a+by Akhil Aryan + me
Jobs · Dubai, on site

Head of Programme

Run a+ pop-ups end to end, starting with the first one in Dubai.

  • WhereDubai, on site
  • TermsContract through the first pop-up, then full-time
  • StartEarly November 2026

a+ is starting pop-up accelerators: one month, ten founders, a small cheque, AI credits, and a demo day in front of real investors. The first one opens in Dubai this winter. After that, four to six a year, in different cities.

I own who gets in, what they learn, and the stage at the end. I need someone to own everything that makes the month actually happen. That is this job.

What you will own

  • The month itself: the space, the schedule, the daily rhythm, the food, the room.
  • The founders’ experience, from the day they are accepted to the day they fly home: travel, visas, housing, onboarding.
  • Speakers, mentors and investors: booking them, briefing them, and running their sessions on time.
  • Demo day: the run of show, the investor list, and the production with our content team.
  • Sponsors: delivering everything each one was promised, and showing them that we did.
  • The playbook: writing down how we did it, so the second pop-up takes half the effort of the first.

Your first eight weeks

  • The venue booked and the month’s schedule built in your first two weeks.
  • Ten founders accepted, travelling, housed and onboarded before kickoff.
  • Kickoff on time, every session on time, and a demo day without a hitch.
  • A first draft of the playbook by the time the last founder flies home.

You might be right for this if

  • You have run a cohort programme, an accelerator or founder events end to end. Run it, not supported it.
  • You know Dubai: its venues, vendors, free zones and visa routes, and who to call at 9pm.
  • Details matter to you, and deadlines make you calmer, not louder.
  • People feel looked after when you are in the room.
  • You write clearly and use AI tools every day. a+ tells founders they can build a company in 30 days with AI; the team works that way too.

What you get

  • You work directly with me, and you own the programme as it grows from one city to several.
  • A contract through the first pop-up, becoming full-time when it works.
  • Pay we agree together. Tell me what you need in the form; I would rather start from the real number.

I read every application myself and reply within a week. If there is a fit, next is a call, then a short paid piece of work together. No unpaid trials, no six-round processes.

Apply

Fifteen minutes. Write it the way you would say it.

Numbers help: how many people, how long, what budget.