Ben Maitland-Lewis

Ben leads First Citizens Innovation Banking’s Startup Banking team for the Northeast and several national programs, partnering with founders from Pre-Seed through Series A to help them scale smarter and faster. A founder first and banker second, Ben takes a hands-on approach to Founder Success by rolling up his sleeves to support clients with GTM strategy, fundraising, and the kind of practical, in-the-trenches advice that provides value beyond banking.

Before joining First Citizens Innovation Banking, Ben was a proud First Citizens Innovation Banking client and spent over two decades as a Founder & CEO in the music, media, and tech industries, earning two successful exits, a few well-earned “fail-forwards,” and a reputation as a purpose-driven, creative problem-solver. Earlier in his career, he toured the world as a professional drummer for multiple bands and later became an award-winning artist manager and record label executive, earning multiple RIAA Certified Gold Records, including for his favorite work with the band Modest Mouse. Those experiences taught him how to think outside of the box and improvise through chaos, an invaluable skill in both startups and life.

A proud YC alum (W15) and advisor to multiple startups and notable accelerators, Ben brings empathy, experience, and a touch of rock ’n’ roll vibes to his work with founders on the daily. He holds a degree in Music Business & Entrepreneurship from Berklee College of Music and an honorary PhD in Mixology from Harvard University (that’s a thing).

When he’s not helping founders succeed or producing 100 events a year for the ecosystem, you’ll find him playing dress-up with his three-year-old daughter or exposing his six-month-old to Rush or NOFX at home in coastal Massachusetts.