Startups Program Lead

<div class="content-intro"><h2>About Vercel:</h2> <p><span data-sheets-root="1">Vercel is the agentic infrastructure company, freeing people and agents to ship what's next. For more than a decade we've helped builders move from idea to production with speed, security, and exceptional developer experience.</span></p> <p><span data-sheets-root="1">Now we're scaling our products for both agents and people to ship and run software, built in the open and trusted by OpenAI, PayPal, Ramp, Supreme, and millions of developers worldwide.</span></p></div><h2><strong>About the Role:</strong></h2> <p>Vercel is seeking a <strong>Startup Program Lead</strong> to build, lead, and scale our global startup program and startup program team. This individual will own the startup program end to end, leading strategy, execution, and team operations. They will be responsible for how the program operates, scales, and delivers a high-quality experience for early stage founders. They will also play a critical role in supporting our efforts to build strong partnerships with venture capital firms, accelerators, incubators, and startup enablement programs. You’ll work closely with our Startup marketing, sales, partner, and events teams to grow Vercel’s footprint across early-stage technology communities and identify strategic opportunities to support startup founders.</p> <p>This role is ideal for someone who is deeply connected to the startup and VC community, has a strong understanding of developer-first products, and a track record of building and scaling programs.</p> <h2>What You’ll Do:</h2> <ul> <li>Own and lead Vercel’s global startup program strategy, roadmap, and execution end to end, focused on early stage startups from pre-seed through Series A.</li> <li>Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing startup program team.</li> <li>Design and scale programs that drive adoption, activation, and ongoing engagement of startups building on Vercel, like the <a href="http://vercel.com/ai-accelerator">Vercel AI Accelerator</a>.</li> <li>Develop and grow relationships with venture capital firms, accelerators, incubators, and founder communities to bring high-quality startups into Vercel’s ecosystem as customers from day one.</li> <li>Partner closely with Sales to identify high-potential startups within the program and support their progression into long term, successful customers.</li> <li>Establish clear pathways from early stage adoption to deeper product usage, expansion, and retention, and track performance across the startup lifecycle.</li> <li>Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Vercel Media, Partnerships, and Developer Relations to integrate the startup program into campaigns, co