Case Study

How Science Exchange turned two merged teams into one.

After a merger doubled the team, Science Exchange came to Wilder for a retreat outside Chicago that rebuilt trust and gave everyone a shared starting point.

Merged Teams

Team Challenges

2nd

Retreat in Planning

Client

Science Exchange

Duration

3 days

Location

Chicago Area

Number of people

80 people

The Challenge

What Was Getting in the Way

Science Exchange connects scientists, labs and research services on one platform. A merger brought together two fast-growing teams with different cultures and ways of working, and the company doubled in size almost overnight.

Kelsey, Head of People Operations, could see silos forming. Roles overlapped, reporting lines were new and hybrid work made it easy for people to stay in their old groups. There was little tension, but not much connection either, and leadership wanted to fix that early.

The Approach

What We Did Together

Wilder proposed a venue just outside Chicago that was easy to reach but surrounded by forest trails, with an adventure park nearby for a shared challenge.

The team-building day opened with blindfolded tent building, then moved to Monkey Mines, a problem-solving course that depends on quick communication. In the afternoon, zip lines and a forest escape room had people relying on each other in unfamiliar ways. Strategy sessions rounded out the program.

Wilder handled rooming, ground transportation and the timing of every session. Our onsite retreat managers kept transitions smooth so Kelsey could focus on the people.

The Outcome

What Changed

By the end of the retreat, people from both legacy teams were laughing together, planning cross-functional projects and talking about “we” instead of “they.” Science Exchange is now planning its next Wilder retreat, focused on innovation and long-term leadership alignment as the company keeps growing.