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Samir Kaul
General Partner at Khosla Ventures
Samir Kaul is a prominent figure in the venture capital industry, currently serving as a Board Member at Headspace and holding several other influential positions.12 Here's an overview of his background and career:
Professional Experience
Samir Kaul is a Founding General Partner at Khosla Ventures, a position he has held since January 2006.2 His expertise lies in health, sustainability, food, and advanced technology.3 At Khosla Ventures, he has led investments in numerous successful companies, including:
- Vicarious Surgical
- View
- Guardant Health
- Nutanix
- Oscar
- QuantumScape
- Impossible Foods
Prior to Khosla Ventures, Samir spent five years at Flagship Ventures, where he focused on early-stage biotech companies.3
Board Memberships and Investments
Samir holds board positions and investments in various companies, including:
- Headspace (Board Member since July 2023)
- Traba (Board Member)
- Varda Space Industries (Board Member)
- Primer (Investor)
- OpenStore (Investor and Board Observer)
- Rightway (Board Member)
- Fulfil (Board Member)
- Statespace (Board Member)
- Level (Investor)
Education
Samir Kaul has a strong educational background in both science and business:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School (2000-2002)
- Master of Science (MS) in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland College Park (1995-1997)
- Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Michigan (1991-1995)2
Scientific Contributions
Before his venture capital career, Samir led the Arabidopsis Genome Initiative at Craig Venter's Institute for Genomic Research. His work resulted in a publication in the December 2000 issue of Nature.3
Languages
Samir is multilingual, with proficiency in:
- English (native or bilingual)
- Hindi (native or bilingual)
- French2
Philanthropy
Samir is actively involved in philanthropic efforts, serving as a long-time member of the leadership committee of the Tipping Point Community. He is also a board member of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and on the board of trustees for the US Ski and Snowboard Association.3
Samir Kaul's diverse experience in venture capital, biotechnology, and board leadership positions him as a key figure in the intersection of technology, health, and sustainability.