Dan Kihanya
Exited Founder · Guide
Co-founder of MyPoints.com — the consumer-rewards company he helped take to IPO (exited 2000) — and a Princeton-trained engineer (BSE, Mechanical Engineering) who's since been a founder, operator, investor, and advisor across the startup ecosystem. He launched Cellfire's award-winning mobile-coupon product (acquired by Catalina Marketing), co-developed India's first coalition loyalty program, i-mint (later acquired by AMEX as Payback India), and helped scale the Wizely fintech app past 2M users (acquired by India's OneCard). He was founding Managing Director of REI Co-op's Path Ahead Ventures, and host/creator of the Founders Unfound podcast.
LinkedIn profileTrack record
- Co-founder of MyPoints.com, taken to IPO in 2000
- Launched Cellfire's mobile-coupon product (acquired by Catalina Marketing)
- Co-developed i-mint, India's first coalition loyalty program (acquired by AMEX)
- Helped scale Wizely past 2M users (acquired by OneCard)
- Founding Managing Director, REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures
- Princeton BSE, Mechanical Engineering
Advisory focus
- Early-stage strategy
- Fundraising
- Customer growth
- Product-market fit
How Dan Guides Founders Through the Exit Process
Strategy before the sale
Dan has founded, operated, invested in and advised companies across several exits, so he helps founders test whether the strategy, market and growth story will hold up when a buyer examines it.
Customer growth a buyer can underwrite
From consumer rewards to mobile and fintech, Dan's work has centered on customer growth and product-market fit. He helps founders show durable demand rather than one-off wins.
Investor-side perspective
As a venture leader at REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures, Dan has sat on the investor side of the table and helps founders anticipate the questions investors and acquirers ask.
Work with Dan Kihanya on Your Exit Plan
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