Claire Martell, Co-founder, CEO and PresidentScientific innovation slows not in discovery, but in execution, when early-stage companies must build financial and operational structure to function as businesses. Founders, typically grounded in science, enter this phase without systems to manage funding, compliance and team expansion at scale.
What follows is a shift in focus, where payroll, reporting, hiring and regulatory demands consume time that should remain on development.
Murdock Martell works within that phase, building and managing financial, accounting and HR operational structures that allow companies to function as businesses while they focus on science.
How does Murdock Martell adapt operational support as life sciences companies continue scaling operations?
Its role extends beyond a standard outsourced CFO model. Here, capabilities are not pre-packaged; they expand in response to recurring client pressure points as companies scale, whether in funding strategy, HR infrastructure or operational support. Engagements extend over multiple years, allowing support to evolve alongside the business rather than through point-in-time interventions.
“We’ve grown the practice by just listening to the client,” says Claire Martell, co-founder, CEO and president. “As companies grow, they start needing support in different areas, and we expand based on where those needs show up.”
That responsiveness becomes most visible in capital strategy. Early-stage companies rely on grant funding, providing non-dilutive capital but introducing increasing reporting and compliance requirements as they scale. The firm helps clients determine when funding accelerates progress and operational burden outweighs its value.
Support is therefore continuously customized. Budget, growth pace and internal capability define how responsibilities are distributed, making each engagement adaptable.
Supporting Growth, Transitions and Outcomes
Why is phased financial transition important as internal teams develop within growing organizations today?
As companies grow and begin forming internal teams, the structure once dependent on external support shifts inward.
Murdock Martell adjusts as internal capability develops, building the financial and operational foundation early, then transferring ownership as in-house teams take shape. The relationship moves into a fractional CFO model, where oversight remains while execution shifts internally. This progression allows the firm to remain involved throughout a company’s lifecycle, from early-stage formation through scaling, exit or transition.
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As companies grow, they start needing support in different areas, and we expand based on where those needs show up.
The firm also supports leadership teams and external advisors in preparing financials, audits or IPOs, validating projections and navigating these processes. In acquisition scenarios, involvement extends into integration, where operational complexity increases.
In enterprise incubators spinning out new entities, Murdock Martell establishes payroll, reporting and compliance structures from day one, compressing timelines that would otherwise delay operations. It also helps companies outgrow basic bookkeeping systems and move toward structured financial reporting and oversight.
In what way does operational support help companies manage downsizing and organizational transitions effectively?
When companies do not reach scale, its focus shifts to downsizing or an orderly wind-down. Financial closure and intellectual property transfers are coordinated with legal counsel, ensuring value is retained instead of lost through reactive shutdowns.
Adapting Systems Without Disrupting Workflows
Technology plays a central role in scaling operations, but tool selection introduces risks. The challenge lies less in availability and more in reliability, integration and compliance.
Murdock Martell addresses this through a dedicated internal team evaluating emerging tools, particularly as AI-driven applications enter finance and accounting workflows. Systems must meet strict thresholds, including SOC 2 compliance, before adoption.
At the same time, the firm avoids imposing its own stack. When clients have existing systems, those environments are supported and optimized rather than replaced. That flexibility allows companies to improve efficiency without disrupting established workflows.
Clients rely on the firm for connections to a wide range of advisors, including tax, legal, patent, operations and other external advisors, reflecting a role that evolves from service provider to long-term operational partner.
Murdock Martell’s value is not confined to outsourced CFO support. It builds around each client’s growth stage, helping them create the financial, HR and operational footing needed to move from research promise to business continuity. Multiple successful exits and six-time Hall of Fame recognition in local accounting and consulting markets reinforce that record, supporting its recognition as Life Science Outsourced CFO Services of the Year 2026.
Bridging Science and Scale: Rethinking Financial Leadership in Life Sciences
Life science companies often begin with strong scientific conviction yet limited business infrastructure. Founders are equipped to advance research, validate hypotheses and build technical teams, but the transition into a functioning enterprise introduces pressures that extend beyond the lab. Financial planning, workforce structuring and regulatory alignment begin to shape outcomes as much as the science itself. This shift exposes a persistent gap: the ability to translate innovation into a financially viable, fundable and scalable business.
Early-stage organizations face a layered set of constraints. Funding pathways are complex, ranging from grant mechanisms with administrative overhead to equity financing that demands forward-looking models and disciplined reporting. Internal systems rarely evolve at the pace required, leaving leadership teams balancing development priorities with back-office responsibilities that dilute focus. Growth introduces further strain, as hiring, compliance and cross-state operations require coordination that many young firms are not structured to manage.
What distinguishes effective financial partners in this environment is not breadth alone but the ability to align closely with a company’s stage and trajectory. A strong provider integrates into the business early, assuming responsibility for accounting, forecasting and cash management in a way that frees scientific leadership to concentrate on product development. Over time, that relationship evolves rather than resets. Support expands to include audit readiness, due diligence for financing rounds and coordination with external advisors, reflecting a continuity that mirrors the company’s lifecycle rather than a series of disconnected engagements.
Flexibility in engagement becomes critical as companies grow. Early reliance on fractional support allows organizations to access senior financial expertise without committing to full-time hires. As internal teams develop, the external partner adjusts its role, scaling back in some areas while remaining embedded in others. This ability to adapt ensures that financial oversight remains consistent even as responsibilities transition in-house, avoiding the disruption that often accompanies rapid expansion.
Another defining characteristic lies in how financial advisory extends beyond numbers into infrastructure. Life science firms frequently require guidance on hiring frameworks, compliance standards and operational setup across jurisdictions. A partner that can support onboarding, workforce policies and expansion logistics reduces fragmentation within the organization. This integrated approach keeps financial planning connected to broader business realities, rather than operating in silos.
Technology plays a supporting role but requires disciplined evaluation. The rapid emergence of new tools has introduced both opportunity and risk, particularly in environments where data integrity and security are paramount. Providers that actively assess and refine their technology stacks while remaining open to client preferences strike a balance between innovation and stability. This ensures that automation enhances efficiency without compromising control or compliance expectations.
Murdock Martell reflects these characteristics through its focus on life science and technology clients and its emphasis on long-term engagement. It positions itself as a fractional finance partner that integrates across accounting, forecasting, HR support and transaction readiness, allowing companies to delegate critical business functions while maintaining strategic oversight. Its model adapts to client growth, often transitioning responsibilities as internal teams are built, while continuing to support areas that require specialized expertise. Its involvement in funding preparation, audit readiness and lifecycle events such as acquisitions or wind-downs demonstrates an ability to remain relevant through multiple stages of a company’s development. This continuity, combined with a client-led approach to service design, places it among the more aligned options for organizations navigating the shift from scientific innovation to sustainable enterprise.
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