National Security / Deep Tech Investor

About this role

Costanoa Ventures https://costanoa.vc/ is hiring an investor with a focus in national security and deep tech to join our team in San Francisco. We’re looking for someone deeply curious, self-directed, mission-driven, and obsessed with technology and entrepreneurship. If you thrive in fast-moving environments, think independently, and want to work with the next generation of breakout companies in defense, robotics, and physical AI, we want to talk to you

We’re a tight-knit firm that leads formation, Seed, and Series A investments. Over the last decade we have built a portfolio of breakout companies in defense and deep tech, investing at the earliest stages in companies like Vannevar Labs https://www.vannevarlabs.com/, Cape http://cape.co/, Muon Space https://www.muonspace.com/, Auterion https://auterion.com/, Kepler https://kepler.space/, Smack https://smacktechnologies.com/, Lumbra https://lumbra.ai/ and others.

We’re known for being one of the most hands-on teams in early-stage VC, supporting our portfolio with recruiting, go-to-market, product strategy, and raising follow-on capital. Over the past 15 years, we’ve built a >$2B AUM firm delivering exceptional returns and a culture grounded in humility, teamwork, and deep care for the craft of partnering with founders at the earliest stages of company building.

As an investor on our team, you’ll be expected to:

- Source and build founder relationships. You’ll run outbound, dig into emerging areas, and surface founders before the market does.

- Lead diligence and market work. Customer calls, expert interviews, market maps, competitive research, financial modeling, and memos.

- Support our companies. Help with hiring, GTM, and strategy — and learn from working shoulder-to-shoulder with great founders.

- Shape Costanoa. Build theses, host gatherings, improve our systems, and push us to think differently.

We expect this investor to work across the firm but concentrate their time and attention across national security and deep tech. People with a broad mix of prior experience have thrived here, and so we’re interested in hearing from people who have:

- Defense tech or deep tech operating experience at early or growth stage companies

- Veterans who bring firsthand understanding of defense end-users, procurement, and mission requirements are especially encouraged to apply.

- Startups, big tech, consulting, banking, or early-stage investing more broadly

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply. Tell us why you’re excited about a career in early-stage VC and why you think you’d be a great addition to Costanoa and our national security practice.

Similar jobs

• Applied AI Architect, National Security — Anthropic · Washington, DC
• Director, Business Development, National Security Space (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Remote
• Senior Security Engineer, AI Security — Reddit · Remote
• Director of Strategic Growth - Defense — Applied · Washington, D.C.
• Applied AI Engineer, Federal - Top Secret Clearance — Snorkelai · New York City, NY (Hybrid); San Francisco, CA (Hybrid); United States (Remote)
• Senior Technical Alliances Lead, Security & AI — Veeamsoftware · Remote
• Senior Technical Program Manager - National Security (Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information Clearance Required) — Blue Origin · Greater Seattle Area | Denver, CO
• Senior Security Engineer - AI, Vice President — MUFG · Jersey City, NJ | Tampa, FL