Innovation Advisor (Part-time, Equity only)

Innovation Advisor — KefiloAbout Kefilo
Kefilo is building a NutritionTech and personalised transformation ecosystem focused on functional nutrition, preventive wellness, gut health, fitness and lifestyle redesign.
Our current R&D focus is on building the Nutrition Intelligence Engine and developing innovative, scalable systems across food science, nutrition, technology and intelligent food production.
Role
Innovation Advisor
Engagement
Equity-based founding team opportunity
Part-time: 20–25 hours/week
Remote / Hybrid
Long-term strategic ownership role
No fixed salary at the current stage until funding and revenue stabilisation
Key Responsibilities
Innovation Strategy — Advise the founders on innovation opportunities across NutritionTech, FoodTech, functional foods, intelligent manufacturing and personalised wellness.
R&D Opportunities — Identify emerging technologies, research areas, products, processes and scientific developments that can create competitive advantages for Kefilo.
Innovation Network — Build relationships with R&D labs, universities, research institutions, food technology institutes, scientists, innovators, incubators and technology companies.
Technology & Product Scouting — Identify and evaluate new technologies, ingredients, processing methods, automation solutions, AI applications and FoodTech innovations relevant to Kefilo.
Government & Innovation Ecosystem — Identify relevant grants, innovation schemes, subsidies, R&D programs, incubation opportunities and government initiatives at central and state levels.
Strategic Partnerships — Facilitate collaborations with research organisations, technology providers, innovators, manufacturers, academic institutions and other strategic partners.
Commercialisation — Help evaluate which innovations have genuine commercial potential and support the journey from research/concept → validation → product → market.
IP & Competitive Advantage — Identify opportunities for patents, proprietary processes, formulations, technologies and other forms of intellectual property that can strengthen Kefilo's competitive position.
Innovation Pipeline — Help build and maintain a structured pipeline of innovation projects, prioritising them based on feasibility, cost, impact, scalability and commercial potential.
Cross-Functional R&D — Work closely with Food Scientists, Nutritionists, Data Scientists, Kitchen Operations, Product and Technology teams to convert innovative ideas into practical solutions.
Industry Intelligence — Track emerging FoodTech, NutritionTech, health, food manufacturing and consumer wellness trends and translate them into actionable opportunities.
Founder Advisory — Provide strategic guidance to the founders on innovation decisions, technology partnerships, R&D priorities and long-term differentiation.
Ideal Candidate
8+ years of experience in innovation, R&D, FoodTech, NutritionTech, FMCG, food manufacturing, technology, research or a related field
Strong network across R&D labs, universities, research institutions, innovation centres, incubators or technology companies
Understanding of innovation ecosystems, technology commercialisation and R&D processes
Experience identifying or executing research collaborations and strategic partnerships
Knowledge of government grants, innovation schemes and R&D funding is highly valuable
Understanding of patents/IP and technology transfer is an advantage
Strong strategic thinking and ability to convert ideas into actionable projects
Entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to take ownership in an early-stage company
Key Outcome
The primary objective of this role is to help Kefilo build a strong Innovation & R&D ecosystem — giving the company access to the right technologies, research capabilities, institutions, experts, funding opportunities and partnerships required to create differentiated and scalable NutritionTech and FoodTech solutions.
Equity-Based Opportunity
This is an ownership-oriented founding opportunity, not a conventional salaried advisory position.
Equity Will Be Considered Based On
Expertise and experience
Strategic contribution
Network and relationships
Responsibility and ownership
Time commitment
Long-term involvement
Tangible impact on Kefilo's innovation and R&D ecosystem
Core founding team members will follow a structured vesting arrangement, typically over 5 years.
If you are primarily looking for a fixed-salary position, this opportunity may not be suitable at the current stage. If you are interested in building with Kefilo and contributing to its long-term innovation and technology advantage, we would be happy to discuss the opportunity.
Skills: technology,innovation,partnerships,funding

Work arrangement
No