SER

What SER does

SER Associates, LLC is a privately held, retained executive search firm founded in 1999 by Steve Rosenblum and headquartered in Audubon, Pennsylvania. The firm focuses exclusively on building sales and marketing organizations for high-growth, innovative technology companies, claiming to place only top-decile sales and marketing talent and internally validating every candidate before client presentation. Its core service offering is single-engagement retained search for senior commercial roles (VP Sales, CRO, VP Marketing, Account Executives, implementation leaders), with engagements typically structured as multi-month, multi-year retainer contracts; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Its named client base spans more than 20 disclosed companies across R&D Biotechnology (Benchling, Titian Software, TetraScience, AromyX, Synthace, PrisymID, Schrödinger, Signals), AI/ML and Big Data (Dataiku, Unravel Data, Upsolver, Socrates.ai, SKAI), SaaS/Enterprise Software (Coupa, SirionLabs, First Insight, WalkMe, Ariba, Box, GitHub, Clari, Sprinklr), Retail/E-Commerce (Ganymede, FairMarkIt, Coupa-adjacent use cases), and Cybersecurity. Geographic coverage is claimed across North America, South America, Canada, the UK, and APAC, with cross-border engagements evidenced by Titian Software (UK) and SirionLabs. Distribution is entirely relationship-based and consultative, working directly with CEOs, CROs, and CHROs of client companies rather than through intermediaries.

The firm is led by Founder/CEO/Chairman Steve Rosenblum (15 prior years at ADP, Oracle, SAP), CFO Gary Morgan, CHRO David Bomzer, and Operating Partner Paul Melchiorre (Operating Partner at Stripes, ex-SAP, ex-Ariba). SER has established referral relationships with several major VC and PE firms whose portfolio companies engage the firm (Battery Ventures, Sequoia, Bain Capital, Insight Partners, Accel, Scale Ventures). The company has no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, funding rounds, M&A, or public listing; in 2011 it established the SER Foundation as a philanthropic arm. Technology footprint is minimal: SER does not offer a software product, API, SDK, or proprietary platform, and its only internal process differentiator is the described internal candidate validation step. The firm operates a basic WordPress-based website (serassociates.com), uses press releases and industry events such as Bio-IT World for marketing, and has no disclosed mobile app, certifications, or compliance credentials.

Name

SER

Legal name

SER & Associates, LLC

Website

https://serassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SER Associates is a privately held retained executive search firm founded in 1999 that exclusively builds sales and marketing organizations for high-growth technology companies, with deep specialization in R&D Biotechnology, AI/ML, and SaaS across North America, EMEA, and APAC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare & Life Sciences Leadership Search (BPACAAAE)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Retained recruitment firm
• Sales leadership hiring
• Technology talent acquisition
• Go-to-market hiring

Headquarters

HQ city

Audubon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: SER operates as a retained executive search firm charging retainer fees for placing senior sales and marketing talent at innovative technology companies. The firm focuses exclusively on building sales and marketing organizations for clients in high-growth technology sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SER & Associates, LLC is a retained executive search firm that recruits and places senior sales and marketing leaders for high-growth, disruptive technology companies. The firm focuses on verticals including R&D Biotechnology, AI/Machine Learning, Big Data, SaaS, and E-Commerce, internally validating all candidates before client presentation and targeting the top 10% of sales and marketing talent. Its coverage model spans North America, Canada, EMEA, and APAC.

Product overview

SER Associates is a retained executive search firm founded in 1999, specializing exclusively in building world-class sales and marketing organizations for high-growth innovative technology companies. The firm focuses on disruptive technology sectors including R&D Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data, Data Science, Datalakes, Robotic Process Automation, Social Monitoring, Analytics, Procurement, Contract Lifecycle Management, Performance Management, Marketing Technology, and Human Capital Management. SER's service offering centers on identifying and placing top 10% sales and marketing talent, with a strategic value-add partnership approach and internal candidate validation process. Their coverage model spans North America, South America, Canada, UK, and APAC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 satisfied clients since inception
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BenchlingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2023Benchling, the market leader in Bioinformatic Technologies, retained SER to help scale sales in the US based on explosive triple digit growth and customer demand. Partnership based on SER's extensive network in R&D Biotech industry and ability to execute.
• Titian SoftwarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2022UK-based SaaS software firm in R&D Biotechnology industry retained SER for mission critical hiring in the US. Titian chose SER due to their vast network in R&D Biotechnology.
• SKAIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2022SaaS-based AI Social Advertising platform chose SER to expand their E-Commerce practice. Partnership driven by booming e-commerce market demand for quality executive search.
• TetraSciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021R&D Data Cloud provider called upon SER for their depth and knowledge in the R&D Biotechnology industry. SER leveraged their R&D network to provide qualified candidates.
• UpsolverminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2021Market leader in Datalakes Technology requested SER's assistance in building out US infrastructure, hiring VP Marketing and multiple Account Executives.
• SirionLabsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020AI-based contract lifecycle management software provider engaged SER for US market entry. CRO Amol Joshi chose SER for their strongest network of A-players in software industry.
• Unravel DataminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2020Performance Management SaaS vendor selected SER as strategic partner to hire VP Sales and Account Executives in the US, valuing SER's expertise and candidate network.
• WalkMeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2019Market leader in Digital Adoption Software engaged SER for national build-out during hyper-growth mode toward IPO, filling sales, customer success, marketing and services roles.
• DataikuminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2018AI and Machine Learning company focused on democratizing data engaged SER for expansion hiring in NY, selected for SER's work with Battery Venture companies and industry reputation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Riviera Partners: Tech-specialist executive search firm focused on placing engineering, product, and go-to-market leaders at venture-backed and growth-stage technology companies. It is the closest functional peer to SER given its technology-only focus and retained search model for senior commercial roles.
• JM Search: Executive search firm focused on technology and life sciences companies, placing senior leaders including heads of sales and marketing. It competes with SER for retained commercial leadership searches at growth-stage and pre-IPO technology and biotech clients.
• True Search: Executive search firm exclusively focused on technology, digital, and life sciences companies, placing GTM and operational leaders. It overlaps directly with SER in retained searches for sales and marketing executives at SaaS, AI, and biotech clients.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Technology & Services practice serving high-growth technology clients. It competes for the same senior sales/marketing leadership mandates that SER targets, but offers a much broader C-suite and board service portfolio across geographies.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice across technology and life sciences. It competes for senior GTM and CRO mandates at large enterprise software clients that SER also serves, while also offering broader talent consulting and RPO services.
• DHR International: Global executive search firm with a strong technology practice serving software and emerging-company clients. It competes for senior commercial and CRO placements, similar to SER, while also serving broader C-suite mandates across industries.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with dedicated Technology and Healthcare & Life Sciences practices that compete for biotech and SaaS senior commercial mandates. It places similar C-suite and GTM leadership roles but across a much broader set of industries and functions.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the largest global executive search firms with strong Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice. It competes for senior GTM leadership placements at enterprise software and biotech clients, similar to SER, while also placing board directors and broader C-suite roles.

Emerging players

• Frederickson Partners: Executive search firm focused on HR, People, and CHRO placements at venture-backed and growth-stage technology companies. It is a partial overlap with SER's HR-aligned engagements (e.g., CHRO placements) and serves the same VC-backed tech ecosystem.
• Goodwin Executive Search: Boutique executive search firm focused on go-to-market leadership for high-growth technology and SaaS companies. It targets the same retained search mandate profile as SER (CRO, VP Sales, VP Marketing) at venture-backed tech clients, though at a smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ser-&-associates-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SER