About us
Wavemaker is Southeast Asia's leading VC firm investing in Enterprise, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. Since 2012, we have backed over 200 companies across multiple funds, guided by our thesis:
We invest in trustworthy & curious founders who have built conviction through experience and industry insights, and identified large opportunities because they see the world differently.
We invest in scalable, capital-efficient, defensible businesses that solve meaningful problems 10x better than existing options.
What's the role about?
We are looking for a Principal to lead our Ventures team. The Ventures team works to source, evaluate, and invest in high-potential companies, and drive value creation across our portfolio.
This is a high-ownership role for someone who combines investment judgment with hands-on operating experience, and is a real partner to founders. Internally, you will be part of the leadership team stewarding not just the Ventures team, but also the wider firm.
Who You Are:
Experienced early-stage investor. You have 12 to 15 years of experience spanning venture/growth investing/PE, and operating roles in early-stage startups, or related fields.
Operator at heart. You've worked inside a company as an operator or as part of portfolio value creation — building, scaling, or leading a function — not just advised from the outside.
Commercially-minded value creator. You understand what it takes to build and scale go-to-market motions, and you've developed a real point of view on how to diagnose and improve portfolio company performance.
Systems and People builder. You think in systems and design processes that reflect that. You lead by example, bring people along with you, and develop them with intention.
Strategic relationship builder. You develop long-term, trust-based relationships — with founders, co-investors, LPs, and operators — that become partners and create leverage for the firm.
Innovative thinker. You develop and share new perspectives — whether a sharper way of evaluating a market or a better approach to value creation — that shape how the firm and its portfolio companies operate.
What You'll Do:
Sourcing & Deal Leadership
Open doors to high-quality deal flow through your own network of founders, operators, and co-investors
Act as deal sponsor. Vouch for and champion opportunities before they're brought to the broader team and IC
Apply judgment early to separate genuinely promising opportunities from the rest, before significant team time is invested
Lead the team in growing and developing the firm's collective investment wisdom
Portfolio Value Creation
Become a trusted advisor to founders — someone they bring hard problems to, not just someone who offers opinions from the sidelines
Provide hands-on GTM and operating support to portfolio companies, grounded in your own experience building and scaling those functions
Partner with founders on scaling go-to-market motions, hiring, and other growth priorities
Identify and drive value-creation initiatives across the portfolio
Take on board seats or board observer roles for select portfolio companies, representing the firm's interests over the life of the investment
Team & Firm Leadership
Build operational systems within the Ventures team
Coach and develop Ventures team members
Contribute to firm-level thinking on strategy, process, and team development
Steward the Wavemaker culture and values
Strategic & Thought Leadership
Originate new perspectives on markets, deal evaluation, or value creation that have impact beyond a single deal
Own and drive expertise in a specific market or industry, becoming a go-to voice inside and outside the firm
Stakeholder & LP Management
Represent the firm externally with founders, co-investors, LPs, and the broader ecosystem
Coordinate internal and external stakeholders to drive outcomes on high-stakes situations — from fundraise closes to portfolio company exits