Sam Sturm

Sam Sturm is a board member at Ayoken, a previous company being fuseproject where they were the strategy lead for business innovation and venture strategy from November 2014 to October 2018. Sam has focused on bringing a design approach and commercial mindset to developing products, business models and brands for a broad range of clients. From 2015 - 2018, they led the design and implementation of the SPRING Accelerator, a revolutionary approach to sustainable development and global innovation. Backed by USAID, DFID, and The Nike Foundation, SPRING supported the growth of commercially viable startups across East Africa and South Asia whose products or services had the potential to positively impact the lives of adolescent girls. With 76 businesses across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Myanmar, the portfolio's results have been remarkable, both in terms of commercial success and social impact. With over $100M in equity value created and 2.4+ million adolescent girls reached, SPRING serves as a model for inclusive, sustainable venture development in developing markets.

Sam Sturm graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary (Narrative Studies, self-designed). Sam then went on to get their Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Yale School of Management.