Partnerships & Ecosystem Lead

Pond is where the next generation of AI startups launch. We help early-stage teams access community-backed token launches, shared infrastructure, and built-in distribution so they can move from idea to real traction faster. Three decades ago, with the maturity of online payment we had an increasing amount of e-commerce vendors then we have Amazon for vendors. Today, with the advancement of AI tools like Cursor or Claude, apps are becoming e-commerce vendors. Building an app is increasingly easier. Apps are the new vendors. Pond is building a platform to accelerate end-to-end processes for apps and indie devs/indie hackers.

Think of Pond as a decentralized accelerator and an app-commerce platform for early stage AI/consumer startups as a platform. We are building an Amazon, but for apps.

We work with AI founders, developers, ecosystems, and infrastructure partners globally, and we're now expanding our partnership and ecosystem function in the Bay Area.

About the Role

We're looking for a Ecosystem & Partnerships Lead to build and scale Pond's relationships across (don't want Crypto background for this role):

• AI & consumer startups & founders
• Strategic distribution partners
• Go-to-market (B2B partnerships + B2C growth), sourcing leads, developing go-to-market/distribution/growth strategies, onboarding founders/indie devs/startups to bounty platform (e.g., for UGC posts, product feedback).

Near term focus is on sourcing and onboarding; events/hackathons likely to follow later

Key Responsibilities

     Ecosystem & Partnerships

• Build and manage partnerships with AI startups, platforms, protocols, and infra providers
• Identify and onboard strategic partners that bring founders, users, or distribution into Pond
• Own partner pipelines from first conversation collaboration execution
  Founder & Community Engagement
• Be a trusted point of contact for founders entering the Pond ecosystem
• Represent Pond at demo days, founder events, hackathons, and ecosystem meetups
• Help founders navigate Pond's platform, positioning, and go-to-market opportunities
• Design and execute ecosystem programs (co-hosted hackathons, launches, bounties, campaigns
  Programs & Activations
• Work with marketing and product teams to turn partnerships into visible wins
• Help shape Pond's ecosystem narrative in the Bay Area and beyond
  Strategy & Feedback Loop
• Bring ecosystem insights back to the product and leadership team
• Identify emerging trends in AI startups, tooling, and distribution
• Help refine Pond's partnership strategy as the platform scales

Requirements

1-5 years experience for Junior and 5+ years for Senior in the partnerships, ecosystem, BD, VC world.

Strong network or deep curiosity about the SF Bay Area startup ecosystem

Sharp sense for identifying communities/builders/well-established startups

Ability to handle end-to-end ownership (sourcing, strategy, onboarding)

Good growth sense (persistence, identifying/engaging targets)

Comfortable talking to founders, engineers, investors, and operators

Understands (or is eager to learn) AI products, developer tools, and crypto-native models

For Junior: Strong connections with indie hackers / solo founders / indie dev communities.

For Senior: Strong connections with well-established startups, bigger firms, mature ecosystems.

Bonus Skills

• Experience at a startup, accelerator, VC, or platform company
• Background in AI, developer tools, or infra
• Experience running events, programs, or ecosystem initiatives
• Highly ambitious, hardworking, and intellectually sharp; comfortable operating with high pace and ownership
• High ownership mindset

Ideal Background

• Platform startups(e.g., TikTok-like with B2B/B2C)
• Solo-entrepreneurs/YC startup founders
• Indie hackers
• Indie developers
• Builders/artistic startups (crypto or non-crypto)
• Heads of growth/go-to-market