Startup & Venture Ecosystem Lead

About the role

You will own the full lifecycle of MongoDB's startup ecosystem strategy within the Bay Area and globally, acting as the primary architect of partnership development and pipeline growth. This role demands that you map and prioritize the regional landscape of venture capital firms, accelerators, and community networks to identify the highest strategic fit and opportunity. You will establish MongoDB as the indisputable database of choice for high-growth, venture-backed startups by building deep, trusted relationships with the most influential partners. In this capacity, you will design and execute marketing campaigns, events, and enablement programs that translate these relationships into tangible value for both the ecosystem and MongoDB. You will drive the sourcing, qualification, and onboarding of high-potential startups directly through VC and accelerator channels, ensuring a robust and scalable pipeline. The position requires a leader who can synthesize sharp strategic prioritization with hands-on marketing execution and cross-functional collaboration. You will champion the voice of the startup ecosystem within MongoDB's internal planning to ensure external needs guide internal priorities.

Key facts

What you'll do

Map and prioritize the Bay Area venture capital, accelerator, and technology community landscape to identify the highest strategic partners and opportunity zones based on startup quality and deal flow.

Develop and manage deep, trusted relationships with leading venture capital firms, accelerators, and key ecosystem players, serving as MongoDB's trusted advisor and expanding its visibility and influence across these groups.

Design and deliver value-added marketing campaigns, events, and enablement programs in collaboration with VC and accelerator partners that convert relationships into high-quality startups entering the MongoDB for Startups program.

Source, qualify, and onboard high-potential startups through existing VC, accelerator, and community partner relationships to build a diverse and robust pipeline for MongoDB.

Own and track key performance indicators including lead generation, startup acquisition, activation rates, and pipeline contribution to measure partnership success and refine strategy continuously.

Partner with Revenue Marketing, Strategic Events, Developer Relations, Brand, Social, and Digital Marketing teams to align goals and extend regional initiatives across owned and earned channels.

Represent the perspectives and needs of VC, accelerator, and community partners within MongoDB's internal planning and prioritization processes to ensure ecosystem feedback drives strategy.

Leverage data and qualitative feedback to evaluate the impact of programs and campaigns, iterating quickly on tactics to improve outcomes for both partners and startups.

Maintain an active presence within the Bay Area startup ecosystem through consistent participation in VC, accelerator, and technology events to build credibility and awareness.

Collaborate with distributed teams globally to ensure regional initiatives align with broader MongoDB for Startups objectives and messaging.

Identify new partnership opportunities and program formats that strengthen the connection between the startup community and MongoDB's platform and resources.

Champion best practices and success stories from the ecosystem to internal audiences, highlighting the value of strong partner relationships.

Ensure all marketing materials, event content, and program deliverables reflect MongoDB's brand standards and value proposition for startups.

Act as the central coordination point for all ecosystem-related activities, ensuring clear communication and execution across stakeholders.

Requirements

Have 8+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, marketing, or go-to-market roles, with significant experience working directly in the startup, VC, or accelerator ecosystem.

Bring existing, established relationships with leading VCs and accelerators, such as Y Combinator, and other key players in the Bay Area startup ecosystem.

Have experience working in or closely with startups, venture capital firms, or accelerators, with a strong understanding of how early-stage companies operate and grow.

Be highly organized and execution-oriented, capable of driving initiatives from relationship-building through pipeline delivery while managing multiple stakeholders and priorities.

Communicate confidently and effectively with founders, investors, accelerator leaders, and senior internal stakeholders across diverse contexts.

Operate with a high degree of autonomy while collaborating with a globally distributed team, maintaining an active presence within the Bay Area startup ecosystem.

Demonstrate a genuine passion for the startup ecosystem, with consistent participation in VC, accelerator, and technology events that build credibility and influence.

Possess strong strategic thinking skills paired with the ability to translate complex market insights into actionable plans for partnership growth.