Mark Boyd Contact

Automotive Technology · Since 1987 Las Vegas, Nevada

Mark Boyd

Founder, investor and advisor to automotive technology companies — from Chrome Data in 1987 to VinDisplay today.

Portrait of Mark Boyd

Profile

Mark Boyd has been building technology for automotive retail since 1987, when he founded Chrome Data in his one-car garage, working from a fold-out table.

He went on to back Dealix’s founders — raising capital and opening doors across the auto industry — co-found Cargigi, and serve LotLinx as an investor, board member and Chief Strategy Officer, leading a critical fundraise. Along the way he has invested in or advised companies including CarGurus, TrueCar, CarSaver and VinCue.

He is often called in to raise capital, open doors, and quietly resolve disputes before they become distractions.

Based in Summerlin, Las Vegas, he is a co-founder of VinDisplay, runs Boyd Ventures, LLC, and remains a mentor, investor and connector to the next generation of automotive founders.

Mark Boyd in 1987, in a dark suit and patterned tie
Mark in 1987, the year he founded Chrome Data

More than 20 automotive technology companies founded, backed, advised and guided to exit.

Nearly four decades of investing, consulting, helping companies sell, and mentoring the CEOs who lead them.

Selected Companies

Five highlights.

  1. Chrome Data

    Founder · Board

    Standardized vehicle data that lets dealers, manufacturers and lenders configure, compare and price vehicles.

    Acquired by DealerTrack, 2005

    Part of a $1.4B buyout, 2019 · now J.D. Power

  2. Dealix

    M&A · Chief Strategy Officer

    Internet sales leads and technology for auto dealerships, dealer groups and manufacturers.

    Acquired by The Cobalt Group, 2004 — just under $100M

  3. Cargigi

    Co-founder · CSO · Board

    Online advertising and marketing tools that helped dealers put their inventory on leading classified sites.

    Acquired by eBay, March 2016

  4. LotLinx

    Investor · Board member · Chief Strategy Officer

    AI-powered, VIN-level intelligence that helps dealers optimize inventory and increase turn.

    Led fundraising when it mattered most

  5. VinDisplay

    Co-founder · Investor · Board member

    Digital price tags that let dealerships update vehicle information and pricing remotely.

  6. +16

    …and many more.

    Companies he has invested in, advised, helped sell, and whose CEOs he has mentored.

    See the full portfolio

Portfolio

Advisor, investor & capital partner.

Sixteen more companies Mark has invested in, advised, helped raise capital for, or helped sell.

  • TrueCar

    Early investor, via predecessor Zag

  • CarGurus

    Advisor · Early strategy

  • CarSaver

    Investor · Advisor · Walmart Auto Buying Program

  • VinCue

    Advisor · Helped raise capital

  • Digital Air Strike

    Advisor

  • EVOX Images · RelayCars

    Advisor

  • DrivingSales

    Advisor

  • TK Carsites · KPA

    Advisor · Sold to Search Optics

  • MotorWebs

    Brokered acquisition by fusionZONE

  • PickupTrucks.com

    Brokered sale to Cars.com

  • VAN · Vehicle Acquisition Network

    Advisor

  • LESA Automotive

    Advisor

  • OpConnect

    Investor · Advisor

  • ConnexAutos

    Investor · Advisor

  • Jinti.com

    Investor

  • PTMS.com

    Investor

Beyond the Boardroom

A pilot at heart, Mark is happiest in the left seat of his Cirrus. On the ground he hikes, bikes, rafts, cooks with Lisa Marie, cheers on the Oregon State Beavers and builds things in his garage — the same place Chrome Data began.

Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd hiking in front of a jagged mountain peak with snow patches and pine trees
On the trail with Lisa Marie.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd on a red-rock canyon overlook under a big blue sky
Canyon country with Lisa Marie.
Mark Boyd taking a selfie on the ramp in front of the Cirrus with its door open
Pre-flight.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd standing beside a river in a pine forest
Riverside with Lisa Marie.
Lisa Marie Boyd rowing a blue whitewater raft through a rocky river canyon, wearing an orange life vest
Lisa Marie on the oars.
A raft crew hitting whitewater on the Deschutes River in Oregon
Running the rapids on the Deschutes River.
Lisa Marie Boyd standing in front of the Boyds' blue-and-white Cirrus airplane
Lisa Marie and the Cirrus.
Selfie of Lisa Marie, Mark and his daughter Ciara on a rocky Oregon coast headland
Flew the Cirrus to Agate Beach, Oregon, with Lisa Marie and daughter Ciara.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd in bike helmets, taking a selfie in front of rolling orchards with a snow-capped mountain behind
Out on the bikes with Lisa Marie.
Lisa Marie Boyd holding a coffee mug on a rocky ocean bluff with waves behind her
At the coast with his bride, Lisa Marie.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd in orange beads at an Oregon State Beavers football game, with the Beavers logo behind them
Cheering on the Oregon State Beavers.
Mark Boyd in a navy plaid blazer and red tie with Lisa Marie against a snowflake backdrop, looking at each other
Mark and Lisa Marie at the holidays.
Family first

Most of all, Mark treasures time with Lisa Marie, their kids and ten grandkids.

Mark's newest grandchild, a baby, nuzzling a fluffy doodle dog on a cream sofa
The newest grandkid.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd, dressed up, on an ocean-view terrace in Laguna Beach, California
Mark and Lisa Marie in Laguna Beach, California.
Group selfie in a park: Mark Boyd in a cap at front left with Lisa Marie and family
Some of the kids and four of the ten grandkids.
Mark's daughter Dr. Crystal Alstot with five grandchildren in a backyard
Daughter Crystal with five of the ten grandkids.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd with four granddaughters in front of a Christmas tree
Christmas with Lisa Marie and the granddaughters.
Mark Boyd in a plaid blazer at a formal event with Lisa Marie, Miranda and Sean
With Lisa Marie, Miranda and Sean.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd in aprons at a cruise-ship cooking class with an ocean view behind them
In the kitchen with Lisa Marie — they love to cook.
Sunny selfie of Mark Boyd with his oldest granddaughter, Olivia, and a family member, palm trees behind them
Taking Olivia, the oldest granddaughter, to start her first year at Chapman University.
Mark Boyd in a sequined hat and novelty glasses with family in a photo booth
Photo-booth fun.
Mark Boyd in a tuxedo with a purple bow tie and Lisa Marie in a sequin dress under a New Year's balloon arch
Ringing in the New Year with Lisa Marie.
Mark Boyd in a gray pinstripe suit with his daughter, Dr. Crystal Alstot, at a high-rise event overlooking the Las Vegas Strip
With his daughter, Dr. Crystal Alstot, in Las Vegas.
Lisa Marie Boyd and her granddaughter beside a Tiffany & Co. holiday tree
Spoiling their granddaughter.
Lisa Marie Boyd in a wooden rocking chair, bottle-feeding a baby grandchild
Happy grandma.
Mark Boyd in a white patterned shirt with five of his grandkids goofing around in an auditorium
With five of the ten grandkids.
Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd with their granddaughters in costume after a production of Frozen
Cheering on the granddaughters in their lead roles in Frozen.
Mark Boyd with a family member and four granddaughters at an ice cream shop
Ice cream with the grandkids.
Night-time selfie of Mark and Lisa Marie Boyd, Lisa Marie in a red hooded robe, at a New York rooftop bar
Rooftop fun in New York with Lisa Marie.
Studio portrait of Lisa Marie Boyd in a royal blue dress on a black background
His lovely wife, Lisa Marie.
Selfie of Mark Boyd with his daughter Ciara on a couch
With his daughter Ciara.
Matt and Emily smiling at dinner at Wynn Las Vegas
Matt and Emily.
Mark Boyd in a selfie with three smiling young granddaughters
Grandpa with three of the granddaughters, a few years back.
Selfie of Mark Boyd with a grandson at a carousel
Carousel day with a grandson.

Correspondence

mboyd@markboyd.com