highperformr logo

Chris Rust

Founding investor, Board Member, Cynch AI
Menlo Park, California,United States
Find Chris Rust's Email
Find Chris Rust’s Phone

Chris Rust's Overview

Total Experience44 years
CompanyCynch AI
CountryUnited States

Chris Rust is a seasoned venture capitalist and a Founding Partner at Clear Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on technology companies. With over two decades of experience in both operational and investment roles, Chris has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing technology startups. He primarily invests in areas such as enterprise software, AI/ML, cybersecurity, and infrastructure technology. Chris is known for his hands-on approach, working closely with entrepreneurs to build market-leading companies by providing strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to his extensive network. Before co-founding Clear Ventures, he was a General Partner at USVP and held leadership positions at several successful technology companies. He is passionate about fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of tech leaders.

Professional Summary

Chris Rust's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Cynch AI - Founding investor, Board Member (2023 to Present)
Wherobots.AI - Founding Investor, Board Member (2022 to Present)
AICRETE - Founding investor, Board Member (2022 to Present)
GEn1E Lifesciences Inc. - Seed investor, Advisor (2021 to Present)
Lilt - Investment Team, Series C Co-Sponsor (2021 to Present)
Acante - Founding investor, Board Member (2021 to Present)
Avicena Tech - Founding Investor, Board Member (2019 to Present)
Tignis - Seed investor, Board Member (2019 to Present)
Concentric.AI - Seed investor, Board Member (2019 to Present)
Clear Ventures - Partner (2016 to Present)

Notable Achievements

Co-founded Clear Ventures

Successfully co-founded Clear Ventures, establishing it as a key player in early-stage technology investment, focusing on B2B technology and innovation.

Successful Investment Track Record

Led and participated in numerous successful investments in technology startups that achieved significant growth, market leadership, or successful exits (e.g., IPOs or acquisitions).

Decades of Operational and Investment Experience

Leveraged over 25 years of combined experience in venture capital and executive roles within technology companies to guide and mentor portfolio companies.

Recognized Industry Speaker and Mentor

Frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and events on topics related to venture capital, entrepreneurship, and technology trends. Actively mentors entrepreneurs and young professionals in the tech ecosystem.

Educational Background

Master of Engineering (MEng), Engineering Management

University of Colorado Boulder - Year 2000

Master of Science (MS), Telecommunications Engineering

University of Colorado Boulder - Year 1989

Master of Science (MS), Electrical Engineering

University of Massachusetts at Lowell - Year 1987

Bachelor of Science (BS), Electrical Engineering

University of Massachusetts at Lowell - Year 1983

Buying Intent Signals for Chris Rust

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right people at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Cynch AI
Total employees8
HeadquartersSan Francisco
Founded2023

Cynch AI is an AI-powered platform designed to automate and optimize marketing campaigns. It aims to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale, thereby helping businesses boost engagement, improve conversion rates, and achieve greater marketing ROI without significant manual effort.

Cynch AI Funding Information
not applicable - Total Funding Raised
not applicable - Most recent funding amount
not applicable - Number of funding rounds
not applicable - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Find contact info

Get verified emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profile details

Find similar contacts

Discover contacts with similar roles, seniority, or companies

Perform deep contact research

Uncover insights like skills, work history, social links, and more

Discover, research and enrich contacts with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore contacts in-depth — from verified emails and phone numbers to LinkedIn activity, job changes, and more — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right people and enrich your CRM with live, accurate contact insights so your teams can connect faster and close smarter.

  • Track signals like job change, promotion, and LinkedIn activity
  • Enrich contacts with verified email, phone, and social data instantly
  • Automate enrichment and updates with powerful workflows
  • Sync enriched contact info directly into your CRM and tools

Thousands of contacts — including decision-makers, influencers, and ICP matches — are just a search away.

Thousands of companies, including, are just a search away.