CEO-in-Residence - Industrial Manufacturing Tech Portfolio (Y1) at UP.Labs – California

Founding CEO: Lead the Next Breakthrough in Industrial Tech with UP.LabsIf 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 one of two vertical AI startups (based on final match and interest), each of which is already in motion. 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.