StartUp Partners
HBS Alumni share their industry knowledge and business building experience with local entrepreneurs in a lunchtime advisory roundtable session.
It is a high touch, low commitment program that has been embraced by HBS alums who want to bring their seasoned business expertise to emerging business leaders and startups.
Startup Advisors
StartUp Advisors

As Part of the StartUp Partners Program, Alumni Advisors Provide the following:
- Advice on strengthening business plans & strategies for raising capital
- Candor that helps focus startup’s strategy & clarifies customer pain points
- Insights on product-market fit and scaling business
- Curated, topically focused peer group discussions among entrepreneurs
- Introductions to ecosystem – customers, partners, VCs
Participation in the StartUp Partners Program as an Advisor is a Benefit of Membership with the HBS Association of Boston.
- Advisors must be current members of HBSAB or be prepared to signup for membership before their first session.
Meetings are from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
- Up to six HBS Alumni, for each 2 hour session, are ADVISORS to the lead ENTREPRENEUR of one specific startup.
- ADVISORS receive information in advance and during the session they investigate up to two focused business challenges presented by the startup.
- ENTREPRENEURS come from a variety of sectors including MedTech, EdTech, Real Estate, Insurance, Finance, Travel, Consumer Services, Retail, AutoTech and more.
- Sign up to advise an upcoming StartUp Partner session below using the “Sign Up” button. Sessions are filled on a first come, first serve basis and are only open to members of the HBS Association of Boston.
Entrepreneurs / Startups

- Advice on strengthening business plans, going to market strategies, timing for raising capital, etc.
- Clarification of the startup’s strategy & pain points
- Insights on product-market fit and scaling business
- Curated, topically focused peer group discussions among entrepreneurs
- Introductions to ecosystem – customers, partners, VCs
Meetings are from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
- Up to six HBS Alumni, for each 2 hour session, are ADVISORS to the lead ENTREPRENEUR of one specific startup. The meeting is held on the HBS campus or at the ENTREPRENEUR’S office.
- About 2 weeks before the session, ENTREPRENEURS provide StartUp Partners with one or two focus questions to guide the discussion and a their pitch deck so ADVISORS receive all information needed ahead of time and are prepared to provide meaningful support.
Entrepreneur Testimonials
Startup Partners Alum Success

Former Startup Partner client, Joro, receives $2.5 million in seed financing
Congratulations to Joro, a March 2019 Startup Partner Alum, on their recent success! Joro is an app and community that helps people automatically track and improve their carbon footprints. We apply predictive analytics and AI to deliver tailored recommendations to reduce emissions, create a community to compare and share progress with others, and make it easy for people to buy carbon offsets and participate in the carbon economy. Read the full article here!
Meet Our Advisors

Paige Arnof-Fenn
MBA 1991
- Marketing, Branding & Communications
- Experience with P&G, Coke, Zipcar, Morgan Stanley, Mavens & Moguls

Austin Walters
MBA 2016
- Healthcare industry
- Experience working with SpringTide Partners, Medumo, FreMon Scientific, Innosight, Board Vitals

Christopher Calisi
TMG 1998
- Computer / Software industry
- Experience working with Oracle, Symantec, Overland, Cambridge Sound Management

Roberta Sydney
MBA 1983
- Real estate development, financial
services & IT - Experienced private
company board member
More Advisors

Chesley Chen
MBA 1983
- Healthcare, Life Sciences, Tech, Financial Services
- Scismic, Benefunder, Good Measures,
Warner Babcock, Gametime Media

Barbara Thornton
MBA 1995
- City Planning, Public Finance, Infrastructure, Local Government
- Experience in ecommerce, fashion, retail, footwear, nonprofits

David Harris
MBA 1984
- Retail, Direct Marketing, Enterprise Software, Education, Nonprofits
- Oracle, Symantec, Overland, Cambridge Sound Management

Robyn Bolton
MBA 2005
- CPG, Retail, Healthcare, Media & Cable, Innovation
- Experience working with P&G, BCG, Innosight, multiple corporate startups
More Advisors

Stephanie Crimmins
MBA 2000
- CPG, Restaurant, Retail, Private Equity, Financial Services
- Panera Bread, Fidelity Investments, Cocomama, The Dinner Daily

Ed Ellison
MBA 1991
- Education expert
- Experience working with Tufts University, St. Johns Country Day School, Roxbury Latin School, Milton Academy

Bern Bradstreet
MBA 1984
- Software, SaaS, AI, Finance, M&A, Construction
- BCB Consulting, ConstructSecure, Envox, Sonexis, Brooktrout Software

Charles Chassidy
MBA 1983
- Institutional Financial Services, Investments, Technology
- State Street, Cambridge Associates, Lightkeeper, AlphaPipe, Adjoint