Ventures Associate

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:

1. 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.
2. 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 an Associate to join our Ventures team. The Ventures team works to source, evaluate, and invest in high-potential companies, and drive value creation across our portfolio.

As an Associate, you execute the investment process with minimal guidance — from research and evaluation through to due diligence and portfolio support. You apply your own commercial sense and contextual background to bring ideas that founders take seriously, and you're building the judgment and track record that will take you into a Senior Associate role.

What You'll Do:

Deal Sourcing & Evaluation

• Conduct comprehensive research on assigned markets or sectors, and in-depth analysis of companies, with minimal guidance
• Write in-depth Investment Memos that include all relevant analyses to guide the investment decision
• Support due diligence processes and deal execution
• Help keep deals on track and moving within target timelines

Portfolio Value Creation

• Understand the portfolio company and its economic context well enough to bring ideas and suggestions to improve performance
• Apply your own commercial sense and contextual background to suggest ideas that founders consider seriously
• Support portfolio companies by making meaningful connections and helping them find solutions to their problems

Process Contribution

• Execute routine deal and portfolio processes independently, adapting to moderate variance
• Spot inefficiencies and contribute ideas to improve processes or outputs
• Support initiatives to improve portfolio performance, founder experience, including internal process improvement

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build productive working relationships within the team and across functions
• Demonstrate reliability and responsiveness, earning trust through consistency
• Begin engaging with external partners — founders, advisors, co-investors — with guidance

Who You Are:

• You have 3 to 5 years of experience in venture capital, investment banking, consulting/corporate strategy, or a related startup- or ecosystem-facing role.
• You are building relationships across founders, operators, and co-investors, and are developing a reputation as someone people can rely on.
• You have a strong understanding of and curiosity towards business models and commercial drivers, in order to speak to investment opportunities confidently — both to the IC and to founders.
• You are commercially minded, with a growing instinct for identifying opportunities that create tangible outcomes for portfolio companies.
• You are highly adaptable and comfortable operating across multiple deals and tasks with minimal guidance.
• You are highly organised, with strong project-management instincts — comfortable with day-to-day execution and follow-ups to keep deals and portfolio initiatives on track.
• You are a clear communicator who can tailor your style to different audiences, and you're comfortable engaging external stakeholders under guidance.
• You are relationship-driven and genuinely motivated to help founders and the firm succeed.