Job Description

Rare Earth Elements | Advanced Bioprocessing | New Venture Formation

Catalyze Partners is seeking an accomplished operating executive to lead the evaluation, diligence, and formation of a new venture based on a proprietary technology developed within a Fortune 100 corporation.


This is a hands-on, high-impact role for a senior operator who wants to shape a company from inception—beginning with technology and market diligence and potentially continuing as a founding executive with meaningful equity ownership.

The Opportunity

Catalyze Partners is evaluating the acquisition and commercialization of a novel bioreactor platform that uses engineered microorganisms to extract and purify rare earth elements from magnet e-waste, mine tailings, and other REE-rich feedstocks.


The process replaces today's chemical-intensive extraction methods with a low-energy, environmentally safe biological system, offering the potential for significantly lower cost, domestic supply resilience, and alignment with U.S. strategic priorities around critical materials and on-shoring.

The selected Operating Partner will:

• Lead technical, commercial, and strategic due diligence on the underlying technology
• Develop a comprehensive business plan and commercialization roadmap
• Evaluate market entry strategies across recycling, mining waste, and secondary feedstocks
• Assess capital requirements, unit economics, scale-up risks, and regulatory considerations
• Engage with potential customers, partners, and government stakeholders
• Help determine whether Catalyze proceeds with acquisition and company formation

If Catalyze elects to move forward, this individual is expected to step into a senior leadership role (CEO, COO, or CSO) in the newly formed company, with market-based salary and substantial equity participation.

About Catalyze Partners

Catalyze Partners is a holdings company that acquires and spins out technologies from some of the world's most respected corporations, building scalable operating companies to take those technologies into large commercial markets.


Catalyze provides capital, governance, and active operational support while empowering experienced executives to lead new ventures with true ownership.

Duration & Economics

• Diligence & Business Planning Phase: Approximately 90 days
• Transaction Closing (if pursued): Additional 60–90 days
• Compensation During Evaluation: All reasonable expenses covered; no salary during diligence phase
• Compensation Upon Company Formation: Competitive executive salary and meaningful equity ownership

This structure is intentionally designed for candidates motivated by company creation, leadership, and long-term value rather than short-term consulting fees.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate brings a blend of operational leadership, technical fluency, and commercial judgment, including:

• Experience leading or materially contributing to early-stage company formation
• Prior C-suite experience (CEO, COO, CSO, or equivalent)
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate technologies and author compelling business plans
• Track record of raising capital from strategic, financial, and government sources
• Relevant experience in industrial biotechnology, bioprocessing, mining, materials, recycling, or advanced manufacturing
• Exposure to the global rare earth elements market
• Familiarity with or relationships within U.S. government funding bodies supporting domestic critical materials

Why This Role Is Unique

• Opportunity to lead diligence on a Fortune 50-originated technology
• Clear path from evaluation to founding executive leadership
• Direct alignment with national strategic priorities around critical materials
• Platform to build a company with real scale, real assets, and real impact

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