M12 Associate

Microsoft Microsoft · Big Tech · San Francisco, CA +1 · Corporate Ventures

This role is for an Associate at Microsoft's corporate venture capital arm (M12), focusing on early-stage investments in AI and other tech sectors. The responsibilities include market research, deal sourcing, due diligence, supporting investment processes, and assisting portfolio companies. The role requires experience in venture investing, investment banking, or consulting, with a strong understanding of financial analysis and market trends.

What you'd actually do

  1. Perform Continuous monitoring of market trends, industry news, and startup companies for potential investments in thematic areas supported by lead investor.
  2. Track specific VCs, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, sector experts, research organizations, etc.
  3. Perform high-quality research and analysis on key market and industry trends in defined theme areas to develop new insights and opinionated views
  4. Help come up and promote new ideas and research activities in defined theme areas
  5. Attend industry conferences, building relationships with startups and venture investors

Skills

Required

  • Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, Architecture, or related field
  • 3+ years full-time experience in venture investing experience, supporting partners in sourcing, diligence and deal execution
  • 1+ year(s) experience on a deal team

Nice to have

  • A good understanding of financial and business analysis, unit economics and valuation modeling using multiple methods.
  • Knowledge of sector and market analysis; ideally has performed market competitive and consulting presentations and studies
  • Demonstrated passion for Technology, Venture Capital, Start-ups, and entrepreneurship
  • Critical thinking using superior research and analytical abilities
  • Proficient writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills
  • Experience managing multiple projects under compressed timeframes
  • Ability to develop creative insights, recommendations, and solutions
  • Ability to influence internal and external audiences, stakeholders using evangelism, partnership, and networking skills
  • Demonstrated experience achieving results through collaboration in a team-centered environment
  • Willingness to work at times under time pressure due to competitive deal situations and short investment timescales
  • Positive, open, and flexible, intellectually curious with good listening skills, detail-oriented and a self-starter who enjoys working in a collegial workplace.
  • Mental flexibility to be able to adapt to multiple audiences/cultures

What the JD emphasized

  • venture investing experience
  • investment banking
  • consulting
  • strategic consulting
  • investment banking
  • venture capital
  • building technology
  • product management
  • enterprise entrepreneurial ventures experience
  • deal team
  • financial and business analysis
  • unit economics
  • valuation modeling
  • market competitive and consulting presentations and studies
  • Technology
  • Venture Capital
  • Start-ups
  • entrepreneurship
  • research and analytical abilities
  • writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills
  • managing multiple projects
  • creative insights, recommendations, and solutions
  • influence internal and external audiences, stakeholders using evangelism, partnership, and networking skills
  • collaboration in a team-centered environment
  • work under time pressure
  • competitive deal situations
  • short investment timescales
  • detail-oriented
  • self-starter