M.C.H. asks:
As an R&D executive in the semiconductor industry, I have more than thirty years of experience in complex hardware and industrial R&D, including ten years in process technology platform development and more than fifteen years in leadership roles such as VP of engineering and CTO. I have a proven track record of driving new technologies from lab concept to systems architecture, new product introduction, production transfer, qualification and commercial deployment. I’ve built multidisciplinary teams and engaged global semicon customers, equipment partners and research organizations.
Recently, my interest was piqued by a leadership role at a startup that aligns very well with my background. However, I immediately have a thousand questions. A critical objective for the initial discussion is to understand whether the mandate, capital, founder alignment and equity structure are in line with the described level of responsibility.
My initial assessment is that the problem to be solved lies in the areas of productization and system engineering, rather than purely concerning the source physics. The job description states that the CTO will own the roadmap. I’d like to know if that includes choosing the beachhead market, instead of inheriting a predetermined but poorly substantiated application.
Another important question concerns the exact division of responsibilities within the technical leadership – between the CSO, CTO and VP of engineering, including the reporting lines. The team is essential to success. Therefore, I’d like to know the current team composition and the capability gaps. Has the head of industrialization already been appointed, and to whom do they report? What team size has been approved for the next twelve months and beyond? Will any crucial appointments be made before the CTO starts? The CTO is expected to build a multidisciplinary organization of 10-30 people within a year. That’s only credible if the corresponding recruitment budget is already available.
Furthermore, I’m curious about the company’s funding. Is there sufficient budget up until the delivery of the pilot tool? What funding is guaranteed and available to execute the roadmaps? How much capital is expected to be required to become an OEM? When is the next funding round scheduled?
Finally, to what extent can this role be performed in a hybrid manner?
The headhunter answers:
You raise several valid and excellent questions. Understandably, you’re wondering about the startup’s financial backing. For now, I assume this is secured – provided the milestones are met. More information on this will certainly be shared with you at a later stage of the process.
Your questions regarding governance and the division of authority between the various team members will also be addressed at a later stage. For the time being, you can assume that the written information you’ve received about this is correct.
Your initial assessment that the task lies primarily in the areas of productization and systems engineering is accurate. However, deep knowledge in the field of source physics is essential for this.
The company has an ambitious plan of attack, and you can assume that careful thought has been given to the beachhead market and the budgetary consequences of the personnel growth plans. Growth to a team of thirty engineers within 12–18 months is on the horizon, and the CTO plays a key role in this.
The role requires regular travel to customers, VCs and tech platforms, particularly in Silicon Valley. Hybrid execution is far from ideal given the time pressure and workload.
