Internship Spotlight: Sarah Tang ’26, Lewis & Clark Partners
After using her first year at SOM to explore the private capital landscape, Sarah Tang ’26 interned at a venture firm that invests in cutting-edge food and agriculture technology.
Internship: Lewis & Clark Partners, St. Louis, Missouri
Hometown: Armonk, New York
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The SOM class you’re using on the job: Renewable Energy Project Finance
Go-to work lunch: The team catered lunch twice a week. My favorites were Taco Buddha and Balkan Treat Box. On other days, I’d make a salad with whatever I picked up from the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market.
After-work routine: Practicing pottery forms at South Broadway Art Project (it took me all summer to make two mugs), exploring new spots like Rockwell Beer Garden, and going to the gym.
Favorite thing about internship city: Ted Drewes’ strawberry shortcake, live shows at the MUNY, and enjoying the flowers at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
This summer, I interned as an MBA summer associate at Lewis & Clark Partners, a venture capital and growth equity firm based in St. Louis investing across the food and agriculture supply chain. The firm focuses on five key verticals: plant science and technology, animal health and nutrition, supply chain efficiency, food and food technology, and sustainable and advanced materials. Investments are typically made post-regulatory approval and technology de-risking. Lewis & Clark often leads or co-leads deals, takes board seats, and uses their team’s expertise to create value. Alongside its flagship fund, the firm also invests through a USDA-licensed Rural Business Investment Company designed to spur job creation and economic development in rural America.
As a summer associate, I worked across the investing process, from sourcing and engaging with founders to developing deal review memos and supporting due diligence. I especially enjoyed meeting with entrepreneurs. Hearing their stories was energizing, and the range of innovations I saw—from dual-fuel cell technology in trucks to molecular detection technology for avian influenza—helped sharpen my own thinking around product-market fit, exit potential, and deal conviction.
I also deepened my understanding of portfolio management and came to see how Lewis & Clark adds value to the companies in which it invests. I supported narrative development for Lingrove in advanced materials; sat in on Gencove’s board meeting to understand the opportunity for low-pass genome sequencing; and learned how BlueNalu is advancing cultivated seafood, starting with bluefin tuna. A particular highlight was visiting P2 Science’s facility in Naugatuck, Connecticut, to see their sustainable chemistry technology in action.
Over the course of the summer, I developed an investment thesis focused on traceability for carbon and food safety in food and agriculture. I researched market dynamics and built hypotheses in light of evolving U.S. climate regulations and increased supply chain volatility. As part of this work, I met with companies at the forefront of innovation in these areas to better understand the market landscape and identify what is truly investable. Drawing on my background in building sustainable supply chains, I was able to contribute to shaping the firm’s initial investment strategy in this space.
Prior to SOM, I spent nearly four years at Deloitte. There, I focused on sustainability in food and agriculture, particularly scaling beef and poultry supply chains. My work included helping farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices, measuring and generating carbon insets, and selling them to downstream customers. I saw firsthand how sustainability efforts can achieve environmental progress and strengthen business performance across the value chain. Deloitte gave me the skills and the exposure to some of the sector’s biggest challenges, and I was eager to explore new ways of solving them in business school.
I came to SOM to broaden my experience and understand how private markets can accelerate solutions and make supply chains more efficient and resilient in an era of increased geopolitical risk and turmoil. I believe that the 2020s and 2030s will be decisive decades for the future of our food and agriculture systems, and capital is a powerful lever for change.
I immersed myself in the investing ecosystem at SOM and strengthened my understanding of the private capital ecosystem and my financial skillset. Through the annual MBA Impact Investing Network & Training competition, I gained early-stage due diligence experience, working with a team to source, diligence, and pitch a startup in the upcycled food space. I built on this by partnering with Brazilian impact investor MOV Investimentos to explore attracting international capital to the country’s food, agriculture, and biodiversity sectors. And in São Paulo over spring break, I met with asset managers, investors, and limited partners to better understand the local investment landscape.
Courses like Private Capital and Impact Investing with Sue Carter helped me understand limited partner perspectives and capital flows, while Renewable Energy Project Finance with Dan Gross gave me valuable modeling experience that proved useful during my internship. Throughout the recruiting process, I was also fortunate to connect with alumni and fellow students in the food, agriculture, and climate venture capital space, including Jenn Burka, Emily Lewis, and Ioana Solomon.
Two key lessons stood out from the summer. First, I loved the variety of work in venture capital, from talking with founders and analyzing financial models to supporting our portfolio and exploring new areas for investment. I valued working at the mid/later-stage, where companies have tangible products in the market and meaningful traction, but still require the right strategic and capital support to unlock their next phase of growth. Second, team culture is the most important part of any workplace. I was fortunate to work alongside smart, passionate, and generous colleagues at Lewis & Clark, all of whom brought deep expertise of the food and agriculture space and were committed to helping me succeed. Being in-person with the team not only enhanced my learning but also made the summer especially rewarding.
This year, I plan to double down on my north stars: deepening my expertise in food and agriculture, growing as a leader, and continuing to explore how capital and business can drive meaningful change. After graduation, I aim to remain in the food and agriculture sector, scaling sustainable and efficient supply chains.
Sarah Tang ’26 is a recipient of the Michael Blue ’05 MBA Alumni Fund Scholarship (2024–2025).
