800+ Venture-Funded Startups Across the USA Trust Burkland

David Wu


Dave is a 30-year veteran with CEO/CFO/Founder experience in seven startups. Dave is passionate about innovation, and he specializes in technology-based ventures. In the process, he has brought multiple ventures from concept to exit and has raised over $750 million in equity and debt for his companies.

Dave has spent his entire 30-year career building new businesses from concept to commercialization in highly technical fields that typically include a combination of software/SaaS, AI, hardware devices, internet/cloud, and wireless technologies. He has sold products and services to a wide range of customers that encompass consumer, corporate and industrial markets.

As CEO, Dave diversified and expanded a global software/SaaS company resulting in an 85% market share and a PE acquisition of his company. As President and CEO of a unique wireless startup, he raised $67M in financing and grew the company value from $21M to $109M. Earlier, as a Founding Member and President of an international Internet infrastructure start-up, he raised $700M and grew the company from 1 to 260 employees, achieving a listing on the American Stock Exchange with a peak valuation of $4.5B, delivering a 450x ROI for investors. In all these ventures, he served as the de-facto CFO overseeing all financial functions. While he has known primarily for software/hardware/internet-based businesses, he has also provided CFO/CXO engagements in water filtration, oil and gas, hotel development, and air taxi services.

Dave’s functional expertise spans diverse business disciplines, including finance, strategic planning, marketing, sales, and technology. His operational experience provides a holistic perspective in tackling complex business challenges. He is passionate about innovation and is excited to share his expertise and experiences with founders, CEO’s and start-up teams.

Outside of work, Dave is the Chairman of the STEM initiative at Concord Carlisle High School and he does a variety of volunteer work for MIT Education Council and Harvard Business School.

Dave earned an MBA from Harvard and both an MSEE/CS and a BSEE from MIT where his master’s thesis was in artificial intelligence.