About RTIH

The Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH) is a Section 8 company established under the Government of Andhra Pradesh through the Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS). As the State’s principal platform for innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship, RTIH leads a Hub-and-Spoke network connecting five regional innovation foundations across Andhra Pradesh. Its vision—under the AP Innovation & Startup Policy (2024–2029)—is to make Andhra Pradesh a lighthouse of inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship.

Position

Head – Partnerships

Role Overview

The Head – Partnerships will lead the strategic development and management of high-impact partnerships for RTIH, Rajahmundry. The role is responsible for building strong collaborations with corporates, startups, academic institutions, investors, government departments, ecosystem enablers, industry bodies, and international organisations to strengthen RTIH’s innovation ecosystem and programme outcomes.

The position will drive partnership-led initiatives including innovation programs, startup engagement, corporate collaboration, ecosystem expansion, investment facilitation, knowledge exchange, and strategic alliances that create measurable impact for entrepreneurs and stakeholders.

The role requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, ecosystem understanding, negotiation capabilities, and the ability to convert partnerships into sustainable opportunities and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

1. Partnership Strategy & Ecosystem Development
2. Develop and implement RTIH Rajahmundry partnership strategy aligned with organizational goals and innovation priorities.
3. Identify and onboard strategic partners across corporates, startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, universities, industry associations, and government agencies.
4. Build long-term ecosystem relationships that strengthen RTIH Rajahmundry positioning within the startup and innovation ecosystem.
5. Develop structured collaboration models that create value for startups, innovators, and ecosystem stakeholders.
6. Position RTIH Rajahmundry as a preferred partner for innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem engagement initiatives.

B. Corporate & Industry Partnerships

1. Establish and manage partnerships with corporates for innovation programs, startup engagement, pilot opportunities, and collaborative initiatives.
2. Facilitate industry linkages and sector-focused partnerships across domains such as AI, agritech, manufacturing, healthtech, fintech, clean energy, deeptech, and emerging technologies.
3. Design and operationalise:
4. Corporate innovation programs
5. Startup scouting initiatives
6. Innovation challenges and hackathons
7. Market access opportunities
8. Pilot and procurement engagements
9. Coordinate with startups and ecosystem partners to enable successful collaboration outcomes.

C. Investor & Funding Ecosystem Engagement

1. Build and maintain relationships with angel investors, venture capital firms, family offices, financial institutions, CSR foundations, and funding agencies.
2. Source, onboard, and strengthen investor participation within RTIH’s broader ecosystem and partnership network.
3. Develop and manage strategic relationships with funding partners to enhance RTIH’s access to capital networks, sponsorships, and ecosystem opportunities.
4. Explore revenue-generation, sponsorship, and strategic funding partnerships for RTIH programs and initiatives.
5. Work closely with the Head – Incubation, who will activate and operationalize investor relationships for portfolio startups and incubation cohorts.

D. Academic, Government & Institutional Collaborations

1. Establish partnerships with universities, research institutions, innovation centres, and government bodies.
2. Lead the signing and structuring of MoUs and institutional agreements with universities, research institutions, innovation centres, and government bodies.
3. Define the scope, terms, and collaboration frameworks within institutional agreements to enable structured and outcome-oriented partnerships.
4. Maintain and renew institutional agreements to ensure continued alignment with RTIH’s strategic priorities.
5. The Head – Partnerships establishes institutional frameworks; program execution under these collaborations is led by the Head – Incubation.

F. Ecosystem Representation & Branding

1. Represent RTIH Rajahmundry at conferences, startup events, innovation forums, industry engagements, and networking platforms.
2. Strengthen RTIH Rajahmundry visibility across national and international innovation ecosystems.
3. Promote RTIH initiatives, ecosystem success stories, and strategic programs through stakeholder engagement.

G. Monitoring, Reporting & Impact Assessment

1. Track partnership outcomes and ecosystem impact through measurable indicators such as:
2. Number of partnerships established
3. Startup engagement outcomes
4. Investment facilitated
5. Corporate collaborations enabled
6. Programs conducted
7. Ecosystem reach and participation
8. Prepare dashboards, reports, presentations, and periodic updates for leadership and stakeholders.
9. Support documentation and reporting requirements for government and institutional programs.

H. Strategic & Organisational Support

1. Provide strategic inputs to leadership on external ecosystem growth, alliance opportunities, and revenue and funding partnerships, distinct from internal incubation strategy and program design.
2. Contribute to development of new initiatives, innovation programs, and collaborative projects.
3. Support cross-functional coordination and organisational priorities as required.

Qualifications & Experience

1. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Management, Engineering, Public Policy, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business Administration, or related fields from a recognised institution.
2. Minimum 8–10 years of professional experience in partnerships, startup ecosystem development, innovation programs, business development, or stakeholder engagement.
3. Experience working with startups, incubators, accelerators, innovation missions, corporates, or government ecosystem initiatives is preferred.
4. Strong understanding of India’s startup and innovation ecosystem including Startup India, incubation ecosystems, accelerator models, and investment networks.
5. Prior experience in managing strategic partnerships and multi-stakeholder collaborations is highly desirable.

Core Competencies

1. Strategic partnership development
2. Stakeholder and relationship management
3. Corporate and startup ecosystem engagement
4. Negotiation and collaboration management
5. Program execution and coordination
6. Communication and presentation skills
7. Ecosystem building and networking
8. Leadership and team coordination
9. Data-driven reporting and impact assessment
10. Problem-solving and strategic thinking