Director of Industry Partnerships

About the Role

Spring Innovation Fund is a nonprofit venture philanthropy studio focused on advancing humane animal agriculture technologies, especially for fish and aquatic species like shrimp and lobsters. They build companies through an internal venture studio and invest in external startups with a principle that true animal welfare improvement comes from industry-adopted solutions that align animal welfare with producer profitability.

Role Summary

The Director of Industry Partnerships acts as a vital link between Spring Innovation Fund and the aquaculture and wider animal agriculture sectors. This individual fosters trusted relationships with key stakeholders such as producers, processors, trade bodies, and certification authorities. They facilitate communication both ways—assisting portfolio and studio companies to comprehend what the industry will accept, and guiding the industry to embrace innovative welfare technologies developed or supported by Spring. They will convert relationships into trials and successfully scale adoption across the industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent Spring Innovation Fund to the broader industry, cultivating and maintaining connections with leading producers, processors, industry groups, and certification programs.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of producer requirements for welfare-enhancing technologies, including operational feasibility, cost considerations, regulatory requirements, and certification standards influencing technology acceptance.
• Generate industry demand, credibility, and backing for the companies launched or funded by Spring.
• Facilitate collaborations between studio/portfolio companies and industry partners to initiate trials and pilot projects within live production settings.
• Establish partnerships that may result in commercial purchases, joint development, distribution agreements, or strategic investments.
• Provide direct guidance to startup founders on market entry strategies and securing initial customers while channeling industry insights to inform company sourcing and evaluation efforts.

Additional Details

This is a full-time position based onsite at the Thitani location in Kitui County, Kenya.

Contact Information:

• Name: Noga Golan
• Title: CEO
• Email: noga@foodimpactpartners.com

Application Deadline: August 21, 2026