Samara Mejia Hernandez
InvestorFounding Partner and Managing Director at Chingona Ventures · Board director at Betterleave · Board director at Papaya Tutoring Services
Chicago, Illinois
Writes $100K – $250K checks · typically $100K
About
Samara Mejia Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant and daughter of a maid and busboy, backs idea-stage tech for emerging-majority consumers, combining engineering degree, Goldman Sachs experience and cofounding Latinx Founders Collective.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningConsumerFintechHealthtechImpact & Social Good
Board director at Betterleave
Intro paths
→
In turn, Samara can intro founders to Betterleave's investors below.
Betterleave's investors · 5
Co-founders at Betterleave
CA
Cara AbbottFounder
Board director at Papaya Tutoring Services
Intro paths
→
In turn, Samara can intro founders to Papaya Tutoring Services's investors below.
Papaya Tutoring Services's investors · 1
Experience
- Chingona VenturesFounding Partner and Jefacurrent2019 — presentChicago
- National Venture Capital AssociationBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
- SomosVCMember of the Board of Advisorscurrent2025 — presentNorth America
- CatalyzeInvestment Committeecurrent2024 — present
- Beagle LabsBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
- DaptaBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
- Optimal AIBoard Membercurrent2024 — present
- Linker Finance (TS F23)Board Membercurrent2024 — present
- Betterleave BereavementBoard Membercurrent2023 — present
- Suma WealthBoard Membercurrent2020 — present
- CertiverseBoard Membercurrent2021 — presentChicago, Illinois, United States
- Kauffman FellowsKauffman Fellowcurrent2021 — present
- Angeles InvestorsFounding Member and Board Advisorcurrent2020 — presentChicago, Illinois
- Chicago:BlendMember Of The Board Of Advisorscurrent2019 — presentGreater Chicago Area
- Venture ForwardBoard Member2022 — 2026San Francisco Bay Area
- Viva EquityBoard Member2024 — 2026United States
- Papaya - Spanish & English Tutoring for (STEM) Science, Math, Engineering, and TechnologyBoard Member2023 — 2026
- The Aspen InstituteFinance Leaders Fellow2023 — 2025
- Oper8r LLCAdvisory Board and Cohort Member2020 — 2023
- Camino FinancialImpact Advisory Board2020 — 2022Chicago, Illinois, United States
- ConnectCareHeroBoard Member2021 — 2022Chicago, Illinois, United States
- MATH Venture PartnersVenture Partner2019Chicago
- MATH Venture PartnersPrincipal2015 — 20191871
- VentureUpBoard Member2017 — 2019Chicago
- CIS (Communities In Schools) of ChicagoBoard Of Directors2017 — 2019
- Liveoak Technologies, Inc.Board Observer2016 — 2019Austin, TX
- Goldman SachsBusiness Practices Strategist2014 — 2015
- NuMat TechnologiesIndependent Consultant2014
- Goldman SachsAsset Management Sales2009 — 2013
- Goldman SachsFixed Income, Currency, Commodity, Futures Group (FICC)2007 — 2009Chicago
Skills & more
Board Level2Start-up Ventures13Venture Capital28Entrepreneurship15Enterprise Valuation3Investment Strategies3Business Process Improvement2Due Diligence29Options10Trading16Capital Markets7Business Strategy14
+12 more
Risk ManagementBusiness AnalysisBusiness DevelopmentSix SigmaCross-functional Team LeadershipOperations ManagementOrganizational LeadershipSeries 7BloombergAnalysisStrategyLeadershipLanguages Spanish
- Series 63 — FINRA
- Series 7 — FINRA
From Samara's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Papaya Tutoring ServicesBoard seat
via Chingona Ventures · filed Jan 2023 · $2.3M raise
Suma Wealth, Inc.Board seat
via Chingona Ventures · filed Dec 2021 · $4.3M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Per SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Chingona Ventures
Fernando Carranza
Senior Principal at Chingona Ventures
Grisel Hernandez
Senior Associate at Chingona Ventures
Lori DeLuca
Chief Financial Officer at Chingona Ventures
Peri Ehlman
Senior Analyst at Chingona Ventures
Samantha Little
Associate at Chingona Ventures
Sonia Sahney Nagar
Senior Advisor at Chingona Ventures
Stella Garber
Senior Advisor at Chingona Ventures
Veronica Crystal Mejia
Chief of Staff at Chingona Ventures
Network1
Investors connected to Samara in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Samara Mejia Hernandez?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant and daughter of a maid and busboy, backs idea-stage tech for emerging-majority consumers, combining engineering degree, Goldman Sachs experience and cofounding Latinx Founders Collective.
- Where does Samara Mejia Hernandez work?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez is Founding Partner and Managing Director at Chingona Ventures and Board director at Betterleave and Board director at Papaya Tutoring Services.
- What does Samara Mejia Hernandez invest in?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez invests in AI & Machine Learning, Consumer, Fintech, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good.
- What check size does Samara Mejia Hernandez write?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez typically writes checks of $100K – $250K.
- What boards does Samara Mejia Hernandez sit on?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez holds tracked board seats at Betterleave, Papaya Tutoring Services, Suma Wealth, Inc..
- Where did Samara Mejia Hernandez go to school?
- Samara Mejia Hernandez studied at Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Finance); University of Michigan (BSE, Industrial and Operations Engineering).
Same school
Also attended Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management577
Jenny LeeSenior Managing Partner at Granite AsiaKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalAndy FligelSenior Managing Director at Intel CapitalDavid Clark GuillermoInvestments at Impact America FundGiuseppe DonvitoPartner at P101 VenturesAntonio TurroniOperating Advisor at P101 Ventures
+ 571 more
Also attended University of Michigan516
Erik TorenbergGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz; founder of TurpentineKarim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Glen AndersonPartner at Monta Vista CapitalAlexandra FarmerPrincipal at Intel Capital, North AmericaHannah KrootMarketing Lead at Intel CapitalScott ShawChief of Staff at Intel Capital
+ 510 more
Shared employers
Also worked at National Venture Capital Association71
Jeremy LiewPartner at Lightspeed Venture PartnersByron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersNick WashburnSenior Managing Director, Intel Capital (North America)Tiffany SpencerHead of Marketing at Menlo VenturesKate MitchellFounder at Scale Venture PartnersAdam D'AugelliInvestor at True Ventures
+ 65 more
Also worked at Optimal AI2
Also worked at Kauffman Fellows382
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
+ 376 more
