We’re hiring the Program Manager for Cicada MedLab

Join the medtech team at Australia’s Home of Deep Tech

As Australia’s Home of Deep Tech, Cicada’s mission is to help the best founders who use research and science-based technologies at the heart of the early-stage businesses they’re building. It’s our raison d’etre.

Since opening our doors in 2000, medtech has been a major part of Cicada’s community; of our 70 deep tech company residents, we’re proud to be home to nearly 20 startups and scaleups solving important problems in the medtech space.

To expand our early-stage medtech cluster, in 2018 we launched a new program to support and invest in Australia’s next generation of world-class medtech business builders. Cicada MedLab is a full-time, on-site, three month, mentor-driven accelerator program for early-stage medtech founders based out of our Incubator in South Eveleigh, Sydney.

Our investment has shifted slightly between our inaugural cohort and our next program, but the approach remains simple. Each cohort is made up of six companies to each of whom we offer $50k via a convertible note which is on top of a 3% equity stake. If a company has raised over $250k before coming into the program, our cash investment will match those terms.

Our formula is three-fold:

1. Mentors: When we say we’re a mentor-driven program, we’re not kidding. We’ve pulled together a special group of industry and investment mentors to help MedLab founders achieve their ambition — the best in the country we think. People like Alison Todd (SpeeDx), Stephen Ruffels (ResMed), Mark Bregman (Quidnet Ventures), David Fisher (Brandon Capital), Ali Fathi (Trimph), Sam Wong (Blackbird Ventures), Jamie Stanistreet (ex-Medtronic ANZ) but there are so many more. We are privileged to have such a high calibre group of people paying it forward and guiding the medtech founders of tomorrow.
2. Knowledge Baselining: Alongside business fundamentals, exposing MedLab founders to the technical nature of the medtech commercialisation pathway is a super valuable component of the program. Health economics, regulatory pathways, procurement, clinical trial strategy are just a few of the hurdles founders must overcome on their journey to market. We help by bringing in experts, panels, guest speakers and make introductions to the right people at the right time.
3. Accountability: Whilst our team at Cicada has a deep expertise in medtech, we see the most important role we have is to keep founders accountable to the goals they set. It’s a balance of being good cop and bad cop, lots of love and tough love. Succeeding as an entrepreneur requires not just a different skill set but often a starkly different mindset and this is particularly the case with founders from an academic, research or clinical background.

So far, we’ve been pretty happy with our early results. Even though the medtech road to commercialisation tends to be long, our companies have already sold product internationally, been awarded multiple grants, and are in deep discussions with A grade investors.

Which brings us to the people that make all this happen.

We’re excited to announce that we’re hiring the Program Manager for MedLab. She or he will be key to MedLab’s success and will act as the conductor to bring this all together. Someone that leads the charge for every cohort.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s best founders as they navigate the challenges of building companies from the ground up. Your service will support engagement in the Cicada medtech and founder community and bring out the potential for MedLab’s founders by unlocking access to best practices in what it takes to build a great medtech business. On top of that, you will seek new ways to help medtech founders, stay on top of trends and expand Cicada’s network in medtech.

When you join Cicada, you join a team of believers.

Experimenting with new things, and understanding and being excited by the science that our founders bring us is a core value here, and it’s reflected in who we are.

As Australia’s first technology startup incubator, we’ve been home to deep tech companies that are at the very beginning of a long journey. Some have gone on to become Elastagen, Propeller Aero, Morse Micro, Clarity Pharmaceuticals and Prospection.

But at the start, we’re here to provide the tools, resources and community founders need to win long term. The Program Manager for MedLab is just one example of how we’re laser focused in service of deep tech entrepreneurs. This person will be supported by the Cicada Programs team which has both broad and deep medtech and early-stage technology commercialisation expertise.

Interested? If this is you, then we’re interested too:

• Medtech is your shtick: You’ve got a voracious appetite for all things medtech. You might have worked in or founded a medtech startup in the past or cut your teeth at a global medtech player. We wouldn’t be surprised if you have a T-shaped profile.
• You work at startup-speed: Our world is all about being quick on your feet and adapting to changing situations. You have mastered the art of doing things quickly without sacrificing quality and attention to detail. Organised and systematic, you believe in the power of using the right tool for the right job and you always know where to find it.
• People and communication give you energy: While in program, a big part of your role will be talking to founders both individually and as a full cohort, to hold them accountable day-to-day but also to keep them motivated and inspired to kick goals. You are comfortable switching hats to whatever is needed at any given time, for any given founder, and will seek to get the involvement of MedLab’s wonderful mentors.
• Just the word ‘autonomy’ makes you happy: We’re really looking for a self-starter who will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of MedLab and play a key part in its design and strategy. You’ll be the face and driving force of the program where you’ll pull in people and resources as and when you need to.
• Slick operations are your thing: With the support from our Program Operations Manager, you’ll play a central part in pulling together program design, cohort selection, demo days, office hours, mentor roulettes, speakers, perks, our website and comms strategy, our international immersion trips and any other events/introductions the teams might need.
• You’re a founder advocate: You bring a genuine curiosity about founders’ business objectives and goals and use this deeper understanding to align our efforts with the founder’s needs. You engender the Cicada ethos of “paying it forward” by being helpful to founders in any way you can.
• Steep learning curves thrill you: You already have experience and good instincts when it comes to understanding medtech, markets, moats, distribution and defensibility. Great. But we’re always trying to push the envelope — keeping our eyes fixed on new trends, new networks to develop, and new products, services and systems to build in the service of the Cicada medtech community.
• You understand the power of connections: You can identify organic growth opportunities with existing relationships and understand how to strategically expand our network to make sure that Cicada MedLab is top of mind for the right people at the right time, particularly when it comes to considering joining a medtech accelerator program. Finding, recruiting and keeping it interesting for the best mentors will be key.
• An open mind: The truth is, we don’t know for sure how MedLab might evolve in the coming years. The Program Manager will help us chart the course for what MedLab becomes.
• Habitually curious: Curiosity is the kernel that sparks the pursuit of knowledge and drives a bias to take action to learn. You might find that you’re one of those with a constant itch to hit up Wikipedia. Or follow rule breakers and thought leaders on Twitter. And never afraid of asking sometimes what can be the obvious question. We love your type.

Details

We think this is a wonderful opportunity for someone who’s at the stage in their career where they’ve learnt a lot and can bring that experience to bear. You don’t necessarily need deep knowledge of how to run an accelerator or how to invest in a startup, but you should be willing to learn it fast.

The role comes with a competitive package but most importantly, significant mentorship, coaching and feedback from smart, passionate colleagues at Cicada and the Cicada community.

So if your interest is piqued, send an email to alfred+medlab@cicadainnovations.com along with a link to your LinkedIn profile and up to 300 words about why you’d be a great fit as Cicada MedLab’s Program Manager.

Cicada has been long running at the front of the tech startup community in Australia. Come run with us and help us help you help the next generation of world-class medtech founders in Australia. Can’t wait to hear from you.