Jen van der Meer
Business Model Design & Financial Architecture
Finance architect and business model designer at Reason Street
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Career: 13
Finance architect and business model designer
Reason Street
New York, NY
May 2014 - Present
Finance architect and business model designer
Reason Street
New York, NY
Capital structures outlast the intentions behind them. The instrument, the governance terms, the unit economics, these were designed by someone, in a room that didn't include most of the people who will live with the consequences. That design persists. Reason Street works at the moment before the terms are set. We design financial architecture for complex work, the infrastructure problems that sit at the intersection of health systems, climate, housing, and the limits of what markets can hold alone. The business models, governance, and capital pathway as one problem, not delegated to separate advisors operating in separate rooms. The Business Model and Capital Libraries give practitioners the analytical tools to move. Advisory engagements are for when the architecture itself needs to be built. The structure gets designed by someone. We'd rather it be you.
Research, Knowledge, Ecosystems & Financial Strategy
FEST
Independent work
May 2024 - Present
Research, Knowledge, Ecosystems & Financial Strategy
FEST
Independent work
Co-Steward of a growing network of people creating and evolving finance ecosystems for systemic transformation. We believe this work cannot succeed in silos, and is missing critical contextual knowledge when the conversations and decisions happen in rooms and zooms made comfortable for financial professionals. FEST holds space for community organizers, institutional investors, systems innovators, development finance professionals, philanthropy leaders and workers, civic society leaders, field builders, evaluators, learners and researchers to understand our contributions building Financing Ecosystems for Systemic Transformation.
Associate Professor, Strategic Design & Management
Parsons School of Design
Greater New York City Area
Sep 2016 - Present
Associate Professor, Strategic Design & Management
Parsons School of Design
Greater New York City Area
Co-Director, Transdiciplinary Design MFA Courses: Community-Engaged Business Models Transdisciplinary Design Studio Sustainable Business Models Committees and Service: University Faculty Senate, Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR), University Budget Committee
Advisor, Formerly Chief Strategy Officer
Luminary Labs
New York, NY
Jul 2012 - May 2014
Advisor, Formerly Chief Strategy Officer
Luminary Labs
New York, NY
Luminary Labs helps organizations in the private and public sector operationalize innovation - increasing relevancy to respond to changing economic, technological, and cultural conditions. As Managing Member at Luminary Labs Ventures, we provide angel-sized investments in seed stage companies in health tech and emerging technology.
EVP, Managing Director
Sprinklr
NY, New York
Jan 2011 - Jun 2012
EVP, Managing Director
Sprinklr
NY, New York
[At Dachis Group, acquired by Sprinklr] Jen defined the organizational design of Dachis Group's consulting services, technology services, and design and creative practices which help clients drive social business performance, beginning as the head of strategy, and then running the entire practice.
VP Strategy + Analytics
Powered, Inc. [Acquired by Dachis Group December 2010]
Jan 2010 - Feb 2011
VP Strategy + Analytics
Powered, Inc. [Acquired by Dachis Group December 2010]
Established frameworks for strategy, planning, measurement and analysis of emerging social behavior and its impact on brands. Specialist in online and offline community behavior, crisis communications and stakeholder management, and the business value of engagement.
VP Strategy
Drillteam [Acquired by Powered, Inc. December 2009]
New York and Austin
Aug 2008 - Jan 2010
VP Strategy
Drillteam [Acquired by Powered, Inc. December 2009]
New York and Austin
Principal - led transition from Drillteam to Powered. Drillteam employed participatory methods to deploy engagement marketing efforts for leading brands, including Target, Toyota, Nestle, Saucony, Neiman Marcus and others.
Sustainable Product Design and Innovation Strategy
Independent/self Employed
New York, New York
2004 - 2008
Sustainable Product Design and Innovation Strategy
Independent/self Employed
New York, New York
Eco product design strategy. Developed strategy for new product and services innovation, qualitative and quantitative inquiry for the fuzzy front end of concept development. Expert in valuation of emerging business ideas through early product and service development pipelines and phase gate reviews. Specialty in sustainable systems thinking, lifecycle analysis, and defining where social digital culture and narrative change intersects with business, social, and environmental impact. Clients included: Interface Carpets, Dagoba, MTV, and a number of cleantech and green product ventures that didn't make it past the clean tech bubble.
General Manager
Frog Design
New York
Oct 2000 - Sep 2004
General Manager
Frog Design
New York
Built a collaborative team of industrial designers, interaction designers, engineers, program managers, and established an innovation design research practice for the NY Office and the East Coast region. Established key accounts and led a financial turnaround and growth plan. Won key accounts with GE, Viacom, Victoria's Secret, and Nike. Instrumental in shaping frog's first design strategy practice and first design thinking offering.
Client Partner, Director of Business Development, Strategy, Methodology
Organic.
New York and San Francisco
Jan 1997 - Oct 2000
Client Partner, Director of Business Development, Strategy, Methodology
Organic.
New York and San Francisco
Defined and established the sales, operational, and strategic methodology for a "dotcom 1.0" internet consultancy.
Equity Analyst
Needham & Company
New York, NY
Dec 1994 - Jun 1996
Equity Analyst
Needham & Company
New York, NY
Provided sell side equities research for the semiconductor capital equipment sector, and emerging technology sector.
Research Associate
Development Bank of Japan
Jan 1993 - Dec 1994
Research Associate
Development Bank of Japan
Formerly the Japan Development Bank. Contributed to primary research and econometric models to support policy formation and decision-making, particularly sectors of emerging technology and government bond issuance for economic development.
Laboratory Assistant Intern
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York, New York, United States
May 1989 - Aug 1989
Laboratory Assistant Intern
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York, New York, United States
Lab assistant for Cardiology Research
Skills: 52
Other
Education: 3
HEC Paris
MBA
London Business School
MBA exchange
Trinity College-Hartford
Bachelor of Arts - BA
Involvement: 6
Volunteering
Women.NYC
Mentor
Techstars Startup Weekend
Mentor
Hack Covid-19
Mentor
NYC BigApps
Mentor
New York University
Healthcare Innovation Challenge Steering Committee
New York University
Leslie Entrepreneurship Lab Mentor