About Matthew Schissler
Matthew Schissler is a seasoned entrepreneur and private investor with more than two decades of experience building, growing, and advising companies across multiple industries.
Schissler earned his degree in Biology and Public Policy from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 1993. That foundation in science and policy proved formative: in 2003, he founded Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI), a pioneering cord blood banking company focused on harvesting and storing umbilical cord stem cells to preserve potential medical treatment options for families.
As chairman and CEO, he grew CBAI into a publicly traded company through an ambitious series of acquisitions — including CorCell, CureSource, stellacure GmbH in Germany, BioCells Argentina, and several other cord blood banks across the United States — expanding the company’s reach across multiple continents before stepping down in 2012. During his tenure, he was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008. He also founded China Stem Cells, Inc., further extending his commitment to the regenerative medicine sector.
Private Investment Focus
Following his years in the biotech space, Schissler turned his focus to private investment. Since 2015, he has managed interests in family investment funds specializing in small and mid-cap publicly traded companies, providing micro-cap advisory services and facilitating access to capital through investment banking relationships. His portfolio spans a commuter airline, an insurance company, and boutique fitness franchises, among other public company investments.
In 2021, he co-founded Work Your Core Investments, LLC, a vehicle dedicated to fitness franchise investments, and joined the board of Aztec Airways, a commuter airline, where he continues to serve. His investment approach emphasizes direct ownership over fund-of-funds exposure — a philosophy grounded in hands-on diligence, board-level engagement, and accountability for every thesis.
Education
- B.S., Biology & Public Policy — St. Mary’s College of Maryland, 1993
Core Competencies
- Small and mid-cap public market investing
- Board construction and C-suite leadership
- Mergers, acquisitions, and recapitalization
- Deal flow management and capital access
- Launch strategy and operations management
Civic Involvement
- Chair, Nevada Development Authority Biotech Committee
- Board member, Las Vegas Science Festival
- Board member, Nevada State Museum
- Assistant high school baseball coach
- Recreational soccer coach