Chris Heivly

About Chris Heivly

Chris Heivly is one of the nation’s leading experts in how to turn startups into multimillion-dollar companies. At a time when the nation’s economy is shifting from a reliance on large corporations to smaller, more innovative organizations, he has been dubbed the “The Startup Whisperer.” For over 30 years, Heivly has worked at the highest levels for some of the world’s most recognized brands, including MapQuest, which was sold to AOL for $1.2 billion; Rand McNally, the world’s largest map publisher; and Accenture, the largest multinational management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company on the planet. He has also personally directed over $75 million in investment capital on behalf of these and other companies. Heivly currently serves as one of two managing directors of The Startup Factory, one of the largest seed investment firms in the Southeast. Under his leadership, the firm made 35 investments in emerging technology companies. More than 60 percent of TSF’s portfolio has gone on to raise follow-on capital, more than double the industry average for similar investment programs. After TSF, Chris joined Techstars, the world’s largest ecosystem that helps entrepreneurs build great businesses, to develop a new set of products and services focused on helping startup communities grow. This role leverages Heivly’s experience in building the Raleigh/Durham ecosystem with the expertise of Brad Feld (Foundry Group & Startup Communities) and the Techstars staff. Over the past five and a half years, Heivly created a team of 12, generated consulting engagements (3 months to 3 years), and materially changed entrepreneurship in under-developed cities (Ft Wayne, Indiana; Lima, Peru; Buffalo, New York; Okanagan, British Columbia; Taipei, Taiwan and many others). Heivly has become a sought-after speaker and go-to source for media. He has been quoted in major national and international outlets such as Forbes, Inc., the Washington Post, TechCrunch, Crain’s Business