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Startup Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

About the role As the Manager, Startup Partnerships at Anthropic, you'll lead a high-performing and technical team of startup partners focused on driving adoption of Anthropic's AI solutions across ...

As Startup Program Manager, you'll own the day-to-day execution of the program: building and maintaining partner relationships, driving founder engagement, and keeping program operations running ...

As Startup Program Manager, you'll own the day-to-day execution of the program: building and maintaining partner relationships, driving founder engagement, and keeping program operations running ...

About the role As the Manager, Startup Partnerships at Anthropic, you'll lead a high-performing and technical team of startup partners focused on driving adoption of Anthropic's AI solutions across ...

About the role As the Startup Partnerships Lead at Anthropic, you will drive transformative growth and strategic alignment by forging and managing high-impact startup partnerships. You will drive the ...

Startup Partnerships Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$215K - $300K/yr

Experience sourcing, negotiating, and managing partnerships or business development relationships in the technology industry * Working knowledge of the startup ecosystem, including how venture firms ...

Finix is looking to hire an exceptional Partnerships Manager to grow and manage Finix's strategic relationships within the startup ecosystem, including accelerators and venture capital firms. What ...

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Showing results 1-20

Startup Manager information

See California salary details

$28.1K

$61.8K

$112K

How much do startup manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for startup manager in California is $61,840.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44,400.00 and $68,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a startup manager do?

A Startup Manager is responsible for overseeing the early stages of a company's development. Their main duties include coordinating business operations, managing resources, setting goals, and ensuring the team is aligned with the company's vision. They often handle multiple roles, such as marketing, finance, and product development, to help the startup grow. Startup Managers also build relationships with investors and mentors to secure funding and guidance. Their dynamic role is crucial for turning a startup idea into a viable business.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a startup manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Startup Manager, you need strong business acumen, strategic planning skills, and experience in entrepreneurship or business development, often supported by a relevant degree or startup experience. Familiarity with project management tools, CRM systems, and financial software is typically required. Exceptional leadership, resilience, and problem-solving abilities help distinguish top performers in this role. These skills and qualities are essential for navigating uncertainty, driving growth, and leading teams in the fast-paced startup environment.

What are some common challenges faced by startup managers during the early stages of a company?

Startup Managers often navigate challenges such as limited resources, rapidly shifting priorities, and building a cohesive team from the ground up. They are typically responsible for wearing multiple hats, balancing strategic planning with hands-on operational tasks. Additionally, Startup Managers must foster a collaborative culture while adapting quickly to feedback and market changes. These challenges require resilience, excellent communication skills, and an ability to motivate teams through uncertainty.

What is the difference between Startup Manager vs Business Development Manager?

AspectStartup ManagerBusiness Development Manager
Primary FocusOverseeing startup operations, project execution, and growth strategiesIdentifying new business opportunities, partnerships, and revenue streams
Required SkillsProject management, leadership, startup ecosystem knowledgeSales, negotiation, market analysis
Work EnvironmentFast-paced startup settings, small teamsCorporate or startup, client-facing roles
Common UsageFound in early-stage companies managing overall operationsIn larger companies or startups focusing on expansion and partnerships

The main difference is that Startup Managers focus on overseeing the overall operations and growth of a startup, while Business Development Managers concentrate on expanding the company's market presence and forming strategic partnerships. Both roles require strong communication and organizational skills but serve different core functions within a business environment.

What are the most commonly searched types of Startup jobs in California?

The most popular types of Startup jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Startup Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Startup Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Startup Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $61,840 per year, or $29.7 per hour.

Manager, Startup Partnerships

WinsAbove

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$300 - $355/hr

Other

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

About Anthropic

Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. We want AI to be safe and beneficial for our users and for society as a whole. Our team is a quickly growing group of committed researchers, engineers, policy experts, and business leaders working together to build beneficial AI systems.

About the role

As the Manager, Startup Partnerships at Anthropic, you’ll lead a high-performing and technical team of startup partners focused on driving adoption of Anthropic’s AI solutions across the startup landscape while ensuring responsible AI deployment. As a leadership role on the startups GTM team, you will lead a multi‑functional team working across accelerators, incubators, and ecosystem partners across mature and emerging markets. The team’s goal is to obsess over winning day‑zero founders globally and expand our customer base to ensure every new AI startup chooses to build on Claude.

You will be instrumental in establishing Anthropic’s presence in the global startup ecosystem, driving pipeline and new logos to startup sales across multiple regions. This role requires someone who thrives in ambiguity, can build from the ground up in new markets, and is driven to deliver exceptional results.

What you’ll do

Team Leadership

  • Experience managing P&L and hitting aggressive growth targets in fast‑paced environments
  • Build and lead a high‑performing, geographically distributed team of startup partners capable of influencing senior decision‑makers and GPs within accelerator and partner organizations
  • Work with cross‑functional teams across sales, marketing, product and data science
  • Recruit, develop, and retain exceptional talent across multiple regions and cultures. Create a unified, results‑oriented culture across geographies that attracts top talent and delivers outstanding outcomes to customers and the business.

Ecosystem Development

  • Lead multi‑threaded partner coverage across Accelerators and Ecosystem Partners
  • Work with partners to establish Claude as the AI platform of choice across global startup markets
  • Create a framework and plan for scaled initiatives to help ensure early‑stage founders are choosing to build on Claude.
  • Support the initiation and development of strategic relationships with global and regional partners
  • Adapt partnership models and GTM approaches to local market dynamics, regulatory environments, and cultural nuances
  • Navigate complex environments including regulatory, compliance, and data sovereignty considerations
You may be a good fit if you have
  • 12+ years experience building and scaling partner ecosystems across multiple international geographies with demonstrable evidence of driving substantial revenue and P&L management
  • 5+ years management experience leading and scaling high‑performing partnership teams
  • Deep experience operating across multiple geographies with understanding of local business practices, cultural nuances, and market dynamics
  • Strong background in enterprise technology sales internationally, ideally within cloud, AI/ML, or platform businesses
  • Executive presence with the ability to influence and build relationships at C‑suite level across diverse cultures
  • Collaborative approach with ability to work cross‑functionally across sales, product, marketing, and regional teams
  • Experience specifically within AI/ML or frontier technology companies
  • Established relationships with major global VCs, accelerators, and startup ecosystems (YC, a16z, Sequoia, etc.)
Annual Salary

Annual Salary: $300,000 – $355,000 USD

Logistics

Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience

Required field of study: A field relevant to the role as demonstrated through coursework, training, or professional experience

Minimum years of experience: Years of experience required will correlate with the internal job level requirements for the position

Location‑based hybrid policy: Currently, we expect all staff to be in one of our offices at least 25% of the time. However, some roles may require more time in our offices.

Visa sponsorship: We do sponsor visas! However, we aren’t able to successfully sponsor visas for every role and every candidate. If we make you an offer, we will make every reasonable effort to get you a visa, and we retain an immigration lawyer to help with this.

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