I help founders scale ambitious ideas into fundable ventures

Engineer. Founder.
Fractional Operator.

I’m a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, and strategic operator with deep experience at the intersection of climate tech, agtech, and robotics.

I partner with startups in a fractional capacity to translate their breakthrough technologies into scalable ventures—bridging the gap from technology to product, market, and funding.

With hands-on leadership, deep technical expertise, and decades of entrepreneurial experience, I help visionary teams bring clarity, execution, and growth to their biggest challenges.

$Ben Provan fractional executive pitching and presenting a slide deck$

Learn more about my work

I specialize in translating complex technologies into investor-ready ventures, working side-by-side with founders to clarify strategy, build traction, raise capital, and ultimately go-to-market.

Support where you need it most

Capital Strategy & Fundraising

I help founders raise money, develop investor-focused narratives, and win millions in non-dilutive funding.

Deep Tech Commercialization & GTM

I help translate your technology into a business, shaping the go-to-market strategy, securing key partnerships, and building early customer traction.

Growth & Scaling

I help operationalize your strategy, building the systems, team, and infrastructure needed to scale without losing focus or agility.

Typical Engagement Models

You’re an impact-driven founder solving big problems with limited resources. I bring founder-level business expertise without the overhead—embedding fast, working across functions, and driving what matters most.

Fractional CXO

High-impact leadership without the full-time overhead. Ideal for key strategic initiatives, interim executive roles, or leading mission-critical projects.

Strategic Advisory

Focused guidance to sharpen business models, fundraising strategies, and go-to-market execution, grounded in technical fluency and founder experience.

Project-Based Execution

Hands-on support to drive early traction, validate product-market fit, and accelerate commercialization.

Learn more about how I engage with startups

Who I Work With

From R&D spinouts to venture-backed startups, I bring on-demand leadership to help you tackle mission-critical challenges, without adding headcount.

I help assess the commercial viability of an idea, build a strategic roadmap, understand IP and licensing, apply for non-dilutive funding, and ultimately bridge the gap between technology and business.
I develop a compelling pitch deck, financial projections, and investor-centered narratives to secure angel or early-stage VC funding.
I provide fractional strategy, business development, and leadership support without requiring a co-founder or C-suite level commitment.
With extensive deal-making experience, I implement structured business development strategies to secure early customer commitments, pilots, and strategic partnerships.

Why work with me?

Engineer-turned-entrepreneur, I’ve spent 20+ years building scalable ventures at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and impact—from developing autonomous robots at Cornell University to leading commercialization at a waste-to-biofuels startup.

For ten years, I served as CEO of OpenDoor, a co-living startup I co-founded to address both the urban housing crisis and the loneliness epidemic. We raised $8M in funding and grew OpenDoor to 19 properties and 40 employees in 3 markets (Bay Area, Portland, Seattle). As the first mover in the co-living space, we helped pioneer the industry and popularize the co-living movement more broadly.

I’ve learned entrepreneurship the hard way—through trial, error, and the invaluable lessons of failure. Today, I leverage these hard-won learnings to help founders and business leaders to build impactful ventures, navigate complexity, and scale with clarity and confidence.