Rick Smith
InvestorManaging Director at Crosscut Ventures
Los Angeles, California
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
About
Rick Smith transformed a blue‑collar upbringing and trades (pipe‑fitting, de‑tasseling) into law then VC, building a $750M corporate venture platform and scaling a $5M 2008 fund into a unicorn‑producing platform.
Invests in
Climate TechDefense TechEnergyEnterprise SoftwareSpace Tech
Experience
- Cambium Carbon LLCInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Carbon RidgeInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Aalo AtomicsInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Airloom EnergyInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- MeasurablInvestorcurrent2014 — present
- Inspire Clean EnergyInvestorcurrent2013 — present
- CrosscutFounder and Managing Directorcurrent2008 — presentGreater Los Angeles Area
- Palomar VenturesManaging Director2000 — 2006
- SunAmericaManaging Director1996 — 2000
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolJD, Law
- University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBS, Finance
Skills & more
Enterprise Software12Private Equity51Corporate Development34Mergers9Venture Capital97Start-ups45Due Diligence26Management14Venture Financing1Strategy21M&A experience13Business Strategy17
+12 more
Mergers & AcquisitionsFinanceBusiness DevelopmentEntrepreneurshipMobile DevicesLeveraged FinanceStrategic PartnershipsFinancial ModelingCorporate FinanceGrowth CapitalInvestment BankingStrategic PlanningFrom Rick's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Harvard Law School126
Keith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesKenneth ChenaultInvestment Team at General CatalystDavid GoldenManaging Partner, Revolution VenturesTracy Van GrackChief Communications Officer at RevolutionSid ShenaiVenture partner at Madrona and co-founder and CEO of Proof DiagnosticsRufus KingInvestor at OpenView Venture Partners
+ 120 more
Also attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign259
Sundeep PeechuGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesDeep NisharInvestment Team at General CatalystPrashant ShahPartner at Monta Vista CapitalNoorPartner at Clear VenturesPaul BragielCo-founder at Golden Gate VenturesGreg RudinBoard Partner at Menlo Ventures
+ 253 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Carbon Ridge1
Also worked at Airloom Energy1
Also worked at Measurabl6
JESSE DEVITTECo-founder and General Partner at Building VenturesWan Li ZhuCo-Founder and Managing Director at Suffolk TechnologiesThomas Walton-CaleManaging Director at Multiplier CapitalLindsay LugerCo-Founder and Partner at Energy Impact PartnersMatt BisgyerVice President at Energy Impact PartnersJody GoehringInvestor at Multicoin Capital
Also worked at SunAmerica1
Colleagues at Crosscut Ventures
Brett Brewer
CO-FOUNDER at Crosscut Ventures
Brian Garrett
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR at Crosscut Ventures
Clinton Foy
Managing Partner at Crosscut Ventures
Felipe Alvarez
Senior Manager of Strategic Finance at Crosscut Ventures
Jason DeHaven
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER at Crosscut Ventures
Jerry Orzech
PRINCIPAL, INVESTMENT TEAM at Crosscut Ventures
Jon Ylvisaker
PARTNER at Crosscut Ventures
William Scriven
PARTNER & HEAD OF CAPITAL FORMATION at Crosscut Ventures
Network1
Investors connected to Rick in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.











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