Find your path to Chris
615 people in our graph share verified history with Chris — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Tobi CokerunlockedChris: together at Kauffman Fellows (2023–2025)
×7Chris: together at Kauffman Fellows
Chris: together at UCL
×3Chris: together at BPP Law School
About
Chris Smith is Managing Partner at Playfair and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 25) who invests in pre-seed opportunities across the UK and Europe, with particular focus on robotics, autonomous transportation, automation, HealthTech, and B2B SaaS. Previously, he spent five years at plan.com in senior operational roles including Sales Director and Head of Product Development, where he built the sales function and oversaw platform development as revenues grew to £60 million. Smith has executed 15 angel investments since 2008 with six exits including SuperAwesome, Compology, and Bidstack, and earlier spent nearly a decade as a transactional lawyer at Weil advising on acquisitions and restructurings for private equity and venture capital firms.
Experience
- PlayfairManaging Partnercurrent2018 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- Kauffman FellowsFellow (Class 25)current2020 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- ForbesContributorcurrent2020 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- Exclaim RoboticsInvestorcurrent2026 — presentZurich, Switzerland
- ZerolookInvestorcurrent2026 — presentZurich, Switzerland
- Otel AIObservercurrent2025 — presentDublin, County Dublin, Ireland
- NetFabric.aiInvestorcurrent2024 — presentZurich, Switzerland
- AscentoInvestorcurrent2023 — presentZurich, Switzerland
- FENKA RoboticsInvestorcurrent2023 — presentBerlin Metropolitan Area
- Material EvolutionInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- Material EvolutionBoard Observer2023 — 2026Middlesbrough
- QureightBoard Directorcurrent2023 — presentCambridge, England, United Kingdom
- YASOBoard Directorcurrent2022 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- WorldrInvestorcurrent2021 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- NoryBoard Observercurrent2021 — presentDublin, County Dublin, Ireland
- AeroCloud SystemsBoard Directorcurrent2020 — presentAlderley Edge, England, United Kingdom
- HekaInvestorcurrent2022 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- HekaBoard Director2020 — 2022United Kingdom
- Continuum IndustriesBoard Directorcurrent2020 — presentEdinburgh City, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Sprout.aiInvestorcurrent2020 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- Orca AIBoard Observercurrent2019 — presentTel Aviv Area, Israel
- uMedInvestorcurrent2023 — presentLondon, England, United Kingdom
- uMedBoard Director2019 — 2023London, United Kingdom
- Thought MachineBoard Observercurrent2019 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- SightecBoard Observercurrent2018 — presentTel Aviv Area, Israel
- Hire SpaceAngel Investorcurrent2017 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- EediAngel Investorcurrent2017 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- bidstackAngel Investorcurrent2017 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- ProducePayAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentGreater Los Angeles Area
- SuperAwesomeAngel Investorcurrent2014 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- EnertivAngel Investorcurrent2014 — presentGreater New York City Area
- CompologyAngel Investorcurrent2014 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Nearbuy SystemsAngel Investorcurrent2012 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- MOPOWERED GROUP LIMITEDAngel Investorcurrent2010 — presentLondon
- Wrap it Up!Angel Investorcurrent2008 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
- Vine HealthBoard Director2019 — 2024London, United Kingdom
- Ravelin TechnologyBoard Observer2020 — 2023London, England, United Kingdom
- Ravelin TechnologyBoard Director2019 — 2020London, United Kingdom
- HullabalookBoard Observer2019 — 2021London, United Kingdom
- BonapartAdvisory Board Member2018 — 2019Paris Area, France
Skills & more
InvestmentsEntrepreneurshipMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)LegalStartupsAngel InvestingSalesVenture Capital
From Chris's professional profile.
Colleagues at Playfair Capital
Alex Jundi
Visiting Analyst at Playfair Capital
Andrew Sheffield
Principal at Playfair Capital
Anouska Moss
Executive Assistant at Playfair Capital
Deanne Saunders
Receptionist & Office Manager at Playfair Capital
Federico Pirzio-Biroli
Founding Partner & Chairman at Playfair Capital
Felix Neubeck
Associate at Playfair Capital
Henrik Wetter Sanchez
General Partner at Playfair Capital
Lucia Polverino
Associate at Playfair Capital
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Chris Smith?
- Chris Smith is Managing Partner at Playfair and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 25) who invests in pre-seed opportunities across the UK and Europe, with particular focus on robotics, autonomous transportation, automation, HealthTech, and B2B SaaS. Previously, he spent five years at plan.com in senior operational roles including Sales Director and Head of Product Development, where he built the sales function and oversaw platform development as revenues grew to £60 million. Smith has executed 15 angel investments since 2008 with six exits including SuperAwesome, Compology, and Bidstack, and earlier spent nearly a decade as a transactional lawyer at Weil advising on acquisitions and restructurings for private equity and venture capital firms.
- Where does Chris Smith work?
- Chris Smith is Managing Partner at Playfair Capital.
- Where did Chris Smith go to school?
- Chris Smith studied at UCL (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Law); BPP Law School (LPC, Law); Berkhamsted School.
Same school
Also attended UCL630
Demis HassabisCo-founder & CEO of Google DeepMindAndré DuboisInvestor at Index VenturesFrédérique DameInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Jonas VetterleInvestor at Moonfire VenturesMarie FerriInvestor at DaphniElena PantaziPartner & Head of Platform at Northzone
+ 624 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Kauffman Fellows406
Jenny LeeSenior Managing Partner at Granite AsiaTobi CokerDeal Partner at Felicis VenturesRoi Bar-KatManaging Director at Intel CapitalAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel CapitalNick WashburnSenior Managing Director, Intel Capital (North America)Vinnie LauriaFounding Partner at Golden Gate Ventures
+ 400 more
