Interested in getting into startups and VC? Join our Investment Associate programme

Forward is opening up our Investment Associate programme again. And now, this role will be open across the year! We’ve been lucky to work alongside many Investment Associates over the years, all of whom have used the programme as a platform into the ecosystem. As Forward evolves and grows, we’re able to provide more opportunities for more people, and now we’ll now be looking for Investment Associates regularly throughout the year. Indeed we may decide to have more than one in the seat at any time, and will keep this application open accordingly.

We’re passionate about creating routes into VC and the broader startup ecosystem, and it’s an extra exciting time to be joining Forward. We’ve just announced our recent IPO, enabling us to innovate, build faster, and make longer-term investments. It’s great to be making waves alongside some other great public firms and to be opening up the game to retail investors.?

We’re looking for our next Investment Associate to ideally join us before the end of September. You will join our Investment team for 6-months and during this time you’ll get an immense amount of responsibility, accountability, and exposure to early-stage venture operations. You’ll meet with founders, research markets and opportunities, support deals, contribute to fund strategy, and represent Forward. Moreover, our Applied VC model means that you’ll be working directly with our portfolio companies to an extent that no other investors can match.?

To be successful in your application, there are a few things that we’ll be looking for:

• A passion for startups and technology – we’re in the business of financing the future after all!
• Strong analytical skills – deal due diligence and contribution to fund strategy requires quantitative expertise. Typical activities include analysing complex business models, financial models and asset valuation.?
• Research capabilities – we read, research and write a lot. We'd love for you to be able to contribute to this while you're with us.
• An agile mind – we look at all sorts of businesses within our 3 sector focuses of applied AI, marketplaces and e-commerce. We’re invested in accountancy, chinos, law, plants, VR, childcare, mobility, sleep, pop-up shops, payments, cybersecurity, farming, credit, …the list goes on. Getting up to speed quickly with new businesses and markets is a key skill.
• Effective proactivity - if you’re someone who asks questions, expands your network, and seeks to take on and own accountability and initiatives you’ll fit right in.
• Some work experience. This role is not available to recent undergrad degree graduates, without any significant work experience –?we would like experience totalling 3+ years.?

The skills required to be successful within the investment and startup ecosystem are varied and diverse, and with that we welcome people from all backgrounds to apply. You don’t need to understand the inner workings of VC, that’s something that we’ll immerse you in right away.?

Further details about the programme??

This is a fixed-term 6-month position, salaried at ￡35k (pro-rated). We can offer an immense amount of learning, a great platform to get into the ecosystem, and the opportunity to be part of a world-class team of investors and venture experts.?

We will soon start to adopt a hybrid working model, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being fixed office days. You must therefore be available to travel to our office in Old Street, London 2-days a week. Outside of this we may require some general flexibility, however Mondays, Thursday and Fridays will largely remain flexible/wfh days.?

Following the programme, we’ll do everything that we can to support your move into the ecosystem. Some previous Investment Associates have received full-time offers to join Forward and some have gone on to positions at Octopus Ventures, Frog Capital and some of London’s best startups.?

The application process from here?

Applications can be made here and within this form we have included some questions to get to know you and experience better. Please answer these with a good amount of depth. Following this, if you’re invited to interview with us, there will be 2-3 interviews in total. These stages have been designed to assess your ability to analyse problems and synthesise information, and to hear about your experiences and why you’re excited about this opportunity.?

If you’re thinking about getting into tech whether as an investor or operator, or you’re already in it and think Forward could be a brilliant place to spend some time, we’d love to hear from you!