Baobab Ventures is a global, operator-led venture capital firm launched by Carles Reina, a seasoned GTM leader at ElevenLabs and one of Europe’s most active deep tech angel investors. The firm manages a $15 million solo GP fund focused on backing highly technical founding teams building frontier innovations in AI, robotics, and defense. With more than 74 angel investments prior to launching the fund and a track record that includes being the first investor in ElevenLabs and an early backer of companies like Revolut, Kiwibot, Praktika.ai, and HappyRobot, Baobab brings a rare operator-investor hybrid model to the earliest stages of company building.
Baobab Ventures invests in global pre-seed and seed companies with strong technical DNA, particularly those building foundational technologies in AI, applied robotics, and defense systems.
The firm prioritizes founders capable of rapid iteration, weekly product shipping, and high-velocity customer engagement, especially in markets where GTM acceleration and global distribution are decisive advantages.
Baobab Ventures launched a $15 million global fund in 2025, structured as a solo GP vehicle led by Carles Reina. The fund has already completed seven investments, including public deals in THEKER Robotics, Omnia, Murphy AI, and Altan, with three additional unannounced companies.
Baobab is built around a thesis that the last three years have fundamentally changed how technical companies are built, scaled, and distributed. Startups can now close enterprise contracts in less than 60 days, deploy product-led growth as a catalyst for sales acceleration, and reach global momentum far earlier than before.
To support this shift, Baobab offers hands-on operator expertise embedded directly into the investment model. Reina brings GTM leadership experience from scaling ElevenLabs globally across the U.S., Europe, India, Japan, Korea, and Latin America, and he leverages this operational background to actively help founders build world-class distribution engines, accelerate customer acquisition, and navigate international expansion.
The fund is backed by a strong LP base including Cendana Capital, cyberFund, Isomer Capital, RSJ Investments, Emergence Ventures, dara5, and a long list of respected angels and operators from across Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S.
Leadership
Baobab Ventures is led by founder and solo General Partner Carles Reina. Reina serves as GTM leader at ElevenLabs while investing full time as an operator-turned-investor. His background includes eight years of deep involvement in the global startup ecosystem, multiple frontier-tech angel investments, and a track record of identifying high-growth companies early. His hands-on approach and global network position Baobab uniquely in the pre-seed and seed landscape.
Investment Strategy
Baobab follows a momentum-driven thesis centered on identifying technical teams capable of rapid iteration and fast distribution.
The strategy leans heavily on GTM excellence, product velocity, and direct customer feedback loops. Baobab invests early, supports founders in building high-performance distribution engines, and helps technical teams navigate the complexities of scaling across global markets such as the U.S., India, Japan, Korea, Europe, and Latin America. The firm’s approach is highly operational, with Reina providing direct support in deal navigation, customer acquisition, enterprise sales, and product deployment.
Notable Investments
Carles Reina’s investment history prior to Baobab includes early bets on:
Through Baobab Ventures, the fund has publicly invested in THEKER Robotics, Omnia, Murphy AI, and Altan, alongside three undisclosed portfolio companies.
Notable Exits
Carles Reina’s personal angel portfolio includes exits and high-value markups, most notably ElevenLabs, now valued at $6.6 billion, and Revolut, currently valued around $75 billion.
Other
Baobab Ventures stands out for its operator-led model, offering founders tactical GTM guidance, rapid execution frameworks, and global market entry pathways. Its LP base includes some of the world’s most respected early-stage backers, giving founders access to a broad ecosystem of investors, corporate partners, and deep tech advisors. Reina’s ongoing operator role at ElevenLabs provides a real-time perspective on scaling frontier AI companies, which he channels directly into founder support.
United Kingdom
