Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Stealth AI Venture | Energy & Climate | Corporate-Backed Spin-Out

About our client

Morio is a stealth-stage AI venture emerging from a global leader in energy and industrial innovation. Backed by a committed corporate anchor investor and operating at the intersection of AI, chemistry, and decarbonization, the company is building a category-defining platform to accelerate compound discovery and optimization—starting with critical challenges in energy and emissions.

This is not an idea-stage startup. The venture has:

• A validated technical foundation
• A paid commercial pilot with a Fortune 500 energy partner
• A multidisciplinary founding team in place (interim CEO, technical leads, advisors)

What is missing is a full-time founding CEO to drive the next phase: refining the business model, leading the fundraise, and building a world-class team to take the product from 0–1 and beyond.

About the role

As CEO , the individual will take the reins from the interim executive sponsor and lead the company into its next chapter: from early traction to scaled commercial impact. This is a rare ground-floor opportunity to lead a well-positioned spin-out—de-risked, but still early enough to make it their own.

The CEO will have full flexibility to shape:

• Company vision, product roadmap, and GTM strategy
• Team composition (retaining or evolving current staff)
• Operating structure and geographic footprint

The CEO will operate with the speed of a startup, but with insider access to a top-tier corporate ecosystem for early traction, data, and domain expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Define the mission, value prop, and market strategy to win in the energy sector first—with optionality for future verticals (chemicals, climate-tech, etc.)
• Attract, hire, and retain an exceptional executive and technical team
• Lead capital raises from VCs, strategic investors, and non-dilutive sources (e.g., government, climate finance)
• Land lighthouse customers, scale commercial pilots, and close strategic partnerships
• Deliver key milestones across tech, revenue, and team-building—toward Seed, Series A, and beyond

Ideal Candidate

Morio is open to non-traditional profiles, but is looking for a rare mix of startup grit, technical fluency, and commercial leadership.

The ideal candidate may have:

• Led a venture-backed AI, deep tech, or ChemTech startup from concept to early traction or beyond
• Comfort working alongside AI/ML, LLM, or computational chemistry teams (you don’t need to code, but must speak the language)
• Closed institutional rounds (Seed to Series B+) and built relationships with VCs, strategics, or mission-driven investors
• Proven track record launching novel tech products and iterating based on real customer feedback
• Can inspire scientists, corporate execs, and investors alike
• Comfortable navigating cross-border teams, markets, and customers

Compensation

• Total Compensation: USD $200,000 – $400,000 (base salary, equity value, and performance bonuses)