Geovation Technology & Incubator Lead

Head of Technology & Innovation (Geovation Incubator)

Location: Farringdon, London (Minimum 3 days onsite)

Salary: £70,000 – £84,647 (incl. London Weighting, DOE)

Type: Full-time

About the Role

Help shape the future of geospatial innovation and next-generation location-powered products.

Geovation is our clients external innovation and R&D function, working with startups, founders, and partners to explore new applications of location data and turn ideas into reality.

Based in the vibrant Farringdon hub, you will sit at the core of innovation—leading research-led experimentation, accelerating product development, and translating insights into outcomes that drive OS’s future strategy.

Why This Role Matters

Geovation expands OS’s impact beyond traditional geospatial applications by:

• Nurturing early-stage startups
• Building partnerships
• Identifying emerging technologies and markets

You will lead Geovation’s Incubator Programme , which:

• Explores new ideas and applications of location data
• Supports entrepreneurs in building impactful products
• Generates insights to inform OS’s strategic direction

This role operates like a CTO within an innovation environment , combining:

• Technical leadership
• Product thinking
• Innovation strategy
• Programme delivery

Key Responsibilities

Leadership – Incubator Team

• Lead a multidisciplinary team (technical & non-technical)
• Own and deliver the Incubator programme
• Select startups and tailor bespoke support packages
• Oversee hypothesis-driven PoC experiments delivering:
• Insight for OS
• IP/value for startups

Programme Development & Delivery

• Design and deliver agile, sprint-based innovation programmes
• Implement design-led methodologies and best practice agile approaches
• Contribute to consultancy revenue (£50k–£100k annually)

Technical Leadership

• Act as a thought leader across:
• Geospatial data
• Emerging technologies
• Market trends
• Translate complex technical concepts for varied audiences

Technical Management

• Strengthen R&D and product development capabilities
• Maintain modern tools, processes, and technical standards
• Mentor and develop team technical skills

Essential Requirements

• 5–10+ years in geospatial and/or software development
• Experience across multiple tools, languages, and SDLC
• 3–5 years leadership experience managing high-performing teams
• 2–3 years working with or supporting startups
• Proven track record delivering:
• Innovation programmes
• Research initiatives
• Experimental validation (hypothesis-led)
• Strong awareness of emerging tech trends
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• Product-led, design-thinking mindset

Desirable Skills

• Startup mentoring or advisory experience
• Background in incubators/accelerators/innovation labs
• Experience with geospatial or location-based technologies
• Experience generating consultancy revenue
• Programme management or externally funded projects experience

Core Skills

• Software Development & SDLC
• GIS & Geospatial Data
• Secure Software Development
• Engineering Practices
• Computer Programming