About this role.
This internal-founder role leads a small Foundry pod to identify a commercially viable problem, validate demand, build an AI-enabled product, and win initial paying customers. The Pod Founder owns product direction, customer discovery, early sales, and pod-level profit and loss performance while partnering with a Builder and operating team. Success is measured through rapid customer validation, pilots, general availability, revenue, and stage-gate decisions. It is a high-accountability zero-to-one position reporting to the President of New Markets, suited to a hands-on product-minded commercial operator.
Role DNA
A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.
Job Complexity
5/5Pace & Pressure
5/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.
Core skills
Skills and capabilities most closely associated with this opportunity.
Sample interview questions
I would explain the customer problem, the evidence used to validate it, the minimum product built, and the sales motion that produced initial revenue. I would quantify learning speed, conversion, retention, or revenue and describe what I changed based on customer feedback.
I would start with structured customer interviews and workflow observation, then assess urgency, frequency, willingness to pay, market reach, and whether our solution can create a meaningful advantage. I would define a short validation plan with explicit success thresholds before committing substantial build resources.
I would separate attachment to the thesis from attachment to the customer problem, review the evidence, and identify whether the issue is the segment, problem severity, solution, or pricing. I would rapidly test the strongest alternative and recommend a pivot or shutdown if the economics and demand no longer support the opportunity.
I focus quality on the customer-critical workflow, security expectations, and the promise being sold, while deliberately limiting scope elsewhere. I use prototypes and small pilots to learn quickly, then invest in reliability and scalability only after evidence shows repeatable demand.
I would target a narrow customer segment with a painful, measurable problem and use discovery conversations to co-create a clear pilot outcome. I would propose a time-bound pilot with agreed success metrics, a defined buyer, and a credible path to paid expansion if the product delivers value.
At Instructure, we believe in the power of people to grow and succeed throughout their lives. Our goal is to amplify that power by creating intuitive products that simplify learning and personal development, facilitate meaningful relationships, and inspire people to go further in their education and careers.
We do this by giving smart, creative, passionate people opportunities to create awesome. And that’s where you come in:
Foundry is a standalone division inside Instructure, built to generate new revenue with AI-built products. As a Pod Founder, you’ll start a company around a problem worth a business, prove customers will pay for the answer in weeks, and build and sell the product yourself. This is a player-coach who builds and sells. You’ll be paired with a Builder, backed by a supporting operating team, and given a token budget to build agentically. If you’ve ever wanted to be a founder but didn’t want to raise money and assemble distribution from scratch, this is that. The role reports to the President, New Markets.
What you will do
Find and validate the problem. Bring founder-level conviction about a specific problem worth building a business around. Get in front of real customers in the first weeks, score the problem and the solution honestly, and earn the gate to build. Bring your own thesis, or take one of ours.
Build the product. Author the specs, the product context, and the customer findings. Work hands-on with your Builder, and in the code yourself when it’s the fastest path. You set what gets built and why.
Sell it. Land the first pilot, prove customers will pay, and get to general availability and the first paying customers beyond the pilot. Revenue is the scoreboard.
Run the business. Own your pod’s profit and loss, hit the stage-gates, and make the call when the evidence says change course.
What you’ll need to know/have
A builder’s instinct and a commercial mind in the same person — a design and engineering sensibility paired with a feel for what customers will actually pay for.
Evidence you’ve shipped something real and put it in front of customers, ideally something you started or owned, not just contributed to.
The judgment to work across product, sales, marketing, and support without waiting for a function to do it for you.
A bias for the customer over the org chart.
The range to build and sell well enough that a two-person team is genuinely enough.
Prior startup or zero-to-one experience helps; a track record of finishing helps more.
What we expect
Speed over polish. You validate with real customers in weeks, not quarters. A working prototype in front of a customer beats a perfect plan every time.
Conviction you can defend. You can hold a strong point of view about a problem and still change it the moment a customer proves you wrong.
Comfort with the gates. The go/no-go gates are real, and your pod can be folded or consolidated at a checkpoint. You’ll run toward those checkpoints, not away from them, and treat a fold as information, not failure.
Ownership of outcomes, not hours. Nobody will hand you scope. You’ll define it, defend it at the board, and answer for the result.
Get in on all the awesome at Instructure!
We offer competitive, meaningful benefits in every country where we operate. While they vary by location, here’s a general idea of what you can expect:
Competitive compensation, plus all full-time employees participate in our ownership program – because everyone should have a stake in our success.
Flexible work culture. Our remote, hybrid and in-office collaboration spaces vary by role, team and location.
Generous time off, including local holidays and our annual “Dim the Lights” period in late December, when teams are encouraged to step back and recharge based on departmental needs.
Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support
Learning and development resources, including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement, to support your growth
The technology and tools you need to do your best work
Motivosity employee recognition program
A culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection
We believe in hiring great people and treating them right. The more diverse we are, the better our ideas and outcomes.
Instructure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws in every country where we operate.
All employees must pass a background check as part of the hiring process. To help protect our teams and systems, we’ve implemented identity verification measures. Candidates may be asked to verify their legal name, current physical location, and provide a valid contact number and residential address, in accordance with local data privacy laws.
Any attempt to misrepresent personal or professional information will result in disqualification.
Annual salary information is not provided for this position. Explore salary ranges for similar roles in our Salary Directory ›
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