate partners. Ensure each startup founder receives structured guidance on product-market fit, enterprise sales, regulatory compliance, and fundraising strategy.
Performance Tracking & Reporting: Establish and maintain a comprehensive dashboard tracking key performance indicators including startup funding raised, pilots launched, SMEs engaged, jobs created, and capital deployed. Deliver quarterly impact reports to NYCEDC and Plug and Play leadership.
Global Network Leverage: Activate Plug and Play's network of 65+ locations to facilitate cross-border expansion opportunities for NYC-based AI startups, connecting them with international corporates, investors, and regulatory bodies in markets across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Budget & Resource Management: Manage the program's annual operating budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources across events, marketing, travel, technology platforms, and contractor engagements. Identify and secure additional funding through grants, corporate sponsorships, and public-private partnerships.
Thought Leadership & Brand Building: Represent the NYC AI Nexus at industry conferences, media briefings, and policy discussions. Publish quarterly insights reports on Applied AI trends in New York City to position the program as a leading voice in the urban AI ecosystem.

Work Environment & Culture

Plug and Play operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship, corporate innovation, and public policy. The NYC AI Nexus team will be small, high-impact, and deeply collaborative. You will work alongside a globally distributed team of program managers, investment professionals, and ecosystem builders who share a conviction that Applied AI can transform industries when deployed responsibly. The culture is fast-paced, founder-centric, and outcomes-driven. We value intellectual curiosity, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to build relationships across vastly different stakeholder groups — from a first-time AI founder in Brooklyn to a CTO at a Manhattan-based financial institution to a policy advisor at City Hall.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in venture capital, startup accelerators, corporate innovation, technology consulting, or economic development — with at least 3 years in a senior program leadership or partnership management role.
Deep familiarity with the New York City technology ecosystem, including relationships with local startups, universities, investors, and government agencies.
Proven track record of designing and scaling innovation programs, accelerators, or corporate-startup partnership initiatives from concept to operational maturity.
Strong understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, including natural language processing, computer vision, predictive analytics, and generative AI — with the ability to evaluate technical startups and communicate their value propositions to non-technical stakeholders.
Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with demonstrated ability to engage C-suite executives, government officials, academic leaders, and early-stage founders simultaneously.
Experience managing budgets of $500K+ and delivering measurable program outcomes against defined KPIs.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking experience at industry events and media engagements.
Bachelor's degree required; MBA, Master's in Public Policy, or advanced degree in a technology-related field strongly preferred.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (10–15%) to Plug and Play's global locations and partner sites.

Technical Skills & Tools

Program management: Asana, Monday.com, Jira, or Notion
CRM and pipeline management: Salesforce, HubSpot, or Affinity
Data and analytics: Tableau, Google Data Studio, or Power BI
Communication and collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom
Event management: Eventbrite, Hopin, or Bevy
AI/ML familiarity: Understanding of TensorFlow, PyTorch, Hugging Face, AWS SageMaker, or Azure AI services
Reporting: Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary commensurate with experience, plus performance-based bonus tied to program milestones and startup outcomes.
Equity participation opportunities in select portfolio companies.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
Flexible PTO policy and hybrid work arrangements.
Professional development budget for conferences, certifications, and executive education.
Direct access to Plug and Play's global network of 65+ locations, 200+ corporate partners, and thousands of portfolio companies.
The opportunity to shape one of the most ambitious urban AI initiatives in the world, with visible impact on New York City's economic landscape.

Career Growth

This role offers a unique trajectory within Plug and Play's global organization. The Lead will have the opportunity to expand into a Managing Director or Vice President of Innovation Programs role as the NYC AI Nexus scales to multiple cohorts and additional industry verticals. Plug and Play promotes from within and supports leaders who want to build new programs, enter new geographies, or transition into investment roles.

Hiring Process

The hiring process consists of four stages: (1) an initial 30-minute screening call with Plug and Play's talent acquisition team, (2) a 60-minute deep-dive interview with the hiring manager focusing on program design and ecosystem strategy, (3) a case study presentation to a panel of Plug and Play and NYCEDC stakeholders, and (4) a final conversation with senior leadership. The entire process is typically completed within three to four weeks of the initial application. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply immediately with a current resume and a brief statement of interest describing their vision for Applied AI in New York City.