Experience

The Global Knowledge Initiative

• United States
• International Affairs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Jun 2023 - Present

  Washington DC-Baltimore Area



WSDF - World Sustainable Development Forum

• United States
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • 2016 - Present

  Washington DC-Baltimore Area



Steven Smith Consulting

• Independent Consultant and Advisor

  • 2004 - Present

  Wilton CT Steve provides consulting and advisory services. Began working closely with corporate venture/equity groups at GE, ABB, Siemens and Nike, and with funds such as Missionpoint Capital and Ritchie Capital. More recently focused on helping early/growth stage companies develop business and capital strategies. Steve is serving or has served as an advisor for NewIV, Ficstar, Nimble, Cognoptix, HyImpulse, Data Inventions, CapZone Advisors, Jaigantic Studios, NeuroEM, Virtual Media… Show more Steve provides consulting and advisory services. Began working closely with corporate venture/equity groups at GE, ABB, Siemens and Nike, and with funds such as Missionpoint Capital and Ritchie Capital. More recently focused on helping early/growth stage companies develop business and capital strategies. Steve is serving or has served as an advisor for NewIV, Ficstar, Nimble, Cognoptix, HyImpulse, Data Inventions, CapZone Advisors, Jaigantic Studios, NeuroEM, Virtual Media. Artrepreneur, Fortified, HaptX, Dollar Financial, Edoo, Seezona, NewRow, ROC Capital, Le Chao, Tilting Point Media, Mission Critical Services, Fieldview Solutions, Nike, Onvia, Akonni Biosystems, Validus DC Systems, Tiba,The New York Times, Tapergy, C-SAM, Omnex, Dinova, Open Crowd In addition to his core advisory efforts, Steve is active in sustainable development through his roles with the World Sustainable Development Forum, TERI-NA, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, the Illinois Institute of Technology School of Design, the Rapid Results Institute and Save China’s Tigers. Steve has a long background in global sustainable development and emerging technologies and has been a frequent speaker and contributor to conferences such as the Illinois of Institute of Technology Design Strategy Conference, the IFC Cleantech Workshop, the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, the Tallberg Forum, the Bellagio Group, the Future in Review (FIRE) and LOHAS. Show less



TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute

• India
• Research Services
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Board Member

  • 2003 - 2013

  Delhi, India



Pegasus Capital Advisors

• United States
• Investment Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Operating Advisor

  • 2010 - 2012

  New York Led efforts to build a distributed power solutions business linking technology, design, service deployment and maintenance and vertical application solutions. Worked with diverse set of companies including Zerobase Technologies, Ramboll Tower and Arcco. Raised equity capital for ReCommunity Recycling. Member of Energy, Africa and Green Finance teams. Developed corporate partners including GE, Siemens, ABB and Nike. Sourced a number of potential deals including Ramboll Tower, Arcco… Show more Led efforts to build a distributed power solutions business linking technology, design, service deployment and maintenance and vertical application solutions. Worked with diverse set of companies including Zerobase Technologies, Ramboll Tower and Arcco. Raised equity capital for ReCommunity Recycling. Member of Energy, Africa and Green Finance teams. Developed corporate partners including GE, Siemens, ABB and Nike. Sourced a number of potential deals including Ramboll Tower, Arcco, Equilibrium Capital, Project Greentown, El Tejar, Tensor, Innovare, Mercer International, Mission Critical Services, Validus DC Systems, Akonni Biosystems, n-computing, Nova Thermal Energy, Flyback Energy and Porteon. Show less



Onvia

• United States
• Information Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • 2000 - 2010

  Seattle



Global Technology Investments

• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Venture Partner

  • 2008 - 2009

  New York A growth equity vehicle focusing on Energy, Aviation, Media and Healthcare in the USA-India corridor.



The Patent Board an ipIQ company

• United States
• Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • 2005 - 2009

  Chicago



Serenex/Coserics

• Board Member

  • 2007 - 2008

  Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area



xcleaero/aeromech

• Board Member

  • 2005 - 2008

  San Luis Obispo, California Area



Ritchie Capital Management

• Senior Managing Director

  • 2004 - 2008

  New york Responsible for the global venture and private equity business across several sectors including media/technology, energy and biotech. Steve was also instrumental in building Ritchie’s global footprint having recruited former colleagues to lead efforts in Asia and Latin America. The venture team was headquartered in New York with additional team members in Menlo Park. Ritchie’s media/technology investments included MLG Pro, Open Peak, Alloptic, Tectura, IPIQ/The Patent Board and… Show more Responsible for the global venture and private equity business across several sectors including media/technology, energy and biotech. Steve was also instrumental in building Ritchie’s global footprint having recruited former colleagues to lead efforts in Asia and Latin America. The venture team was headquartered in New York with additional team members in Menlo Park. Ritchie’s media/technology investments included MLG Pro, Open Peak, Alloptic, Tectura, IPIQ/The Patent Board and Attensa . Life Sciences investments included Serenex(Pfizer), Aviir and American Biophysics. Energy technology investments included Xcelaero, Aeromech(Chandler/May), Lean Flame and EMC. At Ritchie, Steve was also responsible for fund investments including GMG Partners, Millenium Technology Value Partners, Vivo Ventures and Sur Capital. Show less



GE Capital

• Various Senior Executive Positions

  • 2002 - 2003

  Stamford CT Served in several senior executive roles at GE Capital over the course of 13+ years. Recognized thought leader and key driver of growth and innovation. Frequent speaker at GE and GE Capital management meetings and sponsored a number of corporate wide strategic initiatives including a seminal strategic equity event at Crotonville.



