Creo
CREO is a Durham, NC-based management consulting firm serving life sciences, healthcare, and private equity clients. Founded in 2015, it offers advisory services spanning strategy, M&A, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT regulatory compliance, analytics, and AI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersDurham, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Creo does
CREO is a Durham, North Carolina-based management consulting and advisory firm founded in 2015 that serves life sciences, healthcare, and private equity clients. The firm operates as a professional services platform with seven integrated service lines: Strategy Development & Insights, M&A Services, Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, IT Quality & Regulatory Compliance, Analytics & Insight Creation, and AI & Data Sciences. Its core value proposition rests on deep regulatory and operational domain expertise specific to the GxP-, HIPAA-, and FDA-adjacent environments of pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and healthcare delivery organizations.
The business model is sales-led and project- or retainer-based, with engagements sold directly through consultation requests and senior outreach to enterprise and mid-market buyers in the United States. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed, and contracts are described as multi-year. The firm has served more than 250 clients since founding and published 100 case studies as part of its 10-year anniversary, supported by a content marketing engine spanning blogs, whitepapers, newsletters, webinars, and industry events including the 2025 AI Execution Summit held in Durham.
CREO is privately held and received a recapitalization investment from healthcare-focused private equity firm Grant Avenue Capital in September 2023, marking the firm's primary ownership change. Leadership comprises co-founders Susan Walsh (CEO) and Mike Townley (President), with Steven Moore as Chief Commercial Officer and Jason Burke as Chief Strategy Officer. The firm holds Inc. 5000 honoree status and operates with a headcount in the 51-100 range. A notable leadership departure was Technology Services head Connie Pearcy, who left after a decade to lead Precision Digital Health.
Creo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Creo
- Legal name
- CREO
- Website
- https://creoinc.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CREO is a Durham, NC-based management consulting firm serving life sciences, healthcare, and private equity clients. Founded in 2015, it offers advisory services spanning strategy, M&A, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT regulatory compliance, analytics, and AI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Creo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Creo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Management Consulting & Advisory Services: Professional consulting services including strategy development, M&A services, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT quality and regulatory compliance, analytics, and AI and data sciences. Engagements are likely project-based or retainer arrangements typical of management consulting firms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom engagement-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Creo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CREO is a management consulting and advisory firm that sells professional services to life sciences and healthcare companies. Its offerings span strategy development, M&A advisory, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT quality and regulatory compliance, analytics, and AI and data sciences engagements delivered on a project or retainer basis.
Product overview
CREO is a life sciences and healthcare consulting firm that offers a unified portfolio of management consulting and advisory services. The company's offerings include seven distinct service areas: Strategy Development & Insights, M&A Services, Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, IT Quality & Regulatory Compliance, Analytics & Insight Creation, and AI & Data Sciences. These services are designed to work together to bridge growth management, people development, and digital transformation for life sciences and healthcare organizations. CREO positions itself as helping clients advance innovation in human health by solving growth challenges through management consulting and advisory services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategy Development & Insights Consulting service that helps life sciences and healthcare companies liberate their growth potential through strategic planning and market insights.
- M&A Services Advisory services for evaluating and executing inorganic growth opportunities including acquisitions and mergers that add value and achieve business goals for life sciences and healthcare clients.
- Digital Transformation Technology strategy design and implementation solutions that deliver value and fuel growth for life sciences and healthcare organizations.
- Cybersecurity Services to protect digital assets and meet privacy compliance requirements for life sciences and healthcare organizations.
- IT Quality & Regulatory Compliance Ensures IT systems and infrastructure meet quality assurance expectations and regulatory standards for business needs of life sciences and healthcare clients.
- Analytics & Insight Creation Data analytics services that help life sciences and healthcare companies leverage data to make smarter business decisions.
- AI & Data Sciences Artificial intelligence services to drive smarter decisions, optimize operations, and unlock new opportunities for innovation in life sciences and healthcare organizations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250+ clients served since founding
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Creo
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Creo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Creo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Creo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Trinity Life Sciences: Specialist life sciences consulting firm offering strategic advisory, evidence, and technology-enabled solutions to biopharma. Highly comparable to CREO in vertical specialization, service portfolio, and client base.
- ClearView Healthcare Partners: Life sciences strategy consulting firm serving pharma, biotech, and medtech clients on growth strategy, M&A, and commercial excellence. Closely aligned with CREO's strategy and M&A service lines.
- Health Advances: Strategy consulting firm focused exclusively on healthcare and life sciences, advising on corporate strategy, M&A, and new product commercialization. Directly comparable to CREO in domain focus and M&A advisory work.
- ZS Associates: Large management consulting firm dedicated to life sciences and healthcare, providing strategy, analytics, AI, and digital transformation services. Closely comparable to CREO in vertical focus and service mix, though at materially greater scale.
- Putnam Associates: Strategy consulting firm exclusively serving life sciences clients on commercial strategy and growth. Strong comparable to CREO given similar vertical specialization and growth-focused service portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Charles River Associates: Global consulting firm with a life sciences practice offering strategy, economics, and analytics advisory. Comparable as an established competitor in life sciences strategy and analytics consulting.
- Accenture Life Sciences: Global professional services giant with a dedicated life sciences practice offering strategy, digital transformation, and technology services at scale. Represents the scaled incumbent that CREO competes against for enterprise healthcare mandates.
- IQVIA: Global life sciences technology and consulting services provider offering strategy, analytics, and digital transformation. Overlaps with CREO's life sciences advisory work but operates at vastly larger scale and across more service lines.
- L.E.K. Consulting: Global management consulting firm with a deep life sciences and healthcare practice covering strategy, M&A, and digital transformation. Competes for similar mid-market and enterprise healthcare mandates.
Emerging players
- Slalom: Consulting firm with a growing life sciences and healthcare practice offering strategy, technology, and digital transformation services. Comparable as a mid-market alternative for clients seeking specialized but accessible consulting partners.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Creo social profiles
Digital presenceCreo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Creo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Creo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Creo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Creo
What does Creo do?
CREO is a management consulting and advisory firm that sells professional services to life sciences and healthcare companies. Its offerings span strategy development, M&A advisory, digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT quality and regulatory compliance, analytics, and AI and data sciences engagements delivered on a project or retainer basis.
Is Creo a public or private company?
Creo is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Creo founded?
Creo was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Creo based?
Creo is headquartered in Durham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Creo make money?
One revenue line is on record: management Consulting & Advisory Services.
Who are Creo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Trinity Life Sciences, ClearView Healthcare Partners, Health Advances, ZS Associates and Putnam Associates. Broad incumbents are Charles River Associates, Accenture Life Sciences, IQVIA and L.E.K. Consulting. Slalom is listed as an emerging player.
Does Creo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Creo.