About the Role
Pacific Impact Zone (PIZ) is seeking a senior Commercial Industry SME (Subject Matter Expert) to join the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Hawai‘i. This role is designed for someone who has lived the founder journey, building, fundraising, and scaling startups and now wants to help the next generation of dual-use innovators navigate the complex path of working with the Department of Defense (DoD).
As part of the Hub’s dedicated team, you’ll serve as the primary industry-facing advisor to startups and scale-ups entering the defense innovation pipeline. You’ll combine practical startup knowledge with insights into DoD acquisition pathways to ensure innovators are prepared for transition, not just more R&D cycles.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a coach and mentor for dual-use startups, guiding them through business model challenges, capital raising, and government contracting hurdles.
- Translate the realities of venture-backed and founder-led growth into actionable advice for companies engaging DoD for the first time.
- Provide structured coaching, readiness assessments, and transition strategy support aligned with DIU and DoD pathways.
- Contribute to the design and delivery of OnRamp Hub programming (workshops, toolkits, playbooks).
- Build trust with local and national stakeholders by sharing lived startup experience and lessons learned.
- Support DIU and mission partner engagements by preparing startups for technology transition opportunities.
- Serve as an industry voice inside the Hub, ensuring programming reflects the realities of commercialization and venture building.
Qualifications
Required:
- 10+ years of experience in startups, scale-ups, or venture-backed companies, with at least one leadership role (founder, co-founder, C-suite, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated success in raising capital, building teams, and/or transitioning a technology to market.
- Strong communication and coaching skills with demonstrated ability to mentor diverse founders and teams.
- Must be based in Hawai‘i or willing to relocate.
Preferred:
- Experience engaging with DoD innovation pathways (e.g., DIU, SBIR/STTR, OTAs, service labs, or programs of record).
- Network connections across venture capital, accelerators, or defense innovation communities.
- Familiarity with dual-use commercialization challenges (Valley of Death, acquisition timelines, compliance).
Why Join Us
Working at the OnRamp Hub is more than a job — it’s a mission. We are building Hawai‘i’s front door for defense innovation, helping startups and DoD connect in ways that deliver real capability to the warfighter. This role is ideal for a seasoned entrepreneur who wants to give back, leverage their experience, and be part of a national movement to strengthen defense innovation.
Benefits
- Health/Dental/Vision insurance coverage
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
- Retirement savings plan with employer match
- Paid time off and holidays
