Company Performance Metrics
Chip Linehan: Director Emeritus, FounderPast Role: New Enterprise Associates, General Partner
Roger Lee: Co-Founder and VPPast Role: Edify Corporation, Manager - Internet Products
SMART provides highly motivated, financially-disadvantaged students with access to educational opportunities, personal experiences and social support services in order to foster academic excellence and community engagement.
Only 8% of low-income students earn a college degree. SMART closes the achievement gap by providing these students with
access to private schools and with intensive social, emotional and academic support from grades 5-12. 92% of SMART students attend college, forever altering the trajectory of their lives, and the lives of their families and communities.
SMART began operations in 1997 as a result of the harnessed passion and vision shared by three friends. Individually, they enjoy highly successful careers and attribute this success to the quality education and support system to which they had access. Upon achieving their professional goals, they committed themselves to giving back to the community and unanimously came to the decision to start an organization that provides access to education and opportunities for financially-disadvantaged students in San Francisco.