Head of Innovation

Founded in 2020, C12 is a fast-growing start-up, who recently raised EUR 18 million in 2024 to further its research in its own lab in the heart of Paris (Panthéon).

**Your role at C12 Quantum Electronics**:

- As a direct report to the CEO, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the **company’s strategic ecosystem**. You will manage key research partnerships across industry, academia, and government, navigate opportunities for grants & subsidies, oversee IP strategy, and support supply chain scalability. You will be a representative of the company in large consortia, industry forums and for government or public bodies. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of business developers, researchers and engineers in quantum computing, quantum physics and nanotechnology to develop C12’s hardware platform. This role will include some team management. Your main responsibilities include:
**Research & public funding**:

- Develop and manage high-impact research initiatives and publicly funded projects.
- Serve as the primary point of contact and governance body member for these initiatives.
- Explore opportunities for government-backed projects and subsidies in quantum research.
- Write and deliver the reports on project developments in collaboration with R&D and business teams.
- Plan and oversee the next phases of key project

**Public affairs & industry representation**:

- Oversee public affairs for quantum computing across Europe.
- Advocate for policies that support quantum innovation and funding initiatives.
- Represent the company at major industry events, consortia, and public bodies.
- Serve as a spokesperson at conferences, panel discussions and industry alliances.

**Intellectual property & technology strategy**:

- Supervise the company’s IP Consultant and implement overall IP strategy.
- Manage patents, licensing agreements, and open-source contributions to protect our innovations in collaboration with our CTO, R&D Ops lead and R&D teams.
- Secure joint development agreements, licensing deals, and technology-sharing collaborations.

**Strategic & supply chain partnerships**:

- Be the main point of contact and cultivate strategic partnerships essential for the company’s growth.
- Elicit suggestions from Software Development, Product and R&D teams regarding partnerships that would be most beneficial to C12.
- Support supply chain partnerships for hardware scalability.

**About you**:

- Rank A engineering master's degree
- 10+ years experience in industry or startups. Experience in quantum physics (PhD), or deep tech startup or semiconductor industry would be seen as a plus
- Passionate about deep tech startups and eager to discover quantum computing industry
- Strong networking skills to build and maintain collaborations across academia, industry, and government
- Ability to articulate complex quantum technologies to policymakers and non-technical stakeholders
- Expertise in securing funding opportunities and licensing deals
- Adaptability & problem-solving mindset
- Fluency in **French & English** is mandatory

You should join us if...

You want to have a key role in a growing startup with challenges at the frontier of the technology.

You want to contribute to achieving landmark results in quantum computing, making a difference in the emerging quantum technologies.

You want to work within a 50-people team with various backgrounds in nanofabrication, quantum electronics, and carbon nanotube science to create a revolutionary quantum computing processor.

You want to thrive in an exceptional scientific environment with several industrial and academic partners.

You share our values (excellence, scientific integrity, diversity, curiosity, and care) and want to help us define our product-focused culture and ambition to accelerate.

C12 Quantum Electronics’ unique technology

At C12, a qubit, the fundamental functional unit of a quantum computer, is built from an isotopically ultra-pure 12C nanotube suspended above a silicon chip containing control electrodes and a quantum communication bus. Our spin qubits hold great promise in terms of individual control and manipulation as well as for the circuit architecture. A suspended isotopically-pure 12C nanotube holds great promise in terms of stability, as it reduces all sources of decoherence (charge noise, nuclear spin noise and phonon relaxation).

C12 encourages all who feel qualified to apply. Recruitment decisions are based solely on qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience. Applications from women are particularly welcomed.