Matthew Schissler is an American entrepreneur, private investor, and business executive whose career spans biotech, private equity, and franchise development. Born on June 9, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland, Schissler is best known for founding Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI)—a pioneering stem cell storage company—and has since built a portfolio of private investment funds focused on high-growth small and mid-cap companies. While no publicly verified net worth figure exists for Schissler, his decades-long career building and scaling businesses across multiple industries places him firmly among America’s quietly influential entrepreneurs. This article covers Matthew Schissler’s biography, career milestones, professional philosophy, and what we can reasonably understand about his financial standing.
Biography Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Matthew L. Schissler |
| Date of Birth | June 9, 1971 |
| Age | 53 (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Private Investor, Business Executive |
| Years Active | 2001–Present |
| Known For | Founding Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI) |
| Current Residence | Paradise Valley, Arizona |
| Education | B.S. Biology & Public Policy, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (1993) |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly disclosed |
| Children | Not publicly disclosed |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified; privately held |
| Social Media | LinkedIn (active); no major public-facing social profiles verified |
Early Life and Background: Baltimore Beginnings
Matthew Schissler grew up in Baltimore, Maryland—a city long associated with grit, reinvention, and an underdog’s instinct to find angles others miss. Those qualities would come to define his professional identity.
He pursued his undergraduate studies at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, a small liberal arts institution on the banks of the St. Mary’s River. His dual degree in Biology and Public Policy was unusual, even prescient. It wasn’t the typical business degree of a future entrepreneur. Instead, it showed a mind drawn to the intersection of science and systems thinking—an instinct for understanding how institutions work and where they break down.
Graduating in 1993, Schissler entered the workforce during a period of significant economic flux. The biotechnology sector was young and chaotic, full of promise and noise in equal measure. For someone with his background, it was precisely the right environment.
“I’ve always believed in solving real problems,” Schissler has said. “If a business can do that, the value will come.”
That philosophy didn’t appear from nowhere. It was forged in those early years navigating an industry still finding its footing.
The Breakthrough Moment: Founding Cord Blood America
How did Matthew Schissler build Cord Blood America into a national brand?
Matthew Schissler’s defining breakthrough came in 2003 when he founded Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI)—a company built around a deceptively simple idea: that families should have the ability to store umbilical cord blood at birth, preserving stem cells that could potentially treat serious medical conditions later in life.
The concept wasn’t universally accepted at the time. The cord blood banking industry was still niche, medically promising but commercially unproven. Schissler committed anyway.
Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, CBAI grew at a remarkable pace. In 2006, the company acquired the Cryobank for Oncologic and Reproductive Donors (CORD) in Middletown, New York. In 2007, it added Philadelphia-based CorCell Inc.—then the fourth-largest umbilical cord blood bank in America—and CureSource, a Charleston-based cord blood storage facility.
The expansion didn’t stop at U.S. borders. In 2010, CBAI acquired a 51 percent stake in stellacure GmbH of Hamburg, at the time Germany’s third-largest cord blood banking service, and secured majority ownership of BioCells Argentina. Schissler also founded China Stem Cells, Inc., a stem cell storage facility in northeast China, establishing CBAI as a genuinely international operation.
The same year, Schissler relocated CBAI’s headquarters to Las Vegas, citing the city’s business-friendly tax climate, available low-cost laboratory space near the airport, and its usefulness as a hub for trade conventions. He served as the company’s Chairman and CEO until 2012.
That year—2008—he was named a finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the American business world.
Career Evolution: From Biotech Pioneer to Private Investor
What has Matthew Schissler done since leaving Cord Blood America?
After stepping down from CBAI in 2012, Schissler didn’t slow down—he pivoted. Rather than seeking another high-profile CEO role, he moved into private investment, a decision that suited both his temperament and his evolving philosophy about where real value gets created.
Starting in 2015, Schissler built and began managing multiple private investment funds. His approach is disciplined and contrarian. The funds are privately held “super value” vehicles focused on small to mid-cap companies—often businesses overlooked by larger institutional players due to their size, complexity, or early-stage profile.
“If everyone already believes in something, the upside is gone,” Schissler has explained. “I look for the places where belief is still forming. That’s where vision matters most.”
This is not passive portfolio management. Schissler’s investment approach involves active board participation, C-suite mentoring, and hands-on strategic input. His website describes expertise in “board construction and C-suite management”—skills developed during his years building CBAI from a startup into a multinational operation.
In 2021, Schissler expanded his investment scope by founding Work Your Core Investments, LLC (WYC)—a privately held fund targeting franchises and performance-driven concepts within the fitness and wellness sector. The WYC portfolio reflects his belief in businesses with what he calls “long-term utility”: companies built to last, not to be flipped.
