Startup Business Development Lead (AI)

TL;DR

Startup Business Development Lead (AI): Driving strategic partnerships and workload adoption for top AI-native startups with an accent on ecosystem engagement, founder relationships, and cross-functional GTM execution. Focus on identifying high-potential startups, facilitating executive-level connections, and scaling Snowflake's presence within the AI/ML venture landscape.

Location: Must be based in or able to commute to Menlo Park, CA (Hybrid: 3x per week in office)

Compensation: $126,000 – $181,700

Company

Snowflake is a leading cloud data platform powering the era of the agentic enterprise through AI-native solutions.

What you will do

• Build and nurture relationships with founders of high-priority AI-native startups.
• Develop a prioritized list of startups based on growth potential, funding, and strategic alignment.
• Facilitate introductions between startup founders and Snowflake executive leadership.
• Drive product adoption and consumption of Cortex AI products within the startup ecosystem.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Solutions Engineering to execute a unified GTM strategy.
• Identify and support ecosystem events, sponsorships, and programs to increase visibility.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, startup ecosystem, or venture capital.
• Deep understanding of the AI technology stack, venture funding trends, and cloud platform adoption.
• Proven experience supporting high-growth startups with a preference for direct startup operating experience.
• Strong executive presence and ability to engage founders, venture partners, and senior stakeholders.
• Data-oriented mindset with the ability to track metrics and report on business outcomes.
• Must be able to work in a hybrid model (3 days/week in Menlo Park, CA).

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work at the forefront of the agentic enterprise and AI innovation.
• Collaborative environment working across Sales, Product, and Venture teams.
• Focus on experimentation, rapid testing, and measurable impact.
• Commitment to high-trust collaboration and low-ego team dynamics.