GE

• United States
• Industrial Machinery Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Managing Director

  • 1997 - 2003

  Stamford, CT Responsible for Global Technology and Communications investing and overall GE Equity strategy. Steve’s team invested over $700mm in 100+ companies and 20 funds and generated $1.5b in capital gains. Highlighted early stage investments made by Steve and his team included ICG(ICGE), Commerce One(CMRC), Keynote Systems(KEYN), Alteon Systems(ATON;NT), Precise Systems(PRSE), Libit(TI);GlobalStar(GSAT), Tiba(Encompass Digital Media), Intelsat, Multex(MLTX), Cybersource(CYBS), Opensite(SEBL)… Show more Responsible for Global Technology and Communications investing and overall GE Equity strategy. Steve’s team invested over $700mm in 100+ companies and 20 funds and generated $1.5b in capital gains. Highlighted early stage investments made by Steve and his team included ICG(ICGE), Commerce One(CMRC), Keynote Systems(KEYN), Alteon Systems(ATON;NT), Precise Systems(PRSE), Libit(TI);GlobalStar(GSAT), Tiba(Encompass Digital Media), Intelsat, Multex(MLTX), Cybersource(CYBS), Opensite(SEBL), Launch(YAHOO), iChat(Avaya), Celtel(Zain), Patni Systems(PTI), Vital Signs(CSCO), Enigma, Sonoma Systems(NT), Corsair(CAIR;LTBG), Bluestone Software(BLSW;HP), Netscreen(NSCN;JNPR), Okena(CSCO), Jazztel, Net2Phone(NTOP), Mobifon,(Vodafone), RSA, Centillium(CTLM), Lexar(LEXR), Iridium, Prisa(EMC), Dome Imaging(PLNR), Vanguard Automation(RVSI) and Guggenheim.com. In addition to direct investing, team made founding investments in a number of ultimately successful funds including Softbank/Mobius Ventures, Giza Ventures and Vector Capital where Steve served on the advisory boards and other funds such as Vantage Point, Silver Lake Partners and Constellation Ventures. In his equity role Steve was a member of the GE Equity Investment Committee and was a frequent presenter to senior GE and GE Capital leaders on both individual investments, GE Equity operations and long-term GE Equity strategy. Steve was a strong believer in the value of equity investing as a growth and innovation tool complementing organic growth, m+a and r&d activity. Show less



GE Capital

• United States
• Financial Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Managing Director: Ventures

  • 1994 - 1996

  Stamford, CT Responsible for both internal and external venture activity driving innovation across GE and GE Capital. Sponsored and oversaw numerous internal new business entities and made a series of strategic investments including, eShop (MSFT), EuroNet (EEFT), Media Vehicles, Worldtel, Honicorp (Intellectual Ventures), First Virtual (Message Media) and Proxicom (PXCM). Also a member of Gary Wendt corporate team and in this role oversaw all 28 GE Capital businesses and participated in all corporate… Show more Responsible for both internal and external venture activity driving innovation across GE and GE Capital. Sponsored and oversaw numerous internal new business entities and made a series of strategic investments including, eShop (MSFT), EuroNet (EEFT), Media Vehicles, Worldtel, Honicorp (Intellectual Ventures), First Virtual (Message Media) and Proxicom (PXCM). Also a member of Gary Wendt corporate team and in this role oversaw all 28 GE Capital businesses and participated in all corporate strategy, operations and human resource planning sessions. Participated in all S-1, S-2 and S-C meetings involving senior teams at GE and GE Capital. Was a member of the GE Capital investment committee which vetted all GE Capital deals. Show less



GE Capital Retailer Financial Services (now GE Money)

• Executive Vice President

  • 1990 - 1994

  Stamford, CT Led strategy and business development for GE Capital Retailer Financial Services working on large credit card and portfolio and operations acqusitions such as Macy's, Carter Hawley Hale and HSN. Instrumental in expanding the business into new categories including home improvement, home shopping, fuel cards and procurement cards and introducing new technologies and services. Was also responsible for early expansion into emerging geographies including aquisitions of Solidarity Bank in Poland (now… Show more Led strategy and business development for GE Capital Retailer Financial Services working on large credit card and portfolio and operations acqusitions such as Macy's, Carter Hawley Hale and HSN. Instrumental in expanding the business into new categories including home improvement, home shopping, fuel cards and procurement cards and introducing new technologies and services. Was also responsible for early expansion into emerging geographies including aquisitions of Solidarity Bank in Poland (now GE Capital Poland) and Minebea Shinpan in Japan. Also led startup of Credito Real consumer finance business in Mexico via jv with Mabe. Show less



Strategy&

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Associate: Financial Industries Practice

  • 1984 - 1990

  New York, Dallas, San Francisco, Singapore and Sydney Led strategy assignments in a diverse set of industries including financial services, energy, media and technology. Client engagements included Chase, Dun & Bradstreet, Sovereign Bank, IFINT, Centrust, Great American, First Texas/Gibralter, San Antonio Savings, Mercantile Bank, Comerica, Federal Home Loan Banks, Phillips Petroleum,Arkla, Florida Power & Light, Olivetti, Scott Foresman, Showbiz Pizza, Dallas Ballet and Bank Bumi Daya (Indonesia)