https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce6TSQ0b4-4&ab_channel=IcehouseVentures
Icehouse Ventures back brave kiwi founders with unique insights who are building global companies. We're looking for people who are inspired by helping these ambitious entrepreneurs achieve big things.
We are NZ's most active venture capital firm, with over $140m funds under management, and a portfolio of 240+ of the countries most exciting early-stage businesses (like Sharesies, Ethique, Mint Innovation, Halter, Narrative, Dawn Aerospace, Tradify and FirstAML).
If you have a superpower and a passion for startups, we'd love for you to join us.
Note - roles are based in Auckland
We are actively looking for epic people to join our talented team. Below are the roles currently open at IV + instructions on how to apply:
Don't see something that's a fit for you right now? Join our talent network where both us and our portfolio companies discover their next star team members.
<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/7467803e-c95f-4586-a7f2-c3f5e45fccf6/barns.jpg" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/7467803e-c95f-4586-a7f2-c3f5e45fccf6/barns.jpg" width="40px" /> Barnaby Marshall (Partner)
What's your background?
I joined Icehouse Ventures as an investment partner in 2017. Previously to that I was a co-founder of an NZ fashion business, I Love Ugly. As the founder of a company that grew an international footprint of retail stores and online distribution, I tackled many of the traditional start up / scale up challenges. I made my first angel investment in 2016 and had been intrigued by venture capital for a number of years before that.
What did you enjoy most about working at Icehouse Ventures?
There are two things I love the most about my role. First is the team that I work with everyday. We have a group of highly ambitious and intelligent young people who are all energized by backing NZ's most ambitious early stage entrepreneurs. Second is the entrepreneurs we back. They are fearless, knowledgeable, creative and curious. It’s a lot of fun to be around a diverse group of entrepreneurs with a range of backgrounds, motivations, experiences and working in a range of industries. What ties them all together is having some audacious mission they are pursuing to change the world in some way, that’s what gets me out of bed.
What are your ambitions for the future of Icehouse Ventures?
Our intention is to build a multi-billion $ funds management business that supports Kiwi entrepreneurs to create world-changing businesses. We are enabling investors to gain access to early-stage venture capital, and be a part of things that could define the future of NZ's economy. We are building a team of highly ambitious, talented people that are aligned to create value for founders and investors. It's an exciting stage of growth for the Icehouse Ventures business.
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<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/83a70863-cb7c-41f3-843d-f336c504fc80/steph.jpg" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/83a70863-cb7c-41f3-843d-f336c504fc80/steph.jpg" width="40px" /> **Steph Benseman** (Principal)
What's your background? I became a partner in First Cut Ventures, our young founders fund while studying at Victoria University and running my own startup. During this time I was based in Wellington and my career was focused around supporting young aspiring entrepreneurs discover and validate their ventures and helping early-stage companies raise funding. I knew how awesome the Icehouse Ventures team were and was excited to join them full-time earlier this year.
What do you enjoy most about working at Icehouse Ventures? I genuinely can't believe my day-to-day job involves meeting with New Zealand's most inspiring founders and coming up with creative and helpful initiatives to support them in their ambitious journeys. What makes it even better is I get to work alongside and learn from the Icehouse Ventures team, our community of investors and network of supporters to contribute to our mission of backing brave.
I love that Icehouse Ventures have aspirational goals as an organisation and even as a new employee I've been given the freedom and support to contribute in a meaningful way to both existing and new projects.
What are your ambitions for the future of Icehouse Ventures? I'm onboard with the teams ambitions to become a multi-billion dollar fund that backs New Zealand's most iconic founders, as scale brings the ability to make impactful change. It's well known that the VC sector internationally and here in NZ lacks diversity and for many inclusivity. I know our team recognises this and are addressing the issues as we accelerate our growth. My ambitions for the future of Icehouse Ventures is that we're at the centre of increasing representation of minorities and gender-diversity within the NZ investment environment.
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<aside> <img src="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/cf9861e6-080b-4ccb-9ae0-f8de3852d3ff/jack.jpg" alt="https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/cf9861e6-080b-4ccb-9ae0-f8de3852d3ff/jack.jpg" width="40px" /> Jack McQuire (Partner)
What's your background?
I joined Icehouse Ventures as an intern at the end of 2013. I was in my first year of university (studying a, in hindsight largely irrelevant, BCom) and expected to spend three months here over summer. Seven years later (and counting) I'm still here!
What do you enjoy most about working at Icehouse Ventures?
Icehouse Ventures exists to back brave kiwi founders shaping the world we live in. It’s hard not to love working surrounded by incredible people pursuing big visions.
It’s also been really rewarding to be part of our own growth story. When I joined, Robbie had just raised our first fund of $500k and it was a team of two. We’re now 13 people, we’ve invested over $160m in more than 230 startups (incl. over $35m in 2020 alone), and have been privileged to work with a few emerging kiwi startup icons like PowerbyProxi, Sharesies, Crimson Education, Halter, Mint, Ethique and so many others.
I’ve also got to observe boards, learning from founders like Aaron & John at Ask Nicely, Emily at Pyper Vision, Shaun at Genoapay, and Mike & Phillip at Joyous. I’ve learned more from these experiences than anything else I’ve done at Icehouse Ventures and am incredibly grateful for that, particularly to Aaron who was the first to say yes!
What are your ambitions for the future of Icehouse Ventures?
I hope that in 2040 we reflect that we backed every one of the largest, most successful, and most impactful kiwi startup founded in 2020 - 2035. Those ventures have vastly improved the lives of every person in NZ, and their technology and products may impact much of the world. When asked, the founders say unreservedly that Icehouse Ventures were the most supportive, impactful and aligned partner from the beginning of their journey. One way this is reflected is by us being the second largest shareholder, after the founders, at IPO.
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