Chris Mairs

Chris Mairs is a prominent angel investor and Venture Partner at Entrepreneur First (EF), a leading talent investor based in London. With a distinguished background in deep technology and enterprise software, Mairs brings over three decades of entrepreneurial and technical expertise to his investment activities. Prior to joining EF, he co-founded and served as CTO of Metaswitch Networks for 29 years, a company specializing in telecommunications software that was ultimately acquired by Microsoft in 2020. This extensive operational experience provides him with a unique perspective on building and scaling complex technology businesses.

Mairs primarily focuses on early-stage investments, particularly in the pre-seed and seed rounds of deep tech companies. His portfolio reflects a strong interest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, enterprise SaaS, and cybersecurity. He is particularly drawn to ventures that leverage cutting-edge research and have the potential for significant disruption. His role at Entrepreneur First involves mentoring and advising nascent companies emerging from EF's programs, often co-investing alongside EF and other institutional funds. His personal angel investing journey began in 2011, accumulating a portfolio of high-growth companies.

Notable investments in his personal capacity include Synthesia, a leading AI video generation platform, and Wayve, which develops AI for autonomous vehicles. He has also backed companies like Hadean (distributed computing), PolyAI (conversational AI), and Instadeep (AI solutions), demonstrating a consistent commitment to the frontier of technological innovation. Mairs is known for providing more than just capital, leveraging his deep technical acumen and extensive network to support founders in navigating product development, market strategy, and scaling challenges.

For founders seeking capital, Chris Mairs typically participates in funding rounds with initial cheques ranging from approximately $50,000 to $400,000. He is an ideal partner for ambitious deep tech founders, especially those at the earliest stages, who can benefit from his hands-on experience in building and exiting a successful technology company. His investment thesis aligns with identifying and nurturing ground-breaking technologies that can redefine industries.