About this opportunity
UP.Labs lists this CEO-in-Residence - Aviation/Travel Tech Portfolio opportunity in santa monica, California. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Founding CEO: Lead the Next Breakthrough in Aviation/Travel Tech with UP.Labs
If you've built and exited a successful aviation/travel-related SaaS or data-driven company—and are eager to do it again—this is your moment to found something game-changing that includes structural advantages beyond the dreams of most startups.
We're looking for a CEO to build and scale an aviation software company from day one, in partnership with our corporate partner, a leading US airline.
This is a rare opportunity to lead a venture that starts with:
A real industry problem with immediate, measurable value
A committed enterprise customer base
Capital from tier-one VCs (with flexibility to bring your own backers)
Full founder equity and support from the UP.Labs platform
Why Build With UP.Labs
Enterprise traction from day one. You will be joining a startup team, with a product already in pilot/market, being built by an UP.Labs team of product, go to market, and engineering leaders. You’re solving a problem validated by our corporate partner and the broader ecosystem.
Accelerated path to exit. Our portfolio companies are structured to scale fast with capital efficiency—targeting liquidity in 3–4 years.
Founder-level equity. A competitive base salary and a meaningful ownership stake from day one.
Backed by the best. Work alongside institutional investors, UP.Partners, and top corporate LPs.
World-class infrastructure. Tap into product, engineering, legal, recruiting, and GTM support from the UP.Labs operating team.
What You’ll Build
You’ll lead one of the following vertical AI startups (based on final match and interest), each of which is already in motion. There will be an ‘in-residence’ component where you will help shape the opportunity with the ‘problem-hunting’ team as you transition into the CEO role.
AI-driven personalization for airlines and hospitality to drive engagement, conversion and lifetime value
Airline network operations platform that predicts, recommends, and automates decisioning to minimize disruptions and delay-related costs
Intelligent aircraft leasing solutions to support lessors and lessees by automating maintenance reviews, minimizing lease return costs and giving confidence on new leases
Your Role
You’ll serve as founding CEO—setting the direction, building the team, and owning outcomes. This is a hands-on role for someone who can go from zero to scale with urgency, clarity, and grit.
Responsibilities:
Own and drive strategy, operations, and execution—P&L, GTM, and beyond
Recruit and lead a top-tier team across engineering, product, and sales
Translate complex aviation/travel problems into world-class software
Build deep relationships with customers, particularly inside the corporate partner ecosystem
Partner with UP.Labs product and venture teams to unlock value quickly and intentionally
Raise capital, drive growth, and lead the company to exit
You Might Be a Fit If You’ve:
Founded or scaled a B2B SaaS, AI or data platform, ideally with airline or overall mobility focus
Sold into or worked with complex enterprises
Built AI/ML-enabled platforms or have a sharp eye for building defensible data moats
Closed enterprise customers and maintained long-term commercial relationships
Led a company through Series A+ or to a successful exit
Built and inspired exceptional, diverse teams under pressure
Location: Major Metro Preferred
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Worksite address
santa monica, CA, 90403, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.