CEO-in-Residence - Industrial Workforce Intelligence

Founding CEO: Lead the Next Breakthrough in Industrial Tech with UP.Labs If you've built and exited a successful industrial manufacturing, heavy machinery or data-driven company—and are eager to do it again—this is your moment to found something game-changing that includes structural advantages beyond the dreams of most startups. We're looking for a CEO to build and scale industrial software companies from day one, in partnership with our corporate partner, a leading heavy machinery and industrial manufacturing player. This is a rare opportunity to lead a venture that starts with: A real industry problem with immediate, measurable value A committed enterprise customer base Flexibility to bring in your own Tier-1 investor Full founder equity and support from the UP.Labs platform Why Build With UP.Labs: Enterprise traction from day one . You will be supported by a startup team, with a product already in incubation, being built by an UP.Labs team of product, GTM and engineering leaders. You’re solving a problem validated by our corporate partner and the broader ecosystem. Accelerated path to exit . Our portfolio companies are structured to scale fast with capital efficiency—targeting liquidity in 3–4 years. Founder-level equity. A competitive base salary and a meaningful ownership stake from day one. Backed by the best . Work alongside institutional investors and top corporate LPs. World-class infrastructure . Tap into product, engineering, legal, recruiting, and GTM support from the UP.Labs operating team. What You’ll Build: You'll lead a vertical AI startup that is transforming how industrial manufacturers capture, transfer, and scale expert workforce knowledge across their operations. You will first join the UPLabs team as a ‘CEO-in-residence’ where you will help shape the MVP and the organization. At the end of incubation, you will be supported in building out your founding team and customer pipeline. Your Role: You’ll serve as founding CEO—setting the direction, building the team, and owning outcomes. This is a hands-on role for someone who can go from zero to scale with urgency, clarity, and grit. Responsibilities: Own and drive strategy, operations, and execution—P&L, GTM, and beyond Recruit and lead a top-tier team across engineering, product, and sales Translate complex supply chain and logistics problems into world-class software Build deep partnerships with customers, particularly inside the corporate partner ecosystem Partner with UP.Labs product and venture teams to deliver a cutting edge solution to the corporate partner Raise capital, drive growth, and lead the company to exit You Might Be a Fit If You’ve: Founded or scaled a B2B SaaS or data platform, ideally with an industrial manufacturing or heavy machinery focus Sold into or worked with complex enterprises (OEMs, distribution, or partner networks) Built AI/ML-enabled platforms or have a sharp eye for building defensible data moats Closed enterprise customers and maintained long-term commercial relationships Led a company through Series A+ or to a successful exit Built and inspired exceptional, diverse teams under pressure Location: Major metro preferred.