Business Development Associate

About Foundervine Foundervine is an entrepreneurship organisation helping founders build and grow successful businesses. Since 2018, we have supported more than 1,600 founders and entrepreneurs through our programmes, partnerships and wider ecosystem.

We work with some of the UK's and world's leading organisations to design and deliver programmes that support entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth. Our clients and partners have included Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest, Google, Sainsbury's, Campari and local government, alongside investors, universities and organisations across the startup ecosystem.

Our work has been recognised externally, including being named by the Financial Times and Statista as one of Europe's Leading Startup Hubs in both 2025 and 2026.

Foundervine is now growing beyond our core programme business. Foundervine Spaces, our coworking and community hub in Canada Water, gives us a physical home for founders and creates new opportunities across memberships, events, partnerships and programming.

We are entering our next stage of commercial growth. We want to deepen relationships with existing clients, win new partners, grow recurring revenue and develop new commercial opportunities across Foundervine and Foundervine Spaces.

The Business Development Associate will play an important role in supporting this growth. Working closely with the Business Development Manager and Head of Business Development, the role will help identify and research potential clients and partners, build and maintain the sales pipeline, support outreach and follow-ups, and contribute to proposals, tenders and other commercial opportunities. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is curious, organised and commercially minded, with an interest in developing their career in business development, partnerships and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

A Culture of Support and Development At Foundervine, we’re an ambitious, high-performing team that cares deeply about the people we work with. We set high standards for ourselves, take ownership of our work and are motivated by delivering meaningful results. At the same time, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported, valued and able to bring their best selves to work.

Our culture is built around performance, accountability, collaboration and continuous learning, alongside a genuine commitment to wellbeing. We encourage people to take initiative, challenge ideas, learn from one another and work together to achieve shared goals. Through regular check-ins, cross-team collaboration and knowledge sharing, we create an environment where people can grow while being trusted to deliver.

We recognise that life exists beyond work, and we aim to provide flexibility and support where possible. For us, wellbeing isn’t about lowering expectations — it’s about creating the conditions for people to perform at their best, sustain high performance and build a career they’re proud of.

At Foundervine, you’ll be part of a team that is ambitious about what we can achieve, accountable for the results we deliver, and intentional about how we work together. 🚀

Key ResponsibilitiesLead Generation & Prospect Research

• Identify and research potential clients across corporate, public sector, NGO, and development agency ecosystems.
• Build and maintain prospect lists to support the business development pipeline.
• Conduct background research on organisations, decision-makers, and market opportunities. Sales Pipeline Support
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of prospects, meetings, and opportunities in the CRM system.
• Track leads through the sales funnel and support follow-ups to ensure next actions are completed.
• Assist the BDM in monitoring pipeline activity and preparing updates for internal reporting.
• Lead Foundervine Spaces sales calls and contribute to wider business development and revenue generation activities. Proposal & Tender Support
• Support the preparation of proposals, pitch decks, and tender submissions.
• Assist with compiling supporting information, research, and documentation for bids and funding applications.
• Maintain proposal templates and contribute to the development of high-quality client-facing materials. Market Research & Insight
• Conduct market and competitor research to identify emerging opportunities and trends in entrepreneurship, innovation, and DEI.
• Monitor industry developments and provide insights that support the business development strategy.
• Contribute research to support new service development and commercial initiatives. Stakeholder Engagement Support
• Support outreach to prospective partners and clients, including scheduling meetings and preparing briefing materials.
• Assist with follow-up communications after meetings, events, or introductions.
• Help maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders and partners. Events & Ecosystem Engagement
• Support the team in preparing for industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities.
• Assist with outreach to potential sponsors, partners, and participants.
• Represent the organisation at selected ecosystem events where appropriate. Cross-Team Coordination
• Work closely with programme, marketing, and operations teams to gather information needed for proposals and partnerships.
• Support the transition of confirmed projects from sales to programme delivery teams. Administrative & Reporting Support
• Maintain organised records of business development activity, communications, and documentation.
• Assist in preparing internal reports on pipeline performance, opportunities, and sales activity.

Person Specification

• 1–3 years experience in business development, partnerships, sales support, research, or a related role.
• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to identify and assess potential opportunities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable working with CRM systems and digital collaboration tools.
• Proactive, curious, and eager to learn about business development and partnerships.

Desirable

• Exposure to B2B sales, partnerships, or innovation ecosystems.
• Experience supporting proposals, tenders, or funding applications.