Invention Engine

Location: Gurgaon About The Invention Engine: Invention Engine (erstwhile part of Change Engine) is an innovation ecosystem builder that runs India's real AI and deeptech startup accelerator – ACE . We partner with founders who are solving hard problems and support them in their journey through our Lab + Accelerator model. Our approach is to look at all these problems from first principles — develop a deep understanding of the problem and build solutions grounded in that understanding. Invention Engine is led by Varun Aggarwal . He is an entrepreneur (Aspiring Minds, $100M+ exit), AI researcher (1500+ citations) and author (science, deeptech and children’s books). Varun is joined by Shailendra Jha (ISB alum, ex-MMT, nearbuy) and Shubham Bansal (IITD/EPFL alum, YC alum) in the founding team of Invention Engine. Our advisors and cohort mentors include Mukul Singhal (Partner, Pravega Ventures), Vivek Mathur (Partner, Elevation Capital), Raman Oberoi (ex-COO, Crisil), Vibhu Bhushan (Co-founder Gradeup, acq by BYJUs) and many more. In a short period of 2 years, we have worked closely with 8 startups in their problem discovery, product development and GTM journeys. They have now gone on to raise a total of $2M+ in follow-on funding. Some notable investments include: Sonic Lamb (Shark Tank S4), Magicroll.ai , Desible.ai , Cheerio.in etc. About the role: We are hiring an Analyst who will work closely with Invention Engine’s leadership team. This is a fast-paced role at the center of our accelerator and investment activities, where you will source and evaluate potential cohort startups, conduct market and startup landscaping, and prepare investment briefs. The Analyst will also support due diligence, track portfolio performance, and contribute to building community through research-driven insights and targeted initiatives. This role gives you a front-row seat to India’s AI and deeptech startup ecosystem. You’ll work hands-on with our cohort companies, support their growth journeys, and learn directly from experienced founders and investors. You will have considerable independence to plan and execute your initiatives, while being part of a high-energy team focused on outcomes. Responsibilities: A role where you work directly with the leadership team to help them build and grow new initiatives around helping startups Source and evaluate potential startups for the ACE cohort, identifying high-potential ventures that align with Invention Engine’s focus areas Conduct preliminary research and prepare investment briefs on potential cohort startups, covering market and startup landscaping, competitive benchmarking, and key investment insights Lead due diligence processes, including evaluating business models, market potential, and founder capabilities Assist the cohort startups to refine their product design, go-to-market strategies, and scalability plans Support marketing efforts to promote ACE’s initiatives, including outreach campaigns to attract high-quality applicants Assist in building ecosystem-building tools such as guides, reports, and podcasts and engage with the broader startup community Organise and coordinate mentorship sessions, workshops, and networking events In reality, this role doesn't come with a definition or a checklist of job responsibilities Requirements: Entrepreneurial, passionate and go-getter Strong analytical skills and excellent execution skills to manage multiple priorities effectively 1-3 years of experience in venture capital/accelerators, consulting, finance role, founder’s office role or related fields Degree from top college/ startup-entrepreneurial experience/strong projects is a big plus Understanding of the startup ecosystem is a plus Be nimble enough to thrive in a fast-changing start-up environment yet being organised and detail-oriented to ensure nothing falls off the cracks Ex-entrepreneur, strong work-experience in start-ups will be preferred What’s in it for you: A stepping stone into the VC and investing industry or becoming an entrepreneur Work together with a team from MIT, ISB, IIT, and other top institutions The chance to work closely with India’s best entrepreneurs and high-impact startups Operate within flexible structures, flat hierarchies, and short response times, working alongside motivated and driven colleagues Gain unmatched exposure to the startup ecosystem, investment processes, and the art of scaling innovative ventures