--- title: 'Product & Design Associate at Simpleventures' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/product-design-associate-simpleventures-toronto-3gm8tp9c8051' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-09' --- # Product & Design Associate at Simpleventures - **Company:** Simpleventures - **Location:** Toronto, Canada - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** hybrid - **Posted:** 2024-12-03 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/simpleventures/4523d9c6-0934-43e3-9c5d-344e28195b49 ## Job description Simple Ventures is a new Canadian startup studio that builds 2-3 new ventures per year. We are backed by Canada’s top Founder-Operators, including the founders of Ada (Mike Murchison), Wealthsimple (Michael Katchen), Shopify (Harley Finkelstein), Knix (Joanna Griffiths), Felix Health (Emma Stern), and 30+ others. We're a small team of exited (2nd or 3rd time) founders with deep expertise in Sales, Product, and Growth. We research hundreds of ideas, hand-pick the best concepts to build, and partner with brilliant founders to launch new businesses. ## About the Role We’re looking for driven, entrepreneurial, and product-obsessed talent to join our Product team. In this role, you’ll be responsible for building MVPs for new ventures and leading the design and development of v1 products. You’ll work closely with CEOs and the Simple Ventures team to take ventures from 0 to 1. Additionally, you’ll receive mentorship from top product and tech leaders in Canada, helping you grow your skills and experience in venture building. Note: this is a full-time position, not an internship. ## What You'll Do - Lead the design and launch of v1 MVPs for new ventures. - Create wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs. - Build functional MVPs quickly using AI-assisted development workflows and tools (for example: Cursor, Lovable, Base44, Replit), plus traditional development as needed. - Collaborate with CEOs and product teams to iterate and deliver fast, high-quality solutions. - Refine product designs and user flows based on feedback and data, continuously improving usability and user experience. - Validate assumptions and hypotheses, embracing a "fail fast, learn fast" mindset. ## Requirements - A track record of building and designing products, either through work experience or personal projects. - A sharp design eye and an obsession with shipping exceptional products. - Motivation to bring ventures from concept to market. - Experience shipping products with modern AI-assisted development tools and workflows (for example: prompt-to-app tools, AI pair programming, rapid prototyping environments), and the judgment to choose the right approach for speed, quality, and maintainability. - A strong ability to learn, iterate, and ship quickly. Nice-to-Haves & Traits We Value - Programming experience or an understanding of developer workflows. - A first-principles approach to problem-solving. - A low ego and a willingness to do whatever it takes to help new ventures succeed. At Simple Ventures, we value potential and a hunger for building above all else. If this sounds like you—even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with this description—we’d still love to hear from you. You might still be the perfect fit for this role (or we can create one for you!) ## About Simpleventures ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Simple Ventures is a venture studio that pairs proven leaders with high-potential ideas to build sustainable, profitable Canadian-founded companies. - **Entity Type**: Private (Venture Studio | Founded 2023) - **Headquarters**: Toronto, Canada - **Founded**: 2023 - **Founders**: Michael Katchen (Co-Founder & Chair), Rachel Zimmer (Co-Founder & CEO) ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Venture Studio / Startup Builder - **Target Customers**: Entrepreneurs (prospective CEOs) and partners; the companies they build serve a mix of B2B and B2C markets (e.g., consumer lending, healthcare, fintech, luxury goods). - **Mission / Purpose**: “We’re here to change that. Simple Ventures pairs proven leaders with high-potential ideas, providing the tools, resources, and focus they need to build sustainable, profitable businesses that make an impact.” ## Products & Services - **[Venture Building Program]**: A structured, de-risked process that moves from idea validation (Ideate) to launch (Launch) to scaling (Scale). Each venture receives a $1M CAD committed investment, operational support, and access to a network of advisors and potential acquirers. - **[Alma Care] (Portfolio)**: Premium postnatal care platform connecting families with certified professionals for at-home and retreat-based care. Founded 2023. - **[Harvest] (Portfolio)**: AI‑enabled accounts receivable collection platform that helps businesses recover overdue invoices without damaging customer relationships. Founded 2025. - **[Kindly] (Portfolio)**: Senior care navigation platform helping families coordinate care for aging parents across Canada’s fragmented provincial systems. Founded 2025. - **[Zero Collective] (Portfolio)**: Canada’s first membership club to rent designer bags (Chanel, Dior, YSL, etc.) with options to purchase. Founded 2024. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (privately held) - **Key Metric**: Commits $1M CAD per venture; portfolio includes 4 active companies launched since 2023. - **Notable Investors / Partners**: Backed by 30+ renowned Canadian entrepreneurs including Michael Katchen (Wealthsimple), Joanna Griffiths (Knix), Harley Finkelstein (Shopify), and Mike Murchison (Ada). - **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 15 employees (+25% YoY, +4 people); LinkedIn followers 4,985 (+4.2% monthly); multiple new ventures launched in 2025; adoption of a capital‑efficient model blending search funds, private equity, venture capital, and bootstrapping. ## Competitive Advantages - **Capital‑efficient model** that minimizes dilution while ensuring each dollar drives real growth. - **Derisked CEO‑first approach**: Pre‑validated ideas, $1M committed investment, operational support, and pre‑built acquirer connections. - **Deep Canadian network** with access to top entrepreneurs and a focus on localization of proven global concepts. - **Risk‑mitigation structure** that caps downside, allowing operators to focus on execution without fear of catastrophic loss. ## Strategic Focus - Build the next generation of great Canadian‑founded companies. - Prioritize profitability and long‑term value over short‑term hype; target life‑changing exits within 5 years. - Continuous ideation and validation of new business concepts, focusing on sectors where Canada is underserved (e.g., healthcare, fintech, consumer services). ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “Extreme ownership,” relentless dedication to customer experience, scrappy problem‑solving, and a track record of building and operating. - **Work model**: On‑site in Toronto (hybrid for some roles like Design & Product Associate). - **Team**: Small, lean, high‑performing team (15 people) where your impact is visible. - **Growth**: Opportunity to work on multiple ventures from 0 to 1, with direct access to experienced founders and investors. - **Compensation**: Not specified, but model emphasizes meaningful ownership for CEOs; associate roles likely offer competitive startup compensation. ## Sources 1. [About | Simple Ventures](https://www.simpleventures.ca/about) 2. [Careers | Simple Ventures](https://www.simpleventures.ca/careers) 3. [LinkedIn – Simple Ventures](https://linkedin.com/company/simple-ventures-canada) 4. [Portfolio | Simple Ventures](https://www.simpleventures.ca/portfolio) ## Other roles at Simpleventures - [Design & Product Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/design-product-lead-simpleventures-toronto-ape3y5bt9hzw) — Toronto, Canada - [CEO](https://feeny.ai/job/ceo-simpleventures-toronto-d6g3g19sek0p) — Toronto, Canada