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Samir Kaul

General Partner Khosla Ventures

Samir Kaul
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Business Leadership, Environment, Ethics & Integrity, Sustainability, Technology
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Samir Kaul Biography

Samir grew up in a family of engineers and doctors. Both his father and uncle were early engineers in a pioneering satellite communications company where Samir worked during his high school and college summer breaks. However, it became clear during high school that it was biology, rather than engineering, that was his true passion. This led him to attend the University of Michigan, where he majored in biology and taught undergraduate biochemistry. He then continued on to graduate school to study biochemistry at the University of Maryland.

While at Maryland, Samir heard Craig Venter speak about the genomics revolution. Venter's Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) had recently sequenced the first complete genome (a bacterium frequently associated with influenza infections) in record time using automated, state-of-the-art technology. What would have taken weeks in graduate school now took minutes at TIGR. Venter had also signed a historic deal with SmithKline Beecham to identify the important genes responsible for human disease. Sensing a paradigm shift in the making, Samir joined TIGR to work on the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana, a member of the mustard family, which was a model organism for understanding agricultural staples such as rice, corn, and wheat. Soon Samir was promoted to run the project both within TIGR and internationally as the chairperson of the Arabidopsis Genome Initiative (AGI). Under his direction, the project was completed years before schedule and well under budget, culminating in a historic publication in Nature in December of 2000.

It was once again time for a change, as sequencing a genome was no longer a rare event, so Samir went to Harvard Business School to pursue an MBA. With a strong scientific background and experience running large project teams, this would provide the business training he needed to enter industry. Upon graduating, he joined Flagship Ventures to start and invest in early-stage biotechnology companies. During his five years there, Samir was involved in starting and investing in a number of companies including Helicos BioSciences (NASDAQ: HLCS), Epitome (acquired by Millipore), Codon Devices, LS9, and Morphotek (acquired by Eisai). Helicos, cofounded with Stan Lapidus and Steve Quake from Stanford, is developing single-molecule sequencing instruments to revolutionize personalized medicine. As CEO at Codon Devices, Samir raised the Series A financing, built the technical and advisory teams, and booked significant revenues in the company's first year of operations.

Vinod Khosla was a seed investor in Codon, and it was there that their relationship began. Khosla had been researching ethanol and biorefineries since 2004 and was convinced that this was the next revolution in technology. Samir was soon persuaded and, in early 2006, left Flagship to become a founding general partner at Khosla Ventures, focusing primarily on renewable energy, clean technologies, and life sciences investing. Since joining forces with Khosla, Samir has been a cofounder/founding investor in Calera,Cogenra, CoSkata, Gevo (GEVO), Kior (KIOR), Lanza, Sakti3; he has also led the firm’s investments in Amyris (AMRS), Ausra (acquired by Areva), Draths (acquired by Amyris), PRAJ Industries (BSE:PRAJ), Stion, Transonic Combustion, Segetis, NanoH20, Soladigm, and a number of early-stage science projects.

"What I am most proud of are the remarkable people whom I have had the privilege of working with on building these companies," says Samir. "There is no greater joy in this business than to be surrounded by exceptional people working toward a common goal."

In his free time, Samir enjoys golf, running, tennis, reading, and traveling. He is an avid sports fan with undying loyalty to the Michigan Wolverines, Washington Redskins, and Boston Red Sox.

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Samir Kaul Videos

  • CEOs and Founders: Lessons with Jeff Weiner & Samir Kaul
    CEOs and Founders: Lessons with Jeff Weiner & Samir Kaul
See All Videos »

FAQs on booking Samir Kaul

  • How do I book Samir Kaul to speak at my event?

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  • What are the speaker fees for Samir Kaul

    Speaking fees for Samir Kaul, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Samir Kaul are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Samir Kaul, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Samir Kaul speak about?

    Samir Kaul is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business Leadership, Environment, Ethics & Integrity, Sustainability, Technology.

  • Where does Samir Kaul travel from?

    Samir Kaul generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Samir Kaul for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Samir Kaul for your next private or corporate function.

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Samir Kaul is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Samir Kaul for your event is available upon request. Samir Kaul generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Brian O'Keefe, Tony Fadell, Victor d’Allant, Maximilian Martin and Father Michael Lapsey. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Samir Kaul for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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