That same year, he joined the Board of Directors of Aztec Airways, a Fort Lauderdale-based air carrier certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration under FAR Part 135 as an On-Demand/Commuter Scheduled US Air Carrier. Aztec Airways was formed in 1998 and operates across the Caribbean and Southeast U.S. markets—yet another sector that values strategic thinking and operational precision.
Most Iconic Works and Achievements
What are Matthew Schissler’s most significant professional achievements?
Schissler’s career doesn’t produce headlines in the way entertainment or tech founders do. His milestones are quieter—more institutional, more methodical. But they’re substantial.
Founding and scaling Cord Blood America, Inc. (2003–2012) remains his signature achievement. Building a company from inception to international operations across the U.S., Germany, Argentina, and Asia—while managing multiple acquisitions including CorCell Inc. and stellacure GmbH—represents a level of operational complexity that few entrepreneurs manage in a single decade.
Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist (2008) — Recognition from Ernst & Young’s program, one of the world’s most respected entrepreneurial awards, placed Schissler among the most accomplished business builders of his generation in the region.
Appointment as Chairman of the Biotech Committee, Nevada Development Authority (2011) — This civic appointment reflected Schissler’s growing influence beyond CBAI. The Nevada Development Authority is focused on attracting businesses and talent to the state; his role on its Biotech Committee positioned him as a voice for the sector’s development in Southern Nevada.
Founding of Work Your Core Investments, LLC (2021) — A newer venture, but one that signals continued entrepreneurial ambition well into his fifties.
Board Member, Aztec Airways (2021–Present) — Governance-level involvement in a certified U.S. air carrier reflects the breadth of Schissler’s investment and leadership reach.
Civic Contributions — Schissler has served on the board of advisors for the Las Vegas Science Festival and the board of directors for the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and holds membership in the Karma Foundation.
Personal Life and Public Persona
Is Matthew Schissler a public figure?
Matthew Schissler occupies a curious position. He has a Wikipedia page, a professional website, a LinkedIn profile, and press coverage through business wire services—but he operates almost entirely outside the celebrity economy. He doesn’t pursue media visibility. He doesn’t cultivate a public persona built on lifestyle or personal branding.
Details about his personal life—relationship status, children, home life—are not publicly disclosed and have not been reported through verified sources. What is confirmed: he currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, an upscale suburb of Phoenix known for its quiet affluence and low profile.
His public communications are professional in nature, focused on investment philosophy and business strategy. He engages on LinkedIn and through his personal website, but there is no verified presence on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or other consumer-facing social platforms.
In interviews and press materials, Schissler presents as thoughtful, measured, and philosophically grounded. He talks about risk, contribution, and legacy—rarely about personal milestones or lifestyle.
“Value is what you leave behind when you walk away,” he has said. “Did you make something stronger? Did you help someone move forward? That’s what matters.”
Hidden Facts and Lesser-Known Insights
Some of the most interesting details about Matthew Schissler don’t appear in the headline coverage. A few worth noting:
- He relocated an entire company across state lines. Moving CBAI from its original base to Las Vegas in 2010 was a calculated strategic move—not a vanity decision. Schissler cited laboratory space near the airport, tax advantages, and trade convention infrastructure. It reflects a practical, logistics-first mindset.
- He holds a science degree, not a business degree. Schissler’s undergraduate background in Biology and Public Policy is atypical for a private equity-style investor. It may explain his comfort operating in technically complex industries like biotech and aerospace.
- He’s a coach off the field too. His personal website notes a commitment to mentoring young athletes, suggesting the leadership principles he applies in business extend into his community involvement.
- He was early to German biotech. Acquiring a stake in stellacure GmbH in Hamburg in 2010 demonstrated international ambition at a time when many U.S. cord blood companies were focused purely on domestic growth.
- His investment fund philosophy is deliberately contrarian. Schissler’s “super value” approach targets companies that are overlooked—too early, too complex, or too unconventional for mainstream institutional investors. It’s a Buffett-esque conviction that the best opportunities exist where consensus hasn’t formed yet.
Matthew Schissler Net Worth: What the Evidence Suggests
What is Matthew Schissler’s net worth?
No verified net worth figure for Matthew Schissler has been publicly disclosed. Schissler manages privately held investment funds, which means his financial holdings are not subject to public reporting requirements. Unlike founders of publicly traded companies—where equity stakes can be tracked through SEC filings—private fund managers operate with significantly more financial opacity.
What we do know from verified public sources:
- Schissler founded and led Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI) as a publicly traded company (ticker: CBAI) from 2003 to 2012. During this period, his compensation and equity holdings would have been disclosed in SEC filings, though specific figures are not reproduced in available sources.
