Head - Incubation

About RTIH

The Ratan Tata Innovation Hub (RTIH) is a Section 8 entity set up by the Government of Andhra Pradesh through the Andhra Pradesh Innovation Society (APIS). It serves as the state’s core platform for innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship, and operates a Hub-and-Spoke network that links five regional innovation foundations across Andhra Pradesh. Under the AP Innovation & Startup Policy (2024–2029), RTIH aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a leading state for inclusive innovation and enterprise creation.

Role Summary

RTIH is hiring a senior leader to head incubation activities at its Visakhapatnam location. This position is responsible for building, running, and improving the complete incubation and acceleration ecosystem across the Visakhapatnam Spoke. The role is not limited to one centre; it involves creating a strong pipeline of ventures from student ideas to investment-ready startups and enabling grassroots innovation across all districts in the network.

The scope includes startup incubation, pre-incubation, social and rural entrepreneurship, MSME acceleration, student entrepreneurship, and district-level outreach. The selected person will work closely with the Visakhapatnam Spoke CEO and the Group Head of Incubation at RTIH Amaravati to maintain program alignment and service quality.

Compensation

The offered CTC is ₹12–15 lakhs per year, depending on experience.

Key Responsibilities

Program Design and Delivery

• Build and manage incubation and acceleration systems for the RTIH Visakhapatnam network.
• Create clear SOPs for onboarding, assessing, and graduating startups.
• Design thematic startup cohorts in line with state priorities and RTIH focus areas.
• Maintain uniform service standards and impact tracking across Spoke incubation centres through coordination with the Hub team in Amaravati.
• Work with mentors, subject experts, and academic institutions to strengthen startup capacity-building programs.

District Outreach and Grassroots Innovation

• Drive the district coverage plan for RTIH Vizag and ensure active innovation engagement across 7+ districts: Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, and East Godavari.
• Set up and execute Training of Trainers programs for district field teams to improve last-mile outreach.
• Lead outreach activities such as bootcamps, hackathons, and college engagement initiatives to identify innovators, women entrepreneurs, and rural MSMEs.

Startup Selection and Portfolio Management

• Manage the application call and selection process for startups under RTIH programs.
• Support Spoke teams in identifying, evaluating, and nurturing high-potential startups across Andhra Pradesh.
• Track incubated startup progress through structured reviews and milestone-based monitoring.
• Develop support models for performance-linked assistance, graduation, and post-incubation follow-up.

Mentorship and Ecosystem Development

• Grow and manage the mentor network so startups can access domain specialists, investors, and industry leaders.
• Organize mentoring clinics, review forums, and demo day events on a regular basis.
• Coordinate with the Head of Partnerships on joint initiatives involving corporates, venture capital firms, and academic bodies.
• Build collaborations that support incubation, including accelerator partnerships, research labs, and testbeds.

Monitoring, Impact, and Reporting

• Set KPIs and impact measurement systems for all incubation initiatives.
• Prepare regular dashboards for the Group CEO and Board with startup outcomes, performance trends, and key learnings.
• Use RTIH’s digital platforms to support data-based decision-making.

Strategic Leadership

• Contribute to incubation strategy, funding design, and policy development under the guidance of the Visakhapatnam Spoke CEO.
• Support the preparation of new proposals, MoUs, and grant applications related to incubation.
• Represent RTIH at ecosystem events, conferences, and government forums focused on innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Lead the incubation team deputed from the GSWS Department and provide direction, coaching, and performance supervision to program executives, interns, and coordinators across all Spoke locations.

Focus Areas

• Automotive and EV systems
• Hybrid renewable energy
• Agri and food processing
• Logistics and warehousing
• Defence and aerospace
• Cross-sector innovations in emerging and interdisciplinary areas

Qualifications and Experience

The role calls for an MBA or PGDM in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Management, or a similar field, or an equivalent qualification. Applicants should have at least 1 year of experience in incubation, acceleration, or innovation program management.

Experience working with startups, incubators, or government-backed innovation missions is expected. Exposure to grassroots, rural, or social entrepreneurship initiatives such as SIE or SHG-linked models, along with district-level outreach, will be considered an advantage. Familiarity with public-private partnerships, CSR-funded initiatives, and the broader startup ecosystem, including DPIIT, DST, APIS, ANRF, and similar institutions, is also important.

Candidates should have a solid understanding of the startup lifecycle, fundraising, and business-model validation, along with strong communication and team leadership skills suited to cross-institutional collaboration.

Core Competencies

• Strategic planning and strong operational execution in startup incubation
• Stakeholder coordination across academia, industry, and government
• Data-led program evaluation and decision-making
• Mentoring orientation with an entrepreneurial approach
• Integrity, accountability, and commitment to inclusive innovation

Additional Information

This is a senior management position reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, RTIH Visakhapatnam.

The role requires leadership across the full incubation ecosystem and close collaboration with district teams, the Hub team, and ecosystem partners.

Primary program focus areas include building support for startup incubation, pre-incubation, social and rural entrepreneurship, MSME acceleration, student entrepreneurship, and district outreach.