Entrepreneur In Residence

EIR, Griffin - BD & Partnership

At Griffin, partnerships are not transactional—they’re transformative. As the EIR – Partnerships, you will lead the frontlines of Griffin’s value creation engine by forging deep, strategic relationships with luxury, mobility, hospitality, gifting, wellness, fintech, aviation, and lifestyle brands. This is a business development built for someone who knows how to speak the language of India’s top 1% and convert brand collaboration into high-touch, high-value experiences for our members.
You are not just closing partnerships—you’re curating cultural capital. You’ll work closely with the founding team to identify, close, and nurture marquee partners across sectors that align with Griffin’s ethos of discretion, luxury, and influence.
Griffin is a private, invitation-only club that unites India’s top tech founders through curated experiences, strategic learning, and peer-driven growth. Designed for India’s unicorn and soonicorn founders — building at scale, Griffin offers a trusted space where founders don’t just network—they forge deep, meaningful relationships, share unfiltered insights, and collaborate to shape India’s next chapter of innovation.

From intimate salons and high-trust retreats to access to capital and exclusive opportunities, Griffin offers a curated path to clarity, collaboration, and personal growth. More than a community, it’s the inner circle powering the next wave of industry-shaping leaders.

About Inc42 Media

Inc42 is India’s #1 startup media & intelligence platform that informs, educates and empowers startup & business leaders through its incisive reporting, insightful reports, curated Events & Conferences & communities, and industry-leading executive courses & programs.

Since launching in January 2015 and having risen to become the authoritative voice on India’s startup economy, we've moved markets, gotten the early scoop on billions of dollars of transactions, and told you what's happening deep inside some of the fastest-growing startups & industries alike. Our stories have been followed by the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters, TechCrunch, and other major outlets hundreds of times. We also track over 10,000+ startups and provide market research and intelligence through our in-depth research reports, and we organise some of the most sought-after conferences and Events for startup & business leaders across India.

The Inc42 Impact

• Inc42 stories reach over 50 Mn+ people monthly

• Published more than 55,000 stories

• Successfully conducted 125+ events

• Launched 100+ research reports

• Receives 500+ startup applications monthly

• Worked with 350+ brands

Your impact in this role:

• Unparalleled Access & 1-1 Networking: Work closely with India’s top tech founders and be part of every Griffin experience you help create

• Lead Partnerships: Lead the end-to-end execution of partnerships that will shape the future of India’s trillion-dollar tech startup economy.

• Drive Revenue & Strategic Growth Through Brands: Bring in top-tier sponsors and presenting partners for Griffin IPs — from the Retreat to Salons — while building monetisation models that preserve brand integrity.

• Set New Standards: Design premium and relevant gifting experiences that cater to the needs of India’s top 1% founders.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Build the Griffin Strategic Partnership Ecosystem

• Own the end-to-end identification, development, and execution of brand partnerships that deliver long-term value to Griffin Club members.

• Build and scale a curated portfolio of high-touch, high-impact partnerships across Luxury, Mobility, Hospitality, Gifting, Concierge, Wellness & Health, and more

• Negotiate and manage custom deal structures and multi-brand partnerships that go beyond discounts, driving unique member experiences and co-created value

2. Sponsorships & Monetisation

• Secure annual presenting partners, IP sponsors, and Griffin-aligned backers for Retreats, Salons, and flagship programs

• Develop category-specific sponsor stacks (e.g., wealth, mobility, gifting) that unlock co-created value

• Pioneer brand formats that feel like value, not intrusion — from lounges and immersions to bespoke product placements

3. Partnership-Led Experience Design

• Plan and collaborate with the team to embed partners into Griffin Retreats, Salons, and Gifting Touchpoints

• Build “Griffin-Only” offers and experiences that elevate the perceived value of club membership

4. Institutional Influence & Exclusive Access

• Forge relationships with government bodies, policy councils, global trade missions, and ecosystem gatekeepers

• Explore collaborations that unlock startup corridors, capital introductions, and international visibility

• Position Griffin as the trusted soft-power platform for India’s top tech founders

5. Adhoc Collaborations

• Conceptualise and execute limited-edition Griffin merchandise in collaboration with design-forward or luxury brands

• Lead gifting moments across the member lifecycle: onboarding kits, milestone drops, celebratory gifting, and surprise inserts during Retreats or Salons

• Ensure every brand touchpoint — from packaging to placement — feels intentional, elevated, and worthy of the Griffin brand
  
  

What Sets You Apart?

• Strategic Execution: You’re comfortable operating without a playbook and can bring structure to ambiguity. You turn ideas into clear, actionable plans.

• Luxury & Lifestyle Native: You know the pulse of what appeals to India’s ultra-premium audience and how to package exclusivity.

• High EQ & Stakeholder Maturity: You understand context, nuance, and relationships and know how to manage them without overstepping.

• Builder’s Mindset: You take ownership, move fast, and are comfortable with building new processes, products, or programs from scratch.

• Ecosystem Fluency: You have a working knowledge of India’s startup and investment ecosystem, and you know how to navigate it credibly.

• Curiosity-Led Thought Process: You are a naturally curious person with a knack for knowing everything and picking up learnings for implementation.

• Strong Commercial Acumen: You know how to pitch value, extract ROI, and run lean BD motions with maximum output.
  
  

Professional Traits

• 5–8 years in luxury partnerships, brand alliances, strategic business development, or ecosystem-facing roles in startups, VC firms, HNI clubs, or premium D2C brands.

• Work experience with private members’ clubs and concierge service is preferred.

• Strong project leadership and stakeholder management experience, especially involving HNIs, tech founders, high-value brands, or multi-stakeholder vendors

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesise complex ideas and influence diverse audiences.

• Proficiency in budgeting, program planning, and cross-functional coordination.

• Bonus: Past experience managing gifting programs, curated benefits, or rewards programs

Experience Level

Senior Level