The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy by accelerating technology-enabled growth in academia, entrepreneurship, and industry. 

The NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas (GMEC) is a two-state initiative focused on development of an NSF Regional Innovation Engine ecosystem to advance grid technology innovation and adoption. As a key role in the GMEC, this leadership position offers a unique opportunity to help build a nationally recognized innovation ecosystem and accelerate technologies that strengthen grid reliability, resilience, and economic growth across the Carolinas. 

Position Summary:

SCRA seeks an experienced and entrepreneurial Senior Investment & Commercialization Manager to lead technology commercialization, venture development, and market adoption activities for the Carolinas Grid Modernization Engine (CGME). This role serves as a key connector among startups, research institutions, utilities, industry partners, and investors to accelerate the development, validation, funding, and deployment of grid modernization and clean energy technologies. The Manager will advise and support early-stage companies, oversee commercialization strategy and portfolio performance, facilitate investment and funding opportunities, and ensure achievement of GMEC commercialization goals. This position is ideal for a leader with experience in technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, venture development, and/or innovation ecosystem building.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the development and execution of GMEC's commercialization strategy to advance grid modernization technologies from validation through market deployment.
• Build and manage a robust commercialization pipeline by identifying, evaluating, and accelerating high-potential technologies and startups in collaboration with SCRA, Joules Accelerator, universities, utilities, investors, and industry partners.
• Advise researchers, startups, and portfolio companies on commercialization strategy, fundraising, intellectual property, regulatory considerations, customer discovery, pilot programs, and market entry.
• Develop commercialization roadmaps and performance metrics; monitor portfolio progress and report outcomes, milestones, and program impact.
• Lead the evaluation, prioritization, and due diligence of projects and companies seeking GMEC voucher funding, SCRA grants, or SC Launch investment, and prepare companies for funding and investment presentations.
• Manage SCRA's GMEC Translation commitments and ensure achievement of Translation goals, objectives, milestones, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate mentors, subject matter experts, investors, and ecosystem partners to support commercialization, technical  validation, market assessment, and capital formation activities.
• Cultivate relationships with investors, utilities, corporate partners, and funding organizations to increase capital access and accelerate technology adoption through pilots, demonstrations, and industry deployments.
• Represent SCRA and GMEC through conferences, industry events, committees, and stakeholder engagements, serving as a thought leader and ambassador for the organization's mission.
• Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders and provide support for related SCRA, SC Launch, and GMEC initiatives as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, technology entrepreneurship, innovation management, or a related field. 
• 7+ years of experience in technology commercialization, venture development, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, innovation ecosystem development, research administration, or related fields. 
• Demonstrated success advancing technologies from research and development or early-stage through commercialization and market adoption using milestone based investment processes. 
• Experience evaluating and supporting early-stage companies, including commercialization planning, due diligence, fundraising, and capital formation strategies. 
• Experience working with investors, grants, venture funding, startup financing, or other commercialization funding mechanisms. 
• Experience reviewing investment, financial, contractual, or other business transaction documents. 
• Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, relationship-building, and communication skills. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in engineering, business, technology entrepreneurship, innovation management, or a related field. 
• Experience with NSF, DOE, SBIR/STTR, I-Corps, NSF Engines, or other federally funded innovation and commercialization programs and associated technology maturity and commercialization readiness frameworks. 
• Knowledge of grid modernization, electric power systems, utility operations, distributed energy resources, electrification, or related energy technologies.   
• Existing relationships within utility, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, energy investment, or economic development ecosystems, particularly in the Carolinas.