Boston, MA – April 3, 2025 – MassChallenge, the global network for innovators, is proud to announce the appointment of Chris Houlihan as its new Chief Growth Officer. With more than 30 years of experience driving strategic growth and building high-impact enterprise partnerships with some of the world’s most successful companies—including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks—Chris will play a pivotal role in scaling MassChallenge’s global impact and expanding its support for high-potential startups.
Chris joins MassChallenge following a distinguished career at Fidelity Investments, where he held a variety of leadership roles, overseeing businesses ranging from $600 million to $1 billion in annual revenue. Most recently, spearheaded the launch of Fidelity’s APIs as a product strategy, managing key data-sharing agreements with HR/payroll providers, wealth management firms, and strategic partners.
Previously, Chris served as a Product Area Leader, where he led the design and delivery of innovative digital engagement experiences. He held several senior leadership roles in sales, including Senior Vice President positions across Tax-Exempt & Executive Services Sales, Fidelity Charitable’s Fundraising and Private Donor Group, and Stock Plan Services. In each of these roles, he consistently accelerated revenue growth, optimized sales strategies, and cultivated lasting client relationships.
As Chief Growth Officer at MassChallenge, Chris will draw on his extensive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, philanthropy, and customer-centric growth to expand the organization’s reach and strengthen its global network. His proven ability to lead top-performing teams and deliver value in complex, high-stakes business environments will be instrumental in advancing MassChallenge’s mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to the MassChallenge team,” said Cait Brumme, MassChallenge CEO. “His extensive experience in driving growth and building strategic long-term partnerships is invaluable as we continue to scale our impact and build a community of partnerships committed together to solving the world’s most massive challenges. Chris’s proven leadership, his authentic focus on creating shared value for partners, and his deep passion for our mission are awesome. I am personally excited to partner with Chris to drive our next phase of growth and impact.”
About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is the global network for innovators. Headquartered in the United States with eight locations worldwide, it is the non-profit’s mission to help bold entrepreneurs disrupt the status quo and create sustainable change. Since launching in 2009, MassChallenge has run programs in 24 countries, supported more than 4,400 startups from around the world, and awarded over $18M in equity-free cash and prizes. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.