- He has managed multiple private investment funds since 2015, with a focus on small to mid-cap companies.
- His fund Work Your Core Investments operates in the fitness franchise sector—an industry where individual franchise locations typically generate revenue in the low-to-mid millions annually.
- He resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, one of the wealthiest zip codes in the southwestern United States.
Schissler himself has actively resisted framing success in financial terms. “Money’s not the goal,” he has stated. “It’s a resource. You use it to reinforce what matters—to protect your time, to choose who you work with, to back ideas you believe in.”
Any specific dollar estimate for Matthew Schissler’s net worth would be speculative and unverified. Readers should treat any figures circulated on celebrity net worth aggregator sites with appropriate skepticism, as those figures are typically estimates without sourced methodology.
Professional Influence and Industry Impact
What is Matthew Schissler’s broader influence in business and investment?
Schissler’s influence operates through institutions, not personal brand. His impact is felt in the companies he builds, the boards he serves on, and the entrepreneurs he mentors—not through media presence or cultural cachet.
Within the biotech sector, his early work at CBAI helped legitimize cord blood banking as both a viable medical service and a scalable business model. The company’s acquisitions in the mid-2000s—including CorCell Inc., one of the largest cord blood banks in the U.S. at the time—shaped the competitive landscape of the industry during a formative period.
In the private investment world, his “super value” fund approach reflects a philosophy that has produced results for investors willing to take a long view. His focus on companies with strong fundamentals but limited mainstream visibility echoes the principles of value investing that have historically outperformed growth-at-any-price strategies.
His civic work—at the Nevada Development Authority, the Las Vegas Science Festival, and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum—extends his influence into science literacy and regional economic development. These aren’t token affiliations. They reflect a genuine commitment to the communities where he has built businesses.
“You won’t always control the outcome,” Schissler has said. “But you control how you show up. If you keep showing up with integrity, you’ll build something that lasts.”
Social Media Presence
Matthew Schissler maintains a professional LinkedIn profile, where his activity centers on investment insights and business strategy. His personal website, matthewschissler.net, provides a curated overview of his investment philosophy, areas of expertise, and professional background.
No verified accounts on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, or YouTube have been identified. This is consistent with his broader orientation as a private investor rather than a public-facing entrepreneur.
For those seeking to follow his work or connect professionally, LinkedIn remains the most active and verified channel.
What’s Next for Matthew Schissler?
Matthew Schissler’s career trajectory suggests he has no intention of slowing down. With active investment funds, a board seat at Aztec Airways, and the ongoing development of Work Your Core Investments in the fitness sector, Schissler continues to operate at the intersection of capital, strategy, and operational leadership.
His stated philosophy—”clarity, contribution, and consistency”—reads less like a personal branding tagline and more like a genuine operating principle. For over two decades, it has guided decisions that built a biotech company into a multinational operation, navigated a pivot into private equity, and produced a portfolio of investments spanning aerospace, fitness, and growth-stage companies.
The question of Matthew Schissler’s net worth may never be definitively answered—and based on everything he has said publicly, that appears to be entirely intentional. What the record does show is a career defined by early conviction, disciplined risk-taking, and a long-term orientation that is rarer than it sounds.
For readers interested in exploring the profiles of influential investors and entrepreneurs, [you may also find value in related posts on private equity leaders], [growth-stage investment strategies], and [the evolving landscape of biotech entrepreneurship].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Matthew Schissler’s net worth?
No verified net worth figure for Matthew Schissler has been publicly disclosed. Schissler manages privately held investment funds, which are not subject to public financial reporting. He resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona—one of the most affluent communities in the U.S.—and has led businesses across biotech, private equity, and franchise investment since 2001. Any specific dollar estimate should be treated as unverified speculation.
What is Matthew Schissler best known for?
Matthew Schissler is best known for founding Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI) in 2003—a company that harvested and stored umbilical cord stem cells for families in the U.S. and internationally. Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, CBAI expanded to include operations in Germany, Argentina, and Asia before Schissler departed in 2012.
Where did Matthew Schissler go to college?
Matthew Schissler attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland, graduating in 1993 with a degree in Biology and Public Policy.
What companies does Matthew Schissler currently invest in?
Schissler manages multiple privately held “super value” investment funds focused on small to mid-cap companies with significant growth potential. He also founded Work Your Core Investments, LLC (WYC) in 2021, a fund targeting fitness and wellness franchise concepts. He currently serves on the board of directors of Aztec Airways, a Fort Lauderdale-based air carrier.
Where does Matthew Schissler live?
Matthew Schissler currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, according to public business profiles. He previously relocated Cord Blood America’s headquarters to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2010.
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