Venture Associate

  • Union Heritage
  • Detroit, Michigan, United States
  • 7mo ago
  • Full-time
  • Hybrid

Overview

Union Heritage Ventures, an early-stage investor, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan is seeking a motivated Venture Associate to become a core member of our investment team. The Venture Associate will play a key role in evaluating prospective portfolio companies, preparing investment memos, and supporting the fund’s decision-making process. This role provides direct exposure to early-stage venture capital and a hands-on opportunity to sharpen analytical, financial, and strategic skills.

For more information on our firm, please visit: https://www.unionheritage.com/venture-capital/

Responsibilities

The Venture Associate will:

  • Be a part of the core Investment Team, conducting due diligence on prospective investment opportunities.
  • Prepare written investment memos, including:
    • Analysis of company and opportunity.
    • Analysis of business model – strengths, weaknesses, and scalability.
    • Evaluate financial projections and assumptions – pressure test forecasts.
    • Validation of go-to-market strategy – with emphasis on client acquisition, pilots, or proof-of-concept engagements.
    • Execution analysis – assessing operational capacity, milestones, and delivery risks.
    • Risk assessment – identifying key areas of uncertainty or downside.
    • Exit modeling – projecting potential exit pathways and valuation scenarios.
  • Perform industry research and competitive analysis to contextualize investment opportunities.
  • Build and refine financial models in Excel, including sensitivity and scenario analyses.
  • Develop and maintain presentations in Keynote/Google Slides for internal discussions with the Investment Committee
  • Managing deal flow CRM, and then portfolio tracking of KPI’s post-investment 
  • Collaborate with the Investment Team on diligence workstreams, while also executing assigned projects independently.
  • Engage with the start-up ecosystem as a participant in industry events and networking opportunities 

Qualifications

  • MBA or advanced degree preferred 
  • Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; demonstrable proficiency in Excel.
  • Proficiency in Keynote/Google Slides and the ability to structure and communicate findings clearly.
  • Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to prepare concise and insightful investment memos.
  • Ability to work independently, as well as within a collaborative team environment.
  • Strong intellectual curiosity and interest in startups, venture capital, innovation, and the journey of a startup founder.
  • 2-3 years of prior experience in finance, consulting, or startup environments (preferred but not required).

Opportunity

  • Mentorship: Guidance from experienced investment professionals, including associates and partners.
  • Networking: Opportunities to build a strong professional network within the VC and startup communities.

Commitment

  • Full-time role: 40 hours per week, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office (Newlab Detroit).

Compensation/Benefits

  • $130k/year salary + year end bonus
  • Company pays 50% of medical, dental, vision plan
  • 401(k) match of employee contribution up to 2% of salary