Business Development Director – Subnet Partnerships

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Decentralized Intelligence

At Yuma, we are on a mission to drive positive economic and societal change by revolutionizing the way the world connects through decentralized intelligence. Yuma exists to champion development on Bittensor, an ecosystem that empowers brilliant minds and democratizes access to advanced computing and intelligence.  Together we are cultivating a space where innovation thrives, ideas are rewarded, and cutting-edge technology becomes accessible to everyone.

As a proud subsidiary of DCG, a global investor, builder, and incubator, we have the backing and resources to empower the next generation of visionaries. Our role is clear: to support and nurture transformative teams at the critical early stages of development. By removing barriers and providing the tools needed to succeed, we’re ensuring that the AI revolution is not just for a select few but for the visionaries shaping our shared future.

About the Role

We’re looking for a proactive, entrepreneurial business development professional who thrives in ambiguity and is ready to drive growth within the Bittensor ecosystem.  This role sits at the intersection of decentralized AI, protocol development, and early-stage partnerships. You’ll identify and engage high-potential teams, shape strategic deals, and help turn promising subnet ideas into thriving initiatives built on top of the Bittensor network.

This is not your traditional BD role. It’s part venture scout, part technical translator, part ecosystem builder. You’ll work closely with engineering and investment leads to bring new subnets to life—and help the best ideas scale.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Source high-potential subnet opportunities: Proactively identify and assess teams, researchers, and projects that are well-positioned to launch new subnets within the Bittensor ecosystem.
• Build and manage a top-of-funnel pipeline: Own the subnet development funnel from initial outreach through to signed agreements and launch support.
• Engage and influence subnet builders: Act as a trusted partner to founders and technical teams, helping them understand the benefits of building in Bittensor, navigate the subnet development process, and craft a vision for their network.
• Communicate Bittensor’s value proposition: Translate complex technical concepts and tokenomics into compelling narratives that resonate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Shape deals and go-to-market strategy: Structure incentives and partnership terms, coordinate validator support, and align internal stakeholders around subnet development timelines.
• Manage cross-functional execution: Partner with product, engineering, ecosystem, and marketing teams to ensure seamless onboarding and support subnet teams from devnet through mainnet launch.
• Track and report key metrics: Maintain visibility into the health of the subnet development pipeline, capture insights, and continuously improve our approach to subnet growth.
• Represent our brand and mission externally: Attend industry events, contribute to public-facing content, and engage in communities (Discord, Twitter, Telegram, forums) to build our presence and support prospective subnet teams.
• Stay ahead of ecosystem trends: Monitor developments in AI, Web3 infrastructure, and competitive decentralized ecosystems to inform strategy and maintain a leading edge.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, venture scouting, or founder-facing roles
• Experience in Web3, AI/ML, infrastructure, or developer ecosystems
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and building structure in fast-moving environments
• Strong communication and negotiation skills—both with technical teams and external partners
• A bias for action, high ownership, and the ability to independently drive deals from discovery to close
• Curiosity and fluency in decentralized systems, tokenomics, and the Bittensor ecosystem (or willingness to ramp quickly)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting go-to-market for early-stage protocols or AI/infra startups
• Connections in AI research, ML dev communities, or open-source ecosystems
• Prior involvement in Bittensor, TAO mining/validating, or other decentralized AIprojects

WHAT WE OFFER:

• An opportunity to thrive in a dynamic, cutting-edge environment at a rapidly scaling company led by experienced industry leaders
• An innovative learning environment where you can immerse yourself in the latest technologies, contribute to building a transformative new industry, and make a meaningful impact.Competitive base salary, bonus and incentive compensation
• Unlimited PTO / Flexible time off - work with your leader to take time off when you need it
• Professional development budget with flexibility for personal and professional growth
• Outstanding health insurance for employee, partner and dependents
• Life insurance, short-term & long-term disability coverage
• 401K plan with company contribution
• Flexible spending programs for medical and dependent care
• Paid parental leave

ABOUT YUMA:
At Yuma, our mission is to create positive economic and societal change by connecting transformative ideas to decentralized intelligence.

Yuma exists to support and encourage development on Bittensor – an ecosystem that rewards our brightest minds and opens access to advanced computing and intelligence. We support promising teams at critical early stages of development, enabling world changing innovations to get off the ground and ensuring the AI revolution is accessible to the next generation of visionaries shaping our world.

Yuma is a subsidiary of DCG, a global investor, builder and incubator.

Yuma is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, marital status, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), gender identity, sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other non-merit-based factors protected under federal, state or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.