Advisory board · invitation only
An information advantage.
Our advisory board is made of former operators: finance chiefs, engineering leaders, scientists and founders. They hear about companies before the market does, sit in diligence on the businesses they know best, and tell us when to walk away.
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Interactive
Sit on the board for one deal
Five steps, one company, the way the bench works a deal. Pick a company that is already public and play a board seat.
Step 1 of 5
Where did the signal come from?
Illustrative simulation. Company facts are cited; board dialogue is written by CrossWork.
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What they do
Three ways the board changes what we see
Early sight
Members hear about companies before the market does, from founders, boards and early employees they have worked with.
Diligence
Former finance chiefs, engineering heads and scientists sit in diligence on the businesses they know best, and tell us when to walk away.
Access
An introduction from someone a founder trusts is what opens the door.
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The bench
Who sits on it
The bench combines former Fortune 500 chief executives and finance chiefs with operators inside today's pre-IPO companies.
- Ann SardiniFormer CFO, Weight Watchers
- Charles MeintjesFormer COO, Peabody Energy
- Smruti PatelFormer Head of Data Engineering, Stripe
- Mike LittleCo-founder, WordPress
- Bill CanceFormer Chief Medical Officer, American Cancer Society
- Regina Benjamin, M.D.18th U.S. Surgeon General
- Kevin HarringtonEx-Shark Tank judge
- Charles Bisgaier, Ph.D.Co-developer, Lipitor
- Andrea HuntFormer Director, Catalyst Biosciences
- Theresa CerulliClinical Instructor, Harvard Medical School
- Les VinneyFormer CEO, STERIS
- Nancy ZhengHead of Inference, Cerebras
Selected members. Full roster under NDA.
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Coverage
Where the board has operated. Inside the businesses we look at.
Each tile is a role held by a member of the bench, in the sector they know from the inside.
- FinanceFormer CFO, Weight Watchers
- EnergyFormer COO, Peabody Energy
- Payments infrastructureFormer Head of Data Engineering, Stripe
- Internet softwareCo-founder, WordPress
- Consumer mediaEx-Shark Tank judge
- PharmaceuticalsCo-developer, Lipitor
- Public health18th U.S. Surgeon General
- Life sciencesFormer Director, Catalyst BiosciencesClinical Instructor, Harvard Medical School
- HealthcareFormer Chief Medical Officer, American Cancer Society
- Medical devicesFormer CEO, STERIS
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In practice
How the board is used. Five places it enters a decision.
Members work on specific companies, in the areas they know from running them.
Industry insight
Sector knowledge and trend reading that informs each evaluation.
Diligence and risk
Former operators pressure-test a company's claims before a decision.
Thesis and strategy
Input on where a category is going and which companies define it.
Network and access
Introductions to companies, co-investors and executives.
Governance and regulatory view
Perspective from people who have run regulated businesses.