Chris Smith

Chris Smith is a seasoned venture capital investor, currently serving as a Managing Partner at Playfair Capital. He focuses on pre-seed investment opportunities across the UK, Europe, and Israel, with a specific interest in sectors such as autonomous transportation, business and industrial automation (leveraging AI, ML, and computer vision), HealthTech (excluding diagnostics and therapeutics), and B2B SaaS. He is known for identifying and investing in companies in traditionally overlooked sectors that are ripe for disruption. playfair+1

Before his venture capital career, Chris was an active angel investor from 2008 to 2018, making 14 investments with notable exits including SuperAwesome (acquired by Epic Games), Nearbuy Systems (acquired by RetailNext), and Compology (acquired by RoadRunner Recycling). This hands-on experience as an angel investor underpins his approach to supporting founders with operational and legal expertise. playfair+1

Chris possesses a strong operational background, having been a key operator at plan.com where he held senior roles including Sales Director, Head of Tech/BI, and Head of Product Development. As the 8th team member, he contributed significantly to the company's growth, which saw revenues reach £60 million and a #1 ranking in The Sunday Times Tech Track 100. He also has entrepreneurial experience, having founded a telecoms business in 2001. playfair+1

With nearly a decade in corporate law, Chris worked as a transactional lawyer at Weil Gotshal and Manges, advising top private equity and venture capital funds on international acquisitions, disposals, and restructurings. His legal expertise extends to secondments with the Silicon Valley patent litigation team and as legal counsel for Premier Foods and the Asset Protection Agency HMT. playfair+1

As a Class 25 Kauffman Fellow and a contributor to Forbes, Chris is engaged in the broader tech and investment ecosystem, sharing insights on fundraising and tech trends. He has actively participated in initiatives like Female Founder Office Hours, demonstrating a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the startup community. kauffmanfellows+2