Building a Research Organization
from Zero to a $37M Strategic Exit
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From “Capable but
Overlooked”
to Sponsor-Trusted
Research Partner
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The Reality Before Trial Aid
There was no research operation to optimize everything needed to be built. What existed was a strong clinical practice, a motivated physician owner, and a clearly defined exit goal.
How Trial Aid Got Involved
The site contracted Trial Aid to design and implement a complete digital and decentralized operating model, acting as an extension of operational leadership.
Trial Aid’s mandate was to:
01
Design the Research Entity with Sale and Scalability in Mind
Trial Aid structured the research organization from the outset to support clean financials, scalable operations, and buyer-ready governance ensuring the entity could grow efficiently and withstand future due diligence.
02
Build and Manage All Research Operations
Trial Aid took full responsibility for building and managing every operational function, creating a professionally run organization with documented systems that did not rely on the physician owner for day-to-day execution.
03
Strategically Integrate the Clinical Practice into the Research Model
Trial Aid designed a formal, documented integration between the medical practice and the research operation strengthening patient access, sponsor confidence, and the combined enterprise value.
04
Prepare the Business for a Future Transaction from Day One
Trial Aid operated the organization as if a buyer could engage at any moment maintaining clean documentation, operational clarity, and financial transparency to eliminate last-minute restructuring and maximize exit value.
01
Research Entity Creation & Structuring
Trial Aid legally and operationally structured the research organization to support scalability, clean financials, and buyer confidence. Governance, documentation, and compliance were designed to withstand future due diligence.
32%
44%
53%
21%
27%
02
End-to-End Operations Management
Trial Aid built and managed every operational function, including:
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Business development and sponsor relationships
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Regulatory and compliance infrastructure
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Staffing strategy, PI bench development, and training
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Financial operations, billing, and profitability control
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Patient recruitment and retention systems
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Technology, CTMS, and digital workflows
All systems were designed to be repeatable, defensible, and transferable.
2
+
4
+
4
8
+
8
16
+
16
03
Strategic Integration with the Medical Practice
The clinical practice was intentionally tied to the research operation in a way that:
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Strengthened patient access
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Improved enrollment performance
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Increased sponsor confidence
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Enhanced the combined value of both entities
This integration was documented and operationalized not informal making it attractive to strategic buyers.
87K
27%
04
Continuous
Value Creation
Over five years, Trial Aid continuously refined operations, strengthened margins, reduced key-person risk, and professionalized leadership visibility keeping the organization exit-ready at all times.
05
Buyer Positioning & Transaction Readiness
Operational maturity, financial clarity, compliance strength, and scalability were maintained throughout the build eliminating the need for rushed restructuring when acquisition discussions began.
06
The Outcome
At the five-year mark:
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The original $20M valuation target was exceeded
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Trial Aid identified and engaged a strategic buyer
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The buyer recognized the value of both the research site and the integrated medical practice
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A formal offer of $37 million was made for the combined structure
The transaction reflected not just revenue but operational maturity, scalability, and strategic positioning.
What Changed
The Results the Site Actually Felt
The physician owner achieved an exit far beyond the original goal without operational disruption or last-minute restructuring.
Clean operations
01
Strong sponsor relationships
02
Scalable systems
03
Clear leadership structure
04
Defensible financials and compliance
05
Are You Ready to Transform Your
Research Site?
Contact us and request a free consultation today!
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Site Profile
From the outset, this was not a “test” research site. The physician owner engaged Trial Aid with a clear mandate: build a research operation intentionally designed to create enterprise value and support a future sale.
01
Physician-Owned Medical Practice
A well-established medical practice with strong clinical performance, owned and led by a physician with a long-term growth vision.
02
No Existing Research Infrastructure
At project start, there was no research entity, regulatory framework, staff, systems, or operational foundation in place.
03
Clear Exit-Driven Vision
From day one, the objective was not to “try” research but to intentionally build a scalable research organization designed to create enterprise value and support a future sale.