Executive in Residence/ Lecturer Boulder Climate Ventures

Job Summary

The Leeds School of Business invites applications for a part-time Executive in Residence and Lecturer to support Boulder Climate Ventures (BCV), CU Boulder's new initiative to accelerate and commercialize climate innovations in the Rocky Mountain West. The position is hosted by the Strategy and Entrepreneurship (SEO) division at Leeds for Fall 2026 through Spring 2027 and will involve collaboration with the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship.

Who We Are

Funded by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy, BCV is a two-course sequence that integrates curriculum and community to equip students with a focused toolkit for developing and launching cleantech startups. The program draws on curriculum developed by Stanford, MIT, and the Breakthrough University Climate Ventures team.

This role presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of climate and cleantech entrepreneurship education and contribute to building an enduring, high-impact program at CU Boulder.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Teaching & Course Leadership

• Lead "Business Opportunities in Clean Tech", a 1.5 credit, 7-week, graduate level class offered in the Fall semester which introduces students to how the business community can innovate around climate solutions.
• Co-design the curriculum with the BCV team.
• Invite speakers to share insights from the investment and entrepreneurial communities on innovation imperatives.
• Provide insights on the market to supplement outside speakers.
• Deliver high-quality instruction aligned with the other University Climate Venture programs.
• Support course planning, session design, and continuous improvement of pedagogy and materials.

Student Engagement & Mentorship

• Attend class sessions and BCV social events.
• Facilitate connections between students and industry experts, investors, mentors, and technical advisors.

Program Development & Ecosystem Building

• Contribute to the long-term strategy for BCV within the university and with external partners.
• Support efforts to strengthen CU Boulder's cleantech entrepreneurial ecosystem, including donor, investor, and founder engagement as well as engagement and partnership development with other ecosystem stakeholders such as Venture Partners.

What You Should Know

Commitment & Work Expectations

• Semester appointment covering Fall 2026 with option to extend.
• Estimated workload of 3-5 hours per week, including planning, instruction, mentorship, and program collaboration.
• In-person availability required on Friday afternoons on the CU Boulder campus; additional virtual engagement throughout the week.

What We Can Offer

This is a one-year contract. The role is a 25% appointment split as 25% teaching and 75% service to the division. The salary for this appointment is $10K in Fall 2026 and $5K in Spring 2027.

What We Require

• Minimum 7+ years of experience in venture capital investing or early-stage startup leadership. Currently active in climate investing, a strong plus.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, students, and external partners.
• Strong communication skills and enthusiasm for mentoring interdisciplinary teams.
• Graduate degree (MBA, MS, JD, PhD, or equivalent).

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience in cleantech, climate innovation, or deep-tech commercialization.
• Experience teaching, mentoring, or facilitating project-based learning (not required but beneficial).
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusive, entrepreneurial learning environments.