WE HELP COMPANIES
GROW AND SUCCEED.
About Us
88ships is a growth and innovation advisory platform and white-glove technology startup builder. Our mission is to improve the success rates in the startup ecosystem and accelerate the pace of disruptive innovation.
We partner with innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and large corporations to strategically co-build, grow, and scale companies.
Whether you are an early stage startup looking for a trusted partner to supercharge growth, initiate new partnerships or raise your next round, or are a later stage growth company looking to rapidly scale, institutionalize processes, explore inorganic growth or strategic exit opportunities, we are here to help.
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We also help leading corporations stay on top of disruption by helping them cultivate internal innovation, engage external startups for partnerships, investments or acquisitions, and connect with the broader startup ecosystem.
We take a very hands-on approach to create value for various stakeholders. We tailor our services to each company and work side-by-side with entrepreneurs and corporations directly—no batch classes, no mandatory schedules or activities, no general templates, no boilerplate solutions.
Our platform is anchored in a community of seasoned, passionate, and expert mentors and corporate partners who provide critical support across all stages of the growth cycle. Not only do we help design and develop strategies and implementation plans, but we also help execute them.
Contact us to learn more.
Leadership Team
RALPH L. LEUNG
FOUNDER
Strategic CFO with 22+ years of progressive leadership experience across strategic finance/FP&A, financial operations, investment banking and corporate strategy.
Breadth and depth of experience spans serving as CFO for growth-stage VC-backed companies driving revenue growth and healthy unit economics, to advising on multi-billion dollar transformative M&A and IPOs for large cap businesses globally.
Past life as an M&A, tech and fintech investment banker at Morgan Stanley, working closely with multinational CEOs/CFOs to scale revenue, drive profitability, and craft story and positioning in advance of an IPO or a strategic exit.
Led over a dozen IPO processes end-to-end (as lead-left underwriter), and successfully raised $60+ billion of equity/debt capital (including as both CFO and as investment banker).
Led Fivestars (VC-backed) as CFO through acquisition by global payments leader SumUp for $317MM, and led successful exits of three Morgan Stanley-owned subsidiary businesses as principal and advised 50+ strategic M&A/LBO transactions and exits for $90+ billion of value as investment banker.
VIRVE VIRTANEN
COMMUNICATIONS LEAD
Former Head of Industry Analyst Relations at both Microsoft and Nokia.
SARAH BROWN
CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD
Owner of Blind Betty Creative; Former Creative Director at STRIVE!
PATRICK MOORE
ADVISORY BOARD
EVP, Strategy and Business Development, Carter’s
Former EVP and Chief Strategy Officer at YP; former Senior Partner with McKinsey's consumer practice; Board Member and Audit Chair at Ryman; MBA Harvard and BA University of Michigan
DIEGO ROTSZTAIN
ADVISORY BOARD
EVP, Head of Corporate Development, General Counsel and Secretary, GAIN Capital
Former Partner at Mayer Brown; JD Columbia and BA Tufts University
BEN POTTER
ADVISORY BOARD
Partner and Co-Chair, Technology Industry Group, Latham & Watkins
Silicon Valley veteran with 20 years of venture experience; JD / MBA University of Michigan and BA Yale
BERNARD TSE
ADVISORY BOARD
Founder and Board Member, Lucid Motors
Former Founder and CEO of Wyse Technology; former VP and founding board member of Tesla Motors; tech entrepreneur veteran with 35+ years of experience with successful track record of IPOs and divestitures
ASH VASUDEVAN
ADVISORY BOARD
Founding Managing Partner, DIGIKEY IH
Experienced entrepreneur and investor in technology, sports, and entertainment; Advisor to Imbellus; Co-Founder of Million Dollar Arm; Ph.D, Management Temple University
