Sam Smith-Eppsteiner

Sam Smith-Eppsteiner is a dedicated venture capitalist at Innovation Endeavors, where she actively seeks out and invests in visionary founders leveraging emerging technologies to solve significant real-world challenges. Her investment philosophy centers on areas such as real-world infrastructure (transportation, supply chain, construction), climate resilience, food, and agriculture, and she is particularly interested in how ML/AI and robotics can transform these sectors. She has directly sourced and led investments in companies like Machina Labs and has supported others like First Street, Fero Labs, Cadstrom, OPTIML, Plotlogic, FutureProof Technologies, ElectronX, Canvas, Vicarious Surgical, Plenty, ClearMetal, and Citrine. innovationendeavors+6

With an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business (2017-2019) and a BA in Political Science from Stanford University (2008-2012), Sam brings a diverse academic background to her investment career. She was recognized on Forbes' 2020 30 Under 30 list for Venture Capital, highlighting her early impact and leadership in the field. innovationendeavors+2

Sam's career trajectory demonstrates a blend of consulting, product management, and impact-driven roles before her current venture capital position. She honed her strategic and analytical skills as an Associate and Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company (2012-2015). Her externship at Kigali Farms (2014-2015) in Rwanda, where she focused on business development for a mushroom social enterprise, deepened her understanding of scalable impact. She also gained product experience at autonomous vehicle company Nuro and biotech company OWKIN (both 2018). evca+2

Beyond her professional endeavors, Sam is known for her deep curiosity and commitment to making a positive impact, which she views as a constant search. She enjoys engaging in hobbies such as running, yoga, cooking, reading, and backpacking, and even worked as a line cook to understand the culinary industry. evca+1