David Eichler
President and Managing Partner
As President and Managing Partner of Cobalt Ventures, Dave leads an investment team focused on companies that improve access, affordability and quality of care for healthcare consumers. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of RecoveryOne and Nymbl Science, and is a Board Observer for AristaMD, OncoHealth, Scipher Medicine and Solera Health. Dave also serves as a Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City supporting strategy, innovation and corporate development.
Dave has over 25 years of experience working with healthcare leaders and entrepreneurs as a venture capital investor, board member and strategic advisor. Prior to joining Cobalt, he was a founding Partner at Cleveland Clinic Ventures where he collaborated with key enterprise stakeholders on strategic investments, spinouts and joint ventures supporting digital health innovation at the #2 ranked hospital in the world. From 1999-2017, Dave was a founding member and Managing Partner of Psilos Group, a leading healthcare venture capital firm with approximately $600 million under management.
In addition to his investing roles, Dave’s background includes various senior operating roles at Caregiver Services, Inc. (a Psilos portfolio company) during periods of transformational growth at the company. Earlier in his career, Dave was an investment banker at Wasserstein Perella & Co. as a member of the firm’s Healthcare Group. Dave earned an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He holds another master’s degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Government and International Relations from Cornell University, where he graduated magna cum laude.
In his spare time Dave is an avid runner and cyclist – and in less healthy pursuits, a grilling enthusiast and craft beer connoisseur. With his recent move to Kansas City, he has shamelessly jumped on the Chiefs bandwagon after spending much of his life as a long-suffering fan of the Washington Football Team.
Benjamin Ersing
Principal
As Principal for Cobalt Ventures, Ben manages the full transaction lifecycle of venture capital investments, including sourcing, due diligence, investment evaluation, and portfolio company growth support. He is a Board Observer for Bicycle Health and supported Cobalt’s investment in OncoHealth.
Ben has more than 10 years of investing and operating experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Cobalt, he was part of the team that founded CVS Health Ventures, where he invested in several successful digital health startups, including Unite Us, Oui Therapeutics, and vita health. Previously, he served as a corporate strategy and transaction advisory services consultant with Palladium, where he also helped establish their corporate venture capital fund. He has personally been a seed-stage investor in more than 30 companies since 2010 and frequently advises startup founders on product and growth strategy. He is a member of the Flare Capital Scholars Class of 2020.
Ben received a master’s degree in International Business and Diplomacy from New York University and a bachelor’s in International Political Economics from Washington & Lee University, where he was captain of the wrestling team, and an Academic All-American.
Ben is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth – Kansas City chapter, and a former board member of the Impact Capital Forum in New York City.
When he is not partnering with founders to help build the next successful healthcare company, Ben enjoys salsa dancing, sailing, Boston (and Kansas City) sports, and reading books on economics, history, psychology, philosophy and theoretical physics. Ben is fluent in Spanish and while he calls the United States home, he has lived and worked across the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Ben Wire
Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships
As Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships for Cobalt Ventures, Ben works with entrepreneurs and healthcare industry leaders to drive comprehensive stakeholder value. In his role, Ben collaborates closely with Cobalt’s portfolio companies and strategic partners to identify and execute on innovative solutions that improve access, quality of care and affordability for healthcare consumers. He also serves as an advocate and advisor to our portfolio companies on product and GTM strategies targeted at the payer ecosystem.
Ben has more than 20 years of product, sales, account management and operating experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Cobalt, he was leader on the health plan team at OODA Health (now Cedar) and the Health Services and Strategy team at Livongo (now Teladoc Health) where he led partnerships with strategic payers across the country. Previously, he worked as Vice President, Product and Innovation at UnitedHealthcare focused on portfolio and network product solutions, benefit design and innovation strategies for multiple commercial and ACA markets.
Ben graduated from the Jerome Fisher Management and Technology program at the University of Pennsylvania, earning Bachelor of Science degrees from the Wharton School and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
In his spare time, Ben enjoys traveling, exploring new places through food and photography, a good hike, an occasional whiskey, biographies and spy novels, and Formula 1 racing.
Jill Cook
Senior Administrative Assistant
Jill joined Cobalt Ventures in 2021 as the firm’s Executive Assistant and Office Manager. She supports the entire investment team and plays a key role in coordinating scheduling and meeting planning, as well as managing Cobalt’s deal flow database, reporting activities and other administrative projects.
Jill has more than 20 years of experience in progressive administrative roles in higher education. Prior to joining Cobalt Ventures, she served as the Administrative Officer at Pittsburg State University.
In her free time, Jill enjoys spending time with her family and exploring all Kansas City has to offer.
