The Sarah Smith Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by solo general partner Sarah Smith in 2022. Based in the Bay Area, the fund is deeply rooted in the Stanford University ecosystem and leverages Smith’s experience as a former investor at Bain Capital Ventures. Known for being an AI-native fund, the firm operates with a lean, high-efficiency model that prioritizes rapid decision-making and deep founder support, positioning itself as a next-generation solo GP fund.
The Sarah Smith Fund focuses on early-stage technology startups, with a geographic and relational emphasis on the Stanford community.
The fund is sector-agnostic but leans into companies that are well-positioned to benefit from AI and operational leverage. Startups backed by the fund are typically pre-seed and seed stage, with Smith prioritizing founder quality and product vision over trend-based investing.
In July 2025, Sarah Smith announced the final close of her $16 million Fund I. The fund was raised over the course of a year, following an initial $3 million rolling fund.
Fund I aims to invest in approximately 50 companies, with an average check size of $250,000. As of the fund's final close, it had already backed 17 startups.
Smith's approach is centered on using AI tools to scale her solo GP model, citing dramatic time savings and increased value in founder support.
For example, she described leading a values articulation workshop that now takes her just a few hours with the aid of AI (compared to the 20 hours it once required).
The fund’s limited partners include Pear VC, Ulu Ventures, and Verdis Investment Management, reflecting institutional confidence in her ability to source and support high-quality startups.
A cornerstone of the fund’s strategy is its emphasis on the Stanford ecosystem, which Smith believes is the most fertile ground for unicorn creation globally.
Leadership
Sarah Smith is the sole general partner of the firm. Before founding the Sarah Smith Fund, she spent seven years as an investor at Bain Capital Ventures. A Stanford alumna, Smith has extensive ties to the university and is building her portfolio around the talent and innovation originating from that community. She operates independently, leveraging AI to enhance productivity and founder engagement at scale.
Investment Strategy
The Sarah Smith Fund follows a solo GP model and prioritizes speed, clarity, and precision in decision-making. Smith invests in early-stage companies with strong technical teams and clear product-market insights, often connected to Stanford. The fund embraces artificial intelligence as both an investment theme and an operational backbone, enabling Smith to support a large portfolio without the need for a large team. Her strategy is founder-centric, combining institutional discipline with personal engagement.
Notable Investments
The Sarah Smith Fund has already invested in 17 startups out of its first institutional fund. While specific company names have not yet been publicly disclosed, the portfolio reflects Smith’s focus on early-stage innovation with ties to Stanford and strong potential for AI integration and scale.
Other
Smith’s AI-native approach is a distinguishing feature of the fund, allowing her to scale personalized founder support efficiently. She views early-stage investing as a solo endeavor best done with conviction and speed, without the friction of investment committees. Founders working with the fund can expect a highly responsive and engaged investor who blends personal experience, network strength, and automation tools to deliver value.
