AI Associate

Due to the increase in the number of companies in our portfolio and the growing importance of AI within the software landscape, we are further expanding the Performance Excellence team. We are therefore looking for an AI Associate.

Your job at Main

As an AI Associate, you will play a key role in driving AI value creation across Main’s portfolio of software companies. You will work closely with portfolio company management teams and Main’s investment teams to identify, prioritize and support AI initiatives that create measurable business impact.

At Main Capital Partners, we believe in the power of smart, driven individuals to shape the future of software.

About us

With over €7.0 billion in assets under management, we are a strategic investor focused on innovative software companies across Benelux, DACH, Nordics, France, and North America. Our mission is to support sustainable growth in the software sector, one of the most dynamic and impactful industries today.

We’re proud of our strong track record and our reputation as one of Europe’s most distinctive and high-performing investors. With a portfolio of 55+ companies, we’re growing fast—and so is our team of 90+ professionals across offices in The Hague, Antwerp, Düsseldorf, Stockholm, Paris, and our affiliated office in Boston.

Your opportunity

Your focus will be on AI opportunities in the software development lifecycle and product domain, including developer productivity, product innovation, quality assurance, customer experience, product analytics and the scalability of software organizations. Rather than building solutions yourself, you will help determine where AI can create the most value and translate these opportunities into clear roadmaps, business cases, KPIs and execution plans.

A key part of the role is helping organizations move from AI ambition to adoption. You will support management teams in aligning leadership, product, engineering and commercial stakeholders around the most relevant initiatives, while helping them manage the organizational change required to make these initiatives successful.

In addition, you will work with Main’s investment teams during due diligence and value creation planning by assessing AI maturity, product and technology opportunities, data readiness and potential risks. You will translate these insights into clear recommendations for investment teams and portfolio company leadership. From a broader value creation perspective, you will contribute to building repeatable AI frameworks, playbooks and best practices that can be applied across the portfolio.

Tasks include:

• Identify and prioritize AI initiatives with portfolio company management teams, focusing on high-impact opportunities within the software development lifecycle and product domain;
• Translate AI opportunities into structured roadmaps, business cases, and implementation plans with clear objectives, KPIs, and success metrics;
• Advise management teams on where to focus, balancing impact, feasibility, and organizational readiness to ensure resources are allocated to the most valuable initiatives;
• Support portfolio companies in driving adoption of AI initiatives by aligning stakeholders across leadership, product, engineering, and commercial teams;
• Monitor progress and business impact of AI initiatives through defined metrics and performance tracking, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable results;
• Collaborate with Main’s investment teams during due diligence and value creation planning, assessing AI maturity, product and technology opportunities, data readiness, and risks;
• Translate technical and product-related insights into clear, actionable recommendations for both investment teams and portfolio company leadership;
• Contribute to the development of reusable AI frameworks, assessment methodologies, and best practices that can be scaled across the portfolio.

Why you would be a good fit for us:

• You have completed a university education (WO) in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Business Analytics, or a related technical field;
• You have 3–5 years of relevant experience, for example in consulting, technology advisory, product strategy, software engineering, or data engineering;
• You combine a strong understanding of software development, data, and AI with the ability to translate technical opportunities into clear business value;
• You have experience identifying opportunities and gaps within organizations and translating these into structured plans and concrete initiatives;
• You have strong consulting skills, including structured problem solving, stakeholder management, and the ability to communicate complex topics clearly through analyses and presentations;
• You are comfortable working with senior stakeholders, including management teams, product leaders, engineering leaders, and investment professionals;
• You know how to define KPIs, track progress, and assess whether initiatives are delivering measurable impact;
• You take a pragmatic, value-driven approach and can distinguish high-impact initiatives from low-priority or overly complex solutions;
• You have an interest in AI applications within software companies, particularly in product development and the software development lifecycle;
• You are able to support organizations in adopting new ways of working, helping teams align around and embed AI-driven initiatives;
• Excellent command of English and Dutch, both spoken and written, is required. German or French is a plus.

Why work with us:

• Entrepreneurial, fun, young, and dedicated team within an informal and open corporate culture;
• Gain experience, knowledge, and insight into a leading sector-focused investment fund in the fast-growing software sector;
• Get involved in dynamic and interesting projects quickly;
• Many responsibilities early on;
• A steep learning curve and career progression;
• Competitive benefits package, including (healthy) lunches every day and a generous Company Fitness plan.