Darren Smith is a management lecturer for The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, teaching courses on entrepreneurship and innovation. His research explores social entrepreneurship, burnout, and entrepreneurship as it relates to ADHD and other neurodiversities.

With more than 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, project management, and business development across various industries, Smith co-founded Live Athlete LLC, a tech startup connecting high-performing athletes with professional service providers.

He worked most recently as a program manager for Adobe, leading initiatives to drive adoption of Adobe Express for educators and students. He has also served as product manager for The Zebra, an insurance comparison marketplace and agency, and as a consultant for IBM.

Currently a doctoral candidate in Business Administration – Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University, Smith is studying the intersection of innovation, education, and social good.

He holds a Master of Science in Technology Commercialization from Texas McCombs, an M.A. in sport management from California State University, and a B.A. in English composition from the University of North Texas.