Spencer Foust
InvestorManaging Director at Sozo Ventures · Board director at SPARROW LENDING PBC · Board director at Kargo
San Francisco, California
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
About
Spencer Foust joined Sozo Ventures in June 2016 and leads investments from seed to pre-IPO. He previously worked at Apple and on the B61 Nuclear Weapon program at Sandia National Labs. He holds a Master's in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas, and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020.
Contact· published on Spencer's own website
Board director at SPARROW LENDING PBC
Intro paths
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In turn, Spencer can intro founders to SPARROW LENDING PBC's investors below.
SPARROW LENDING PBC's investors · 1
Board director at Kargo
Intro paths
→
In turn, Spencer can intro founders to Kargo's investors below.
Kargo's investors · 9
AvenirNew York · since 2025Avenir Growth CapitalNew YorkEvolution VC PartnersNew YorkHearst VenturesTel Aviv · $2M – $5M checks · since 2025Industrious VenturesDenverLightbankChicago · $500K – $5M checks · since 2025Linse CapitalSan Juan · since 2025Matter Venture PartnersSilicon Valley · since 2025Sozo VenturesRedwood City · since 2025
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Co-founders at Kargo
SL
Samuel LuryeExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
SL
Sam LuryeFounder
Experience
- Sozo VenturesManaging Directorcurrent2021 — presentPalo Alto, California / Tokyo, Japan
- Sozo VenturesPartner2016 — 2021Palo Alto, California / Tokyo, Japan
- Kauffman FellowsKauffman Fellowcurrent2023 — present
- InvestorAngel / LP / Advisorcurrent2019 — present
- GensparkInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- MaintainXInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- HydrolixInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- LambdaInvestorcurrent2025 — present
- Saronic TechnologiesInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Ema UnlimitedInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- Molten IndustriesInvestorcurrent2024 — present
- WorkeraInvestorcurrent2023 — present
- StordInvestorcurrent2022 — present
- SparrowBoard Membercurrent2022 — present
- SmartHopBoard Membercurrent2022 — presentMiami, Florida, United States
- Viz.aiInvestorcurrent2021 — present
- KargoBoard Membercurrent2021 — present
- Anduril IndustriesInvestorcurrent2021 — present
- project44Board Observercurrent2020 — present
- CartaInvestorcurrent2020 — present
- CohesityInvestorcurrent2020 — present
- Harmonic LabsBoard Membercurrent2020 — present
- Applied IntuitionInvestorcurrent2019 — present
- Chainalysis Inc.Investorcurrent2019 — present
- FlexportInvestorcurrent2018 — present
- ZoomInvestorcurrent2018 — present
- FastlyInvestorcurrent2018 — present
- CoinbaseInvestorcurrent2016 — present
- Palantir TechnologiesInvestorcurrent2016 — present
- RevinateBoard Observer2017 — 2020
- Handshake (acquired by Shopify)Board Observer2017 — 2018
- Sandia National LaboratoriesEngineering Program Manager - Systems R&D2013 — 2015Albuquerque, NM
- AppleiPhone Operations Program Manager, Post-Ramp Qualification (PRQ)2015Cupertino, California
Skills & more
Written Communication7Venture Capital42Supply Chain Operations29Operations Management22Start-ups10Data Analysis10Mechanical Engineering8Research8Global Business Development3Global Strategy1Value Investing1Business Strategy4
+12 more
EngineeringSystems EngineeringEntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurial FinanceOrganizational DesignCorporate FinanceCorporate Strategy FormulationFinancial AccountingMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft ExcelMatlabPowerPointLanguages Japanese · Spanish
From Spencer's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Logistics ExchangeBoard seat
via Sozo Ventures · filed Feb 2022 · $37M raise
SPARROW LENDING PBCBoard seat
via Sozo Ventures · filed Jan 2022 · $5.8M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Per SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Sozo Ventures
Aantorik Ganguly
Associate at Sozo Ventures
Alaina N. Watts
Assistant Controller at Sozo Ventures
Bob Roe
VP, Narrative Development at Sozo Ventures
Charles A.D. Kern
Analyst at Sage Capital
Clay Gary
Venture Partner at Sozo Ventures
Edwin Ong
Chief of Staff at Sozo Ventures
Elena Winefeld
CFO at Sozo Ventures
Jack Freeman
Partner at PeakSpan Capital Partners
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Spencer Foust?
- Spencer Foust joined Sozo Ventures in June 2016 and leads investments from seed to pre-IPO. He previously worked at Apple and on the B61 Nuclear Weapon program at Sandia National Labs. He holds a Master's in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas, and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020.
- Where does Spencer Foust work?
- Spencer Foust is Managing Director at Sozo Ventures and Board director at SPARROW LENDING PBC and Board director at Kargo.
- What check size does Spencer Foust write?
- Spencer Foust typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
- What boards does Spencer Foust sit on?
- Spencer Foust holds tracked board seats at Kargo, Logistics Exchange, SPARROW LENDING PBC.
- Where did Spencer Foust go to school?
- Spencer Foust studied at Stanford University (Master of Science (MS), Management Science and Engineering); Middlebury Language Schools (Japanese Language Program - Summer); University of Arkansas (Bachelor of Science (BS), Mechanical Engineering).
Same school
Also attended Stanford University2,000
Peter ThielCo-founder & Partner at Founders FundReid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockKeith RaboisManaging Director at Khosla VenturesGarry TanPresident & CEO of Y CombinatorAlfred LinPartner at Sequoia CapitalAnn Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at Floodgate
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Middlebury Language Schools4
Also attended University of Arkansas34
Allison BeckHead of Events & Foundation at GreycroftAaron PiercePartner at Perot JainAdam CoffmanGrowth Investor at Five Elms CapitalAdam BriceTrader at Hivemind Capital PartnersJD TamasManaging Director, Healthcare at Runway Growth CapitalPing ZhangFounder, President and CISO, DeepThink Health at Empactful Capital
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+ 28 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Sozo Ventures17
Phil WickhamExecutive Managing Director at Sozo VenturesKoichiro NakamuraSenior Managing Director at Sozo VenturesCharles A.D. KernAnalyst at Sage CapitalLauren MacDonaldPrincipal at Sozo VenturesRay HatoyamaVenture Partner at Sozo VenturesYoshihiro KoharaPrincipal at Sozo Ventures
+ 11 more
Also worked at Kauffman Fellows403
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
+ 397 more
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