Fundraising Fox

Brian Smith

Investor

Managing Director at S3 Ventures

Austin, Texas

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

About

Brian R. Smith, a former founder and CEO, runs a patient, founder-first investment platform backed by a single multi‑billion‑dollar philanthropic family foundation, with a hands-on, Texas-centered, two-decade company-building focus.

LinkedIn ↗X / Twitter ↗

Invests in

Enterprise SoftwareFintechHealthtechMedical DevicesSaaS

Experience

  1. S3 VenturesManaging Directorcurrent2005 — presentAustin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  2. MaxQ MedicalBoard of Directorscurrent2026 — presentSan Jose, California, United States
  3. RapidPulse, Inc.Board of Directorscurrent2026 — presentMiami, Florida, United States
  4. Advanced NanoTherapiesBoard of Directorscurrent2026 — present
  5. Reparo SurgicalBoard of Directorscurrent2025 — presentAustin, Texas, United States
  6. VentureMed Inc.Board of Directorscurrent2025 — presentMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States
  7. VahatiCor IncBoard of Directorscurrent2025 — presentSan Jose, California, United States
  8. Folia Health: The Home-Reported Outcomes CompanyBoard of Directorscurrent2025 — present
  9. Versa VascularBoard of Directorscurrent2025 — presentSanta Cruz, California, United States
  10. Endovascular EngineeringBoard of Directorscurrent2025 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
  11. LiquibaseBoard of Directorscurrent2016 — presentAustin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  12. VUV Analytics, Inc.Board of Directorscurrent2014 — presentAustin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  13. Alkami TechnologyBoard of Directorscurrent2011 — presentDallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
  14. SpectraWAVE, Inc.Board of Directors2024 — 2026Boston, Massachusetts, United States
  15. SaranasBoard of Directors2021 — 2024Houston, Texas, United States
  16. Tango Health, Inc.Board of Directors2010 — 2021Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  17. Acessa Health Inc. - Acessa ProcedureBoard Of Directors2017 — 2020Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  18. Liveoak Technologies, a DocuSign CompanyInvestor2017 — 2020Austin, Texas, United States
  19. Briggo CoffeeBoard Of Directors2017 — 2020Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
  20. TVA Medical, Inc.Board of Directors2013 — 2018Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area

Education

  1. Purdue UniversityMSEE, Electrical Engineering1988 — 1989
  2. University of CincinnatiBSEE, Electrical Engineering1983 — 1988

Skills & more

SaaS2Enterprise Software1Software as a Service (SaaS)1Success OrientedLeadership8Management4Strategy1Investment ManagementIntellectual Property4Business Intelligence4Software Project Management2Start-ups18
+12 moreVenture CapitalEarly Stage CompaniesGrowth AccelerationEarly Stage VenturesEarly StageStrong Business AcumenStrategic PartnershipsEntrepreneurshipBusiness DevelopmentProduct ManagementExecutive ManagementCloud Computing

From Brian's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Purdue University138

Mamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner PerkinsNabeel HyattInvestor helping founders and working on AI that enables human creativity and agencyKenneth Morand, Ph.D.Life Sciences Partner at CincyTechJane CommerfordOperations at 8VCSven StrohbandInvestor at Khosla VenturesJeff PetersPartner at Ibex Investors

+ 132 more

Also attended University of Cincinnati27

Jim GoetzPartner at Sequoia CapitalDavid MollerInvestor at Third Rock VenturesCandice BrackeenGeneral Partner at Lightship CapitalAlbert WangSenior Director at Qualcomm VenturesNeil ChatterjeeAdvisor, Former Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) at Overture ClimateDave SchallerPartner at Delta-v Capital

+ 21 more

Shared employers

Also worked at VentureMed Inc.1

Alexander SchmitzPartner at Endeavour Vision

Also worked at Versa Vascular1

Nicole BentzVice President at S3 Ventures

Also worked at Phurnace Software (acquired by BMC Software)2

Blair GarrouCo-founder & General Partner at Mercury FundLarry WarnockManaging Partner at Ringleader Ventures

Also worked at IBM493

Kenneth ChenaultInvestment Team at General CatalystRoger KrakoffGeneral Partner at Monta Vista CapitalAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalTejAdvisor at Clear VenturesEricAdvisor at Clear VenturesKT MooreAdvisor at Clear Ventures

+ 487 more

Deals · 2

VUV Analytics, Inc.Board seat

via S3 Ventures · filed Nov 2022 · $3M raise

ALKAMI TECHNOLOGY, INC.Board seat

via S3 Ventures · filed Oct 2020 · $140M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Colleagues at S3 Ventures

Aaron Perman
General Partner at S3 Ventures
Anthony Marfisi
Associate at S3 Ventures
Anthony Marfski
Associate at S3 Ventures
Carolyn Houren
Senior Associate at S3 Ventures
Charlie Plauche
Managing Director at S3 Ventures
Eric Engineer
General Partner at S3 Ventures
Joe Curry
Principal at S3 Ventures
Kathryn Deebel
Director of Platform & Network at S3 Ventures

Network11

Aaron PermanScout
General Partner at S3 Ventures
Carolyn HourenScout
Senior Associate at S3 Ventures
Charlie PlaucheScout
Managing Director at S3 Ventures
Cotter CunninghamScout
Founder, Chair and CEO RetailMeNot at Next Coast Ventures
Ethan AustinScout
Founding Partner at Outside VC
Nicole BentzScout
Vice President at S3 Ventures
Zack ScottScout
General Partner at Norwest Venture Partners
Joe Curry
Principal at S3 Ventures
Katie Wallis
Associate at S3 Ventures
Kim Rodriguez
Venture Partner at S3 Ventures
Sarah Morgan
Vice President at S3 Ventures

Investors connected to Brian in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.