Frequently Asked Questions
Every question we get asked
before an engagement.
Plain answers to the things innovators and institutions most often want to know before they decide whether C.H.I.E.F.S. is right for them.
About C.H.I.E.F.S.™
C.H.I.E.F.S.™ is a structured commercialization evaluation framework built specifically for health innovation. It assesses a venture across six pillars — Customer, Health-Economics, Impact, Execution, Financials, and Scalability — using 10 factors and 50 proprietary criteria.
The result is an aggregate score out of 50, a factor-by-factor breakdown, and a set of ranked recommendations.
A business plan review evaluates the document. Pitch coaching improves how you present. C.H.I.E.F.S. evaluates the underlying commercial readiness of the venture itself — independent of how well it's packaged or presented.
Yes. The framework was designed to be applicable across digital health, medical devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, health services, and care delivery models.
C.H.I.E.F.S. was developed by Dan Wasserman, drawing on extensive experience evaluating health innovations for investors, hospital systems, and strategic acquirers.
For Innovators
C.H.I.E.F.S. is most valuable at the point where you're preparing to raise, sell, or scale — typically post-pilot, pre-series A, or pre-acquisition conversation.
Almost always. Founders typically know their clinical and technical strengths well. C.H.I.E.F.S. surfaces the commercial gaps that aren't visible from inside the venture.
For Institutions
Hospital systems, health plans, and corporate development teams use C.H.I.E.F.S. as a structured first-pass evaluation for inbound innovation.
The Process
It begins with a structured intake — you provide materials and answer a set of diagnostic questions. The evaluation runs over 48 hours. You receive a written report with your aggregate score, pillar-by-pillar breakdown, and a prioritised set of commercial recommendations.
Standard turnaround is 48 hours from receipt of complete intake materials. Expedited options are available.
The Report
The report contains an aggregate score out of 50, scores and commentary for each of the six pillars, a factor-by-factor breakdown across all 50 criteria, and a ranked set of commercial recommendations ordered by impact and urgency.
Confidentiality
Yes. All information shared during the engagement is treated as strictly confidential. A mutual NDA is available on request and is standard for institutional engagements.
Pricing & Engagement
Pricing is available on the Pricing & Engagement page. A no-cost 30-minute discovery call is available first — to establish fit and confirm that C.H.I.E.F.S. is the right tool for your current stage and objectives.
Yes. Optional follow-on advisory is available for innovators who want structured support implementing the recommendations from their C.H.I.E.F.S. report.
Book a no-cost discovery call. It's 15–30 minutes, directly with Dan Wasserman. We'll confirm whether C.H.I.E.F.S. is the right next step for where you are — and if it is, we'll walk you through exactly what happens next.
For Innovators
Rarely. In most cases, an early-stage evaluation is more useful than a late-stage one — because you still have time to address what you find. The gaps that C.H.I.E.F.S. typically surfaces are not things that resolve themselves. They need to be built. And the earlier you know about them, the more time you have.
The pre-evaluation call is the right place to determine fit. You'll know within 15 minutes whether an evaluation is appropriate for your current stage.
Yes. Raising capital validates investor appetite — it doesn't validate commercial readiness. The criteria institutional buyers, hospital systems, and acquirers apply are different from what most early investors assess. C.H.I.E.F.S. surfaces the gaps that show up at the next stage of scrutiny.
Most clients use the report in three ways: as an internal prioritisation tool, as a structured brief for advisors or team members addressing specific gaps, and as a reference document in investor or partner conversations. The recommendations are ranked by impact and urgency, so the sequencing is built in.
Yes. The report is yours. Many clients share it with their board or existing investors as part of a strategic planning conversation. Some use it in investor diligence to demonstrate commercial self-awareness. How you use it is entirely at your discretion.
For Institutions
No. The evaluation requires the innovator's active participation — they present their venture live on Zoom and submit their materials directly. The report is then delivered to both the institution and the innovator simultaneously.
This transparency is intentional. It makes the evaluation more useful and more honest — and it ensures Mammoth maintains no conflicts of interest in either direction.
