Strategic / Founding Business Development Representative

About the Role

We’re hiring a Strategic / Founding Business Development Representative , a key early GTM hire responsible for generating pipeline, qualifying strategic opportunities, and shaping how we engage AI-native builders.

You’ll work closely with founders, GTM leadership, and cross-functional partners to influence deals end to end and help define the early sales playbook. This role is well suited to someone who thrives in early-stage environments and enjoys mixing technical curiosity with commercial execution.

This position is SF-first , with in-person collaboration, customer meetings, and ecosystem engagement as a core part of the role.

What You’ll Do

Pipeline Generation & Qualification

• Identify and engage AI-native SaaS companies, developer platforms, creative tools, and high-volume builders
• Qualify inbound interest (trials, usage signals, product tests) and targeted outbound leads
• Run high-velocity outbound with clear technical positioning (cost, speed, unified API)
• Re-engage leads around product launches, model updates, or usage signals

Customer Engagement & Support

• Lead discovery conversations to understand technical needs and buying signals
• Guide prospects toward the right documentation, examples, and workflows
• Coordinate demos, benchmarks, and test plans with Sales, Product, and Engineering

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work directly with founders and the Developer Growth Lead on pipeline and proposals
• Partner with Marketing on messaging, case studies, and outbound content
• Maintain clean CRM data, qualification notes, and pipeline reporting

Execution & Ownership

• Own weekly activity targets (outreach, follow-ups, qualification)
• Experiment with outreach approaches and help build scalable BDR motions
• Convert developer conversations into active tests and revenue opportunities

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

• 1–4+ years of experience in Sales Development, Business Development, or similar customer-facing roles
  (SaaS, devtools, AI, or fast-growing startups preferred)
• Strong communicator, comfortable engaging both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• High-velocity work style with strong follow-through
• Curious and coachable, with interest in models, inference costs, and developer workflows
• Bias for execution in low-process, zero-to-one environments
• Genuine interest in the generative AI ecosystem
• Based in or willing to be regularly present in San Francisco

Nice to Have

• Experience selling or supporting developer tools, APIs, or AI / ML platforms
• Familiarity with image, video, or multimodal AI workflows
• Previous experience as an early GTM hire or part of a founding sales team
• Existing network in the SF / Bay Area startup or AI ecosystem

Why This Role Is Exciting

• Work directly with founders and GTM leadership
• Be on the frontlines of one of the fastest-moving spaces in tech
• Have real ownership over pipeline and early revenue
• Help define the BD playbook as the company scales
• Clear growth paths toward AE, Partnerships, or Sales leadership

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Consistent, high-quality inbound and outbound qualification
• Hitting weekly and monthly pipeline targets
• Strong feedback loops with founders, Sales, and Engineering
• Turning developer conversations into tests, integrations, and early customers
• Becoming a trusted first contact for builders exploring Runware

Benefits

We’re a remote-first collective, meeting in person twice a year to plan, brainstorm, celebrate wins, and enjoy some face-to-face time. We have core hours for cooperative working and calls, but outside of that your calendar is yours. Work the hours that let you perform at your peak while also building a healthy life.

Our release cycles are fast and intense, but they’re followed by real downtime. After big pushes we expect the team to unplug, recharge, and come back ready & stronger than ever for the next leap.

• Generous paid time off – vacation, sick days, public holidays
• Meaningful stock options – share in the upside you create
• Remote-first setup – work from home anywhere we can employ you
• Flexible hours – own your schedule outside core collaboration blocks
• Family leave – paid maternity, paternity, and caregiver time
• Company retreats – twice-yearly gatherings in inspiring locations

Please note: We are unable to offer visa sponsorship in the UK at this time. Candidates must have existing right to work in the UK.