Founding CEO of AI Training Infrastructure Startup (Stealth, Montreal)

About Mila Venture Studio

Mila Venture Studio turns breakthrough academic AI research into mission-critical, hard-to-replicate companies. Drawing on the talent, IP, and ideas from one of the world's leading AI research ecosystems, over 1,200 researchers strong, we co-found and systematically build deep-tech ventures from the ground up. We de-risk the science, build the product, connect the team, and bridge the path to capital, so that world-class AI doesn't just stay in the lab. If you want to be at the intersection of frontier research and real-world impact, you're in the right place.

The opportunity

We are building a new startup focused on tools that make training AI models more efficient and affordable. The core idea has already been validated, the research is done, and we have a technical plan in place. The product reduces enterprise GPU costs by 60–80% for ML teams fine-tuning open-source foundation models on proprietary data. The value is clear within the first 30 days, and because the buyer is engineering, sales cycles are typically short. Early design partners are already in place.

What we are looking for

• •A founding CEO to take the company from early formation through its first funding round.
• •You might be a good fit if you have founded or helped run a company in developer tools, MLOps, or cloud infrastructure; or if you have sold products to engineering or ML teams in a senior role and are ready to become a founder.
• •You can communicate effectively with both technical experts (like ML engineers) and senior business leaders (like VP Engineering at large companies).
• •You are based in Montréal, or open to relocating or traveling frequently during the first year.

What you will do

• •Set the vision for the company and define the overall strategy from launch to scale.
• •Recruit and lead a world class team to deliver against the company vision.
• •Create and launch the brand.
• •Establish and execute the go-to-market and expansion strategy.
• •Lead all fundraising activities (including debt and equity) to support growth objectives in partnership with Mila Ventures Studio (MVS).
• •Drive operations, including full P&L and cash flow management.
• •Lead in defining, evaluating and evolving the product roadmap by identifying new opportunities and gaps.
• •Determine the highest order KPIs and build the plan and team to measure, monitor, and improve them.
• •Drive strategy and decision-making across all functional areas, including product, data, contracting, operations, technology, marketing, and finance.
• •Regularly partner and communicate with MVS and relevant investors and/or Board of Directors.
• •Create and sustain a great company culture consisting of clearly articulated values and inspired leadership.

What we offer

• •A seasoned Entrepreneur-in-Residence matched to you based on your venture needs, acting as your operational partner to help create your business, shape your product and drive you to your seed close.
• •First-look access to the Venture Scientist Fund upon launch, up to a pre-seed investment of $350,000.
• •Warm introductions to Mila’s curated network of investors, operators, and advisors to augment your fundraise.
• •Hands-on support in finding and landing your initial customers, to gain real traction before you raise.
• •Co-working and office space at Mila, as a home base surrounded by founders building alongside you.
• •Direct access to Mila’s world-class research community and AI talent to help you build at the frontier.
• •Support for legal and financial needs, including navigating and negotiating IP issues with institutions.
• •Access to compute resources for model development, plus our network of partner tools and platforms.
• •Our talent team actively supports you in finding the right co-founder or hiring for critical early roles.