Sam Cates
InvestorVenture Partner at Virta Ventures
San Francisco Bay Area
Writes $10K – $100K checks · typically $25K
About
Sam Cates is a Venture Partner at Virta Ventures, where he focuses on investments in data and machine learning applications across emerging domains. He works within a venture capital fund structured around a network of investors and operators.
Contact· published on Sam's own website
Experience
- Virta VenturesVenture Partnercurrent2026 — present
- daybreakExploringcurrent2020 — present
- Positive SumPartner and Founder2020 — 2026San Francisco Bay Area
- GEVenture Investing2014 — 2019
- GE DigitalBusiness Development2013 — 2014San Ramon, CA
- GECorporate Audit Staff2011 — 2013Fairfield, CT
- GE EnergyFinancial Management Program2009 — 2011Atlanta, GA
Skills & more
Microsoft Excel2PowerPoint1Financial Modeling15Managerial Finance16Auditing6Strategic Financial Planning1Business Development12Mergers & Acquisitions8Acquisition Integration1Process Improvement1Analysis5Financial Analysis13
+12 more
Corporate FinanceFinanceForecastingAccountingBusiness StrategyFinancial PlanningCoachingProcess SimplificationCross-functional Team LeadershipProgram ManagementBusiness Process ImprovementStart-ups- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder — CFA Institute
From Sam's professional profile.
Colleagues at Virta Ventures
Charlie Warren
Advisor at Virta Ventures
David Bill
Operating Partner at Virta Ventures
Dipak Kumar
Investor at Virta Ventures
Eyal Zurr
Advisor at Virta Ventures
Farlan Dowell
Operating Partner at Virta Ventures
Garrett Goldberg
Venture Partner at Virta Ventures
Lee Hoffman
Advisor at Virta Ventures
Russell Sprole
Founder and Managing Partner at Virta Ventures
Network1
Investors connected to Sam in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Sam Cates?
- Sam Cates is a Venture Partner at Virta Ventures, where he focuses on investments in data and machine learning applications across emerging domains. He works within a venture capital fund structured around a network of investors and operators.
- Where does Sam Cates work?
- Sam Cates is Venture Partner at Virta Ventures.
- What check size does Sam Cates write?
- Sam Cates typically writes checks of $10K – $100K.
- Where did Sam Cates go to school?
- Sam Cates studied at Clemson University (Bachelor of Science, B.S., Financial Management).
Same school
Also attended Clemson University66
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Shared employers
Also worked at Positive Sum9
Patrick O'ShaughnessyInvestor at Positive Sum CapitalAlison Davis RiddellInvestor at Positive Sum CapitalBrie WolfsonInvestor at Positive Sum CapitalJoe ParkerInvestor at Positive Sum CapitalDonald Lee-BrownInvestor at Positive Sum CapitalTerran MottInvestor at Positive Sum Capital
+ 3 more
Also worked at GE304
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Also worked at GE Digital27
Ravi RajamonyVice President at March Capital PartnersRamya RameshEA & Program Manager at Fireside Ventures Advisory LlpSteve AngelAdvisor at Industrious VenturesMark TrevittFounder & Managing Partner at Inovia CapitalMichael DolbecManaging Partner, Momenta at The HiveJun S HibbardPartner Japan at Zacua Ventures
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Also worked at GE Energy36
Leo FonsecaSr. Principal at Graphene VenturesClayton MacDougaldInvestment Director - Water at Emerald Technology Ventures AgColleen CalhounInvestor at BURNT ISLAND VENTURESSara ChamberlainManaging Director at Earth FoundryTom HirschfeldHealth System / Hospital at Pave Health VenturesArul MuruganManaging Partner & Chairman at Borderless Venture
+ 30 more