Head of Business Development

IONLACE is a place for rebels. We are on a mission to rewrite the timelines of breakthroughs in medicine.

You will be joining a team with experience from leading biotechnology companies and institutions across the world. You will be working at the cutting edge of machine learning and synthetic biology. We operate as a fast-paced startup with our office and lab at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Join us and build the future.

We are seeking an entrepreneurial Head of Business Development to drive our go-to-market strategy and expand our partner network across pharma, biotech, and academia. This is a high-impact role where you’ll work closely with leadership to shape strategic initiatives, define tactics, and close transformational deals. You will be responsible for taking our next-gen biologics platform to market - building strategic partnerships, closing key customer contracts, and unlocking scalable revenue opportunities.

This role is both strategic and hands-on. You’ll design and lead go-to-market efforts while actively engaging with potential partners and customers, from biopharma to platform collaborators. You’ll be instrumental in shaping the commercial trajectory of the company. This is your chance to be part of a mission-driven team transforming biologics development with cutting-edge technologies.

• Own business development strategy: Define and execute a strategic roadmap for commercial growth, including customer segmentation, value proposition, pricing, and partnership models.

• Build and close strategic partnerships: Identify, engage, and negotiate with potential customers and collaborators in pharma, biotech, and platform technology spaces.

• Translate science into deals: Work cross-functionally with scientific and product teams to articulate our value proposition in commercial terms.

• Develop commercial infrastructure: Build the processes and systems needed for scalable BD, from CRM to pipeline reporting.

• Represent the company externally: Act as a key voice at partnering conferences, industry events, and investor meetings.

• Drive feedback loops: Bring market insights back into the product and science teams to refine platform focus and roadmap.

• Significant experience in business development or strategic partnership roles in biotech.

• Proven track record of sourcing, structuring, and closing commercial deals - especially in therapeutics or enabling technologies-

• Deep understanding of the biotech deal landscape (e.g. licensing, co-development, research collaborations).

• Strong network in pharma and biotech, especially with BD and innovation teams.

• Startup mindset: resourceful, proactive, and comfortable with ambiguity. Prior startup experience is a plus.

• Scientific fluency in biologics, drug discovery, or platform biology preferred.

• Generous equity as part of your total compensation.

• 30 days vacation and 13 days of public holidays.

• Premium pension contribution.

• Large modern lab and office on the beautiful Karolinska Institute campus.

IONLACE is an equal opportunity employer and we actively seek to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of their background.