About the Role
A seed-stage deeptech startup at the intersection of AI-driven material discovery and climate technology is looking for a Business Development Manager to translate cutting-edge scientific capability into real commercial impact. You will own customer relationships, drive sales strategy, and coordinate cross-functional delivery — working closely with senior leadership to operationalize growth and scale repeatable commercial processes. This is an on-site role based in Berlin, Germany.
The company builds an advanced materials acceleration platform that combines physics-informed AI, robotics, and large-scale experimental data to dramatically compress R&D timelines in the energy and cleantech sectors. The team includes alumni of organizations such as BASF, Siemens, Climeworks, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Please note: visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
What You'll Do
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Bridge science and market needs to deliver scalable climate impact across a growing customer base.
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Collaborate with the VP of Commercial and senior leadership to operationalize and scale commercial efforts.
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Act as the primary connection between customers and internal teams, developing projects from initial scope through to signed agreement.
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Drive strategic sales efforts by researching and pursuing key commercial opportunities.
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Track pipeline movement and maintain a high-quality CRM overview with relevant reporting and analytics.
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Build and refine BD workflows, templates, and documentation to scale repeatable success.
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Identify customer needs, qualify inbound and outbound leads, and coordinate lead qualification across the team.
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Own post-deal activities, supporting partner onboarding and early-stage execution of new partnerships.
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Serve as the main point of contact to manage and deepen client relationships over time.
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Coordinate with technical and operations teams to ensure aligned, timely delivery on partner commitments.
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Identify upsell and expansion opportunities within existing accounts and new contacts.
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Represent the company at international exhibitions, trade fairs, and conferences, including delivering techno-commercial presentations.
What We're Looking For
Required:
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3–5 years of experience in international business development, account management, or technical sales — ideally in deep tech, advanced materials, or climate-related sectors.
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Demonstrated success in commercializing scientific or technical capabilities and translating them into tangible commercial outcomes.
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Proficiency with CRM systems and pipeline management tools (e.g., Salesforce or similar).
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Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional delivery between sales, technical, and operations teams.
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Experience building BD workflows, templates, and documentation to support scalable, repeatable processes.
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Willingness and ability to travel internationally for client meetings and industry events.
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Fluency in both English and German; additional European languages are a plus.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills across internal and external stakeholders.
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Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through.
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Comfortable navigating ambiguity and moving quickly in an early-stage startup environment.
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Genuine interest in climate technology and science-driven innovation.
Nice to Have:
- Graduate-level education (MSc or PhD) in materials science, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, or a closely related field — or an equivalent strong scientific background.
Location & Work Arrangement
This is a full-time, on-site position based in Berlin, Germany. Frequent international travel is expected as part of the role. Visa sponsorship is not available.
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