The First Thirty is a seed-stage venture capital firm investing in technology at the intersection of agriculture and health. Our thesis: Agriculture is the world's most scalable and undervalued health delivery system.
We back technology companies that improve nutrition at its source, prevent contamination, and build the infrastructure to verify and value quality to improve human health outcomes. We call this category AgriHealth.
We're a small team of operators with experience across agriculture, technology, data science, and human health. We don't invest in point solutions; we invest in system-level solutions that connect farm-level measurement to consumer-level proof.
The Role
We're hiring an Investment Associate to join our lean, high-output team. You'll report directly to the Partners and play a central role in sourcing, evaluating, and supporting investments across the AgriHealth landscape.
This is not a back-office role. You'll be in the room for investment decisions, lead deal diligence, and shape our market intelligence. We expect you to operate with significant autonomy and to challenge our thinking - not just execute it.
We operate at pace. We're looking for a self-starter who can hit the ground running from Day 1, manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, and leverage AI tooling to maximise efficiency.
What You'll Do
Sourcing and network building
This is a hunter role. You'll go beyond managing inbound leads, actively originating deals through hackathons, demo days, university spin-outs, conferences, and direct outreach to founders. You'll systematically build relationships with co-investors, angels, and key opinion leaders to expand the fund's reach and deal flow capacity. Over time, you'll become a visible presence in the ecosystem - a brand ambassador who keeps The First Thirty top-of-mind with the best deeptech founders.
Market intelligence and thesis development
You'll lead deep research into our core sectors: agricultural technology, soil science, plant biology, and animal health. You're the team's radar, keeping us abreast of scientific breakthroughs, regulatory shifts, and emerging market trends. You'll synthesise complex technical material into actionable investment insights and contribute to refining our thesis over time.
Deal execution
You'll manage diligence workstreams: digging into the science, the market, and the competitive landscape. You'll prepare investment memoranda and supporting materials for the partnership, building financial models and scenario analyses where needed.
GP support and portfolio value creation
You'll work closely alongside the Partners to extend the capacity of a small senior team. This means hands-on support for portfolio companies when needed, helping with hiring, commercial strategy, introductions, or whatever unblocks progress. You'll act as a bridge between the portfolio and the fund's wider network.
What We're Looking For
Candidates with a genuine passion for improving human and planetary health through food systems.
Minimum 3 years' experience in venture capital, private equity, or a closely adjacent role, investment banking with sector focus, corporate development, or deeptech/biotech research with commercial application.
Strong analytical skills. You can build financial models, stress-test assumptions, and distil complex technical subjects into clear investment narratives.
Intellectual curiosity. You have an appetite for understanding how things work at a fundamental level, whether that's soil microbiomes, business models, or market dynamics.
Pace and autonomy. You work efficiently under pressure, handle multiple workstreams without dropping balls, and don't need to be hand held.
Strongly preferred:
Startup DNA. Candidates with firsthand, operational experience in the early-stage journey understand the ambiguity, chaos, and pace of building from scratch.
Academic background in the biosciences (BSc, MSc, or PhD) - particularly soil science, plant biology, microbiology, or animal health.
Experience evaluating deeptech, biotech, or techbio companies where scientific diligence is central.
Useful but not required:
Existing network within European AgriTech, FoodTech, or life sciences ecosystems.
Exposure to agricultural operations or supply chains.
Working Arrangements
The team is London-based but operates remotely for the majority of the week. We're open to candidates based internationally, provided you can work primarily within UK/Europe time zones and travel to London periodically for team meetings, offsites, and key events.
How to Apply
How to Apply: Send your CV to team@tft.vc. In the body of the email (no cover letters, please), please share two early-stage startups in the AgriTech/Bio space that you find compelling and one sentence on why.