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Cleo Sham is a Partner at Stride VC, an early-stage venture capital firm. She is known for her extensive operational background from companies like Uber and Deliveroo, which she leverages to invest in and support founders.
Cleo Sham primarily invests in early-stage companies within B2B SaaS, the future of work, logistics, and marketplaces. Her investment focus emphasizes businesses with strong operational foundations and scalable models.
Cleo Sham works as a Partner at Stride VC, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Europe.
Cleo Sham is a London-based technology executive and venture capitalist who most recently served as a Partner at Stride.VC until early 2023. Before entering venture capital in March 2021 to lead early-stage investments across the United Kingdom and France, she worked as the Chief Operating Officer at the European proptech startup Spotahome. She previously spent several years at Uber, holding senior leadership positions including Director of Central Operations for the EMEA region and General Manager in Guangzhou, China, where she scaled operations in highly competitive international markets. Sham holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rice University and a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Her professional background centers on scaling global marketplaces, mobility platforms, and early-stage consumer technology startups across the European ecosystem.
Cleo Sham stands as a distinguished Partner at Stride VC, an early-stage venture capital firm renowned for backing ambitious founders across Europe. In her pivotal role, Cleo is instrumental in identifying and nurturing the next generation of innovative companies, bringing a unique blend of strategic insight and deep operational expertise to the investment landscape. Her focus areas primarily revolve around B2B SaaS, the future of work, logistics, and marketplaces, particularly those poised for significant operational scaling and market disruption.
What truly sets Cleo apart in the venture capital world is her extensive and impactful operational background. Prior to joining Stride VC, she held senior leadership positions at some of the world's most dynamic technology companies. Most notably, Cleo served as the Head of Operations for EMEA and APAC at Uber, where she was responsible for overseeing vast operational complexities across multiple continents. This role provided her with invaluable firsthand experience in scaling operations, navigating diverse regulatory environments, and building high-performing teams from the ground up. Before Uber, she also held the position of VP of Operations at Deliveroo, another fast-growing platform business, further solidifying her expertise in logistics, marketplace dynamics, and operational efficiency.
This rich operational history directly informs her investment philosophy at Stride VC. Cleo possesses a keen eye for founders who not only have groundbreaking ideas but also demonstrate a robust understanding of execution and operational excellence. She is particularly adept at identifying businesses with strong unit economics, scalable operational models, and a clear path to market leadership. Her ability to empathize with the operational challenges faced by early-stage companies makes her an invaluable resource for portfolio founders, offering practical guidance that extends far beyond capital.
At Stride VC, Cleo actively seeks out companies that are leveraging technology to solve complex business problems, enhance productivity, or redefine how industries operate. Her contributions help shape Stride VC's portfolio, which includes a diverse range of promising startups. While specific individual investments are often a collaborative effort within the firm, Cleo's influence is evident in the firm's commitment to supporting companies with strong operational foundations and ambitious growth trajectories. She is a strong advocate for founders, providing mentorship and strategic advice to help them navigate the complexities of scaling a venture-backed business. Cleo Sham's blend of operational acumen and investment prowess makes her a formidable force in the European venture capital ecosystem, driving innovation and fostering the growth of tomorrow's industry leaders.
