Smith will lead Lightship’s business development and site engagement teams, strengthening sponsor and CRO partnerships as the company scales its site network and customized trial-delivery capabilities.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — October 6, 2026 — Lightship Inc., the clinical trial site network that brings research to participants in clinics, at home, and through mobile research units (MRUs), today announced the appointment of Matt Smith as Vice President, Business Development. Smith steps into the role to lead Lightship’s business development and site engagement teams, helping the company scale and manage its rapidly growing portfolio of sponsor and CRO partnerships.
“Successful clinical trials are built on strong site relationships,” said Michael Shipton, CBO of Lightship. “Lightship helps sponsors maximize those relationships by integrating virtual and hybrid capabilities that expand reach, improve patient access, and reduce operational burden. Matt’s experience building trusted partnerships with sponsors and delivering growth through innovative clinical solutions makes him an ideal leader for our next phase of expansion.”
As Vice President, Business Development, Smith will lead Lightship’s strategic engagement with sponsors and CROs, guiding discussions around trial needs and helping shape the most effective, efficient research solution from Lightship’s integrated site, hybrid, virtual, and mobile capabilities. In leading internal teams, he will help build the scalable processes that enable Lightship to deliver tailored trial solutions and support continued growth. His appointment builds on Lightship’s recent investments in clinical and operational infrastructure, including the addition of Dr. Lindsay Van Pelt as Chief Medical Advisor, the appointment of Dr. Gail Kang as Principal Investigator, and the relocation of Lightship’s headquarters to Research Triangle Park.
Smith brings more than 15 years of commercial leadership experience across clinical trial site networks, CROs, and clinical research technology. Throughout his career, he has built and led business development organizations, developed go-to-market strategies and scalable commercial processes, and helped clinical research businesses strengthen their partnerships, capabilities, and growth.
“What drew me to Lightship is being a true partner to sponsors—using our broad capabilities and experience to build customized solutions around each study. Lightship works with sponsors to understand the specific needs and challenges of their trial and design the right delivery model, whether that includes traditional site visits, at-home care, virtual visits, or MRUs,” said Smith. “That customization means creating the most efficient plan for the outcomes that matter: reaching participants beyond a typical site footprint, supporting enrollment in underserved areas, and making it easier for patients to stay engaged through the trial.”
To learn how Lightship’s site network and flexible trial delivery model expand reach and improve enrollment, retention, and representation, visit lightship.com.
About Lightship Inc.
Lightship Inc. is a clinical trial site network committed to making research participation possible for all. We partner with biopharma and CROs to execute studies that expand reach and improve participant retention, delivering trials in clinic, at home, and in the community through one experienced team. Our investigators, nurses, and coordinators follow each participant across every setting—whether it’s a physical site, a home visit, a Mobile Research Unit, or virtually—operating under unified quality and oversight frameworks and integrating with the technology platforms sponsors already use. The result is faster enrollment, stronger retention, and broader representation, without the complexity of managing multiple vendors. At Lightship, we bring research to participants. For more information, visit lightship.com.
Media Contact for Lightship:
Brittany Kearns
Crossroads B2B Marketing on behalf of Lightship
571-271-7211