The Ventures Lab is a programme led by The Challenges Group, bringing over 25 years of experience in supporting impact-driven enterprises across 80 countries. Through The Ventures Lab, we apply this expertise to Scotland, building a pipeline of ventures that drive economic and social impact at scale.
Our Impact Venture Builder Programme provides a structured, hands-on approach to venture-building, offering:
1. Tailored business support to strengthen enterprises and their ecosystems.
2. Learning and leadership development to build entrepreneurial capability.
3. Access to finance through patient capital and investment readiness support.
4. Workspace and a collaborative ecosystem to nurture ideas and innovation.
5. A strong business network connecting founders to mentors, partners, and market opportunities.
Market Research Manager:
We’re looking for an exceptional Market Research Manager to play a pivotal role in shaping the success of ventures at The Ventures Lab.
This role goes beyond conducting research; it’s about equipping ventures with the tools, frameworks, and methodologies they need to understand and apply market insights effectively. You’ll provide practical, hands-on support, helping ventures navigate market trends, identify opportunities, and make informed, strategic decisions about their business models and growth.
As a Market Research Manager, you will:
* Conduct in-depth market research to assess industry trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes for ventures in the Builder Programme.
* Support ventures in market segmentation, including defining each target market, its wants and needs, and how the venture will address them.
* Analyse market size and challenges, assessing potential demand and barriers to entry.
* Provide insights on market outlook, identifying emerging trends and long-term growth potential.
* Assist ventures in defining their target market.
* Guide ventures through competitive analysis, identifying key competitors and highlighting key differences between their businesses and the venture’s offering.
* Assess competitive advantages and positioning within the market.
* Conduct customer validation through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
* Provide data-driven recommendations to refine business models, value propositions, and go-to-market strategies.
* Work collaboratively with entrepreneurs, mentors, and advisors within The Ventures Lab to integrate research findings into business planning.
This is more than just a role; it’s an opportunity to be at the heart of Scotland’s social enterprise movement, helping ventures reach £1m+ in revenue within 3-5 years and driving real, measurable change.
Venture Support Manager:
We’re looking for an exceptional Venture Support Manager to play a pivotal role in guiding purpose-led businesses through our Impact Venture Builder Programme. We aim to support, build, and scale 40 high-potential impact ventures annually, creating a strong pipeline of businesses that drive both social change and economic success.
As a Venture Support Manager, you will:
* Support 10 purpose-led businesses every six months, equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to grow and secure investment.
* Lead and coordinate tailored support for ventures throughout the Impact Venture Builder Programme, ensuring access to expert guidance in market research, financial planning, legal frameworks, and marketing through internal teams and external partners.
* Provide hands-on support, guiding founders through early-stage commercialisation, investment readiness, and business scaling.
* Be part of a growing team driving innovation and shaping Scotland’s leadership in social enterprise.
* Engage with a dynamic ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to build a thriving, impact-driven community.
This is more than just a role; it’s an opportunity to be at the heart of Scotland’s social enterprise movement, helping ventures reach £1m+ in revenue within 3-5 years and driving real, measurable change.
We’re seeking someone who is:
* A strategic thinker with experience in business support, entrepreneurship, or investment.
* Passionate about impact-driven business, with a strong understanding of social enterprise models and investment landscapes.
* A confident leader and mentor, able to work closely with founders to guide them through the challenges of scaling a venture.
* Pragmatic and hands-on, comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
If you’re excited by the idea of shaping the future of impact-driven business in Scotland and want to be part of a team that is actively building the next generation of social enterprises, we’d love to hear from you.
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