Founders Associate

In a world where products and software can be replicated overnight, intellectual property is the last durable moat. Every breakthrough in AI, biotech, clean energy, and autonomous systems depends on patent protection to survive. Yet the system meant to protect these innovations hasn't kept up. Stilta exists to fix that: we build agentic AI for intellectual property, creating the technology that will finally modernize how the world’s most important ideas are defended. We just closed one of the largest seed rounds in Y Combinator, backed by top Silicon Valley investors. We already work with several of the world’s largest IP firms and Global Fortune 500 companies, and are growing rapidly. ABOUT THE ROLE We're hiring a Founder's Associate to work directly with the CEO. You'll move between strategy, research, and operations depending on what matters most that week. Investor materials one day, competitive analysis the next, sales prep the day after. No two weeks will look the same. If you want a front-row seat to how a generational company is built from scratch, this is it. WHAT YOU’LL DO • Prepare and run competitive intelligence that directly shapes product and sales strategy • Build investor materials, board updates, and strategic analyses that inform how we raise and grow • Support sales by prepping for enterprise demos, building custom materials, and following up with prospects at the world's top IP firms • Source, screen, and coordinate candidates as we scale the team from five to fifteen • Build internal systems and processes from scratch - the operational infrastructure of the company doesn't exist yet, and you'll create it WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR • AI is your default way of working - you use Claude or similar tools daily to think faster, build faster, and solve problems that used to take days in hours • You thrive in ambiguity and like to operate across multiple workstreams • You're exceptionally sharp - the kind of person who figures things out before being told how • You're not looking for a pre-defined and stable career path - you're looking for the steepest learning curve you can find • Founder or previous startup experience is a plus, but not a requirement. WHAT WE CAN OFFER - Competitive Salary + Equity - Unlimited Claude Code - experiment with AI‑assisted workflows, prototypes, and automations from day one - Sponsored VISA - A front row seat - you will be shaping the foundation of our business Stilta are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or background. Selection for this role will be based solely on suitability for the position and does not discriminate on any protected characteristic.