Yes. Cohort evaluations are available for accelerators, innovation programmes, and corporate development pipelines. Pricing and scheduling for cohort engagements is handled separately — contact us to discuss your timeline and volume.
Yes. Both parties receive the same report at the same time. There is no separate institutional version. This is deliberate — it creates a shared factual basis for the conversation between the institution and the venture, rather than an information asymmetry.
The Process
From first contact to report delivery, the typical timeline is five to seven business days. This includes the discovery call, intake, the live evaluation session, and the 48-hour report turnaround. Expedited options are available where timing is critical.
All evaluations are conducted by Dan Wasserman. There is no junior analyst layer and no outsourced scoring. The assessment reflects a single, consistent perspective — calibrated against the criteria applied by experienced investors, hospital systems, and strategic acquirers in health innovation.
C.H.I.E.F.S. works entirely from non-confidential, public-domain materials:
No NDA is required. No proprietary data, unreleased financials, or trade secrets are needed or requested.
Yes. The evaluation includes a structured live session conducted over Zoom. The founder or designated team member presents the venture and responds to a structured set of questions across the six pillars. This is not a pitch — it is a diagnostic conversation designed to surface the information that written materials don't capture.
The Report
The Findings Report contains: an aggregate score out of 50, a factor-by-factor breakdown across all 10 factors and 50 criteria, pillar-level scores across all 6 pillars, and a set of recommended actions ranked by urgency.
It is structured to be used as a working document — not archived as a deliverable. The recommendations are specific, prioritized, and actionable.
Context matters more than the absolute number. A score of 35 out of 50 in a category where most ventures score 22 is meaningful. The report includes benchmark context so you understand where your score sits relative to what evaluators typically see at your stage and category.
Each of the 50 criteria is scored on a structured rubric. Criteria are grouped into 10 factors, which roll up into 6 pillar scores. The aggregate is a weighted composite. The weighting reflects the relative commercial impact of each pillar — not equal distribution across all criteria.
Yes. Some clients share the report directly in diligence conversations. Others use it as a preparation tool — addressing the gaps identified before entering those conversations. The report is structured to be credible in both contexts.
Confidentiality & Independence
Two reasons. First, it protects the innovator — no proprietary data, unreleased financials, or trade secrets are at risk. Second, it keeps the engagement clean and fast — no NDA chain, no data room, no legal review before the work can begin.
In practice, the public-domain materials that most ventures already have are more than sufficient for a comprehensive C.H.I.E.F.S. evaluation. The gaps that matter most are almost never found in the confidential data — they're found in the commercial logic, the IP structure, and the go-to-market foundation.
No. Mammoth does not take equity, success fees, referral fees, or any form of contingent compensation. The engagement is fee-for-service only. This structure is intentional — it keeps the evaluation independent and ensures there is no financial incentive to reach any particular conclusion.
No. Both parties receive the same report simultaneously, and Mammoth has no financial relationship with either party beyond the evaluation fee. The report reflects the same criteria regardless of who commissioned it — the framework does not change based on which party is paying.
An NDA is available on request and is standard for institutional engagements. For innovator-direct engagements, one is not required — because no confidential materials are exchanged. If you prefer one regardless, it can be arranged before the engagement begins.
Pricing & Engagement
Pricing is available on request and depends on the engagement type — individual venture, institutional commission, or cohort. The starting point is a no-cost discovery call, which confirms fit and scope before any fee is discussed.
The evaluation is a standalone deliverable. Some clients return for a follow-up evaluation after addressing identified gaps. Advisory engagements are available separately for founders who want ongoing support implementing the recommendations — but this is not a requirement or a default.
Book a no-cost discovery call. It's 15–30 minutes, directly with Dan Wasserman. We'll confirm whether C.H.I.E.F.S. is the right next step for where you are — and if it is, we'll walk you through exactly what happens next.
If it isn't the right fit, we'll tell you that too.
Still have a question?
If something isn't covered here, the fastest answer is a direct conversation. The pre-evaluation call is free and takes 15 minutes.
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