What happened
Carles Reina launched Baobab Ventures, a â¬12.9 million solo GP fund based in London, to invest in early-stage AI, robotics, and defence technology startups. The fund closed oversubscribed and will back pre-seed and seed companies globally, focusing on rapid growth and operational support. Reina, known for early investments in Revolut and ElevenLabs, will provide hands-on guidance to founders.
Why it matters
- Baobab Ventures fills a gap in Europeâs deep-tech ecosystem by offering operator-led support tailored to AI-era startups.
- The fundâs global reach and focus on GTM, product strategy, and talent acquisition can accelerate early-stage company growth.
Key facts
- 1. Baobab Ventures raised â¬12.9 million ($15 million) in a single oversubscribed round.
- 2. The fund will invest â¬259,000ââ¬302,000 per startup at pre-seed and seed stages.
- 3. Half of the fund will deploy in Europe, the rest in the US and other global markets.
- 4. Carles Reina has backed over 70 startups, including Revolut and ElevenLabs.
- 5. Baobab Ventures focuses on AI, robotics, and defence technology.
Key Voices
- Carles Reina said founders need operator experience from the AI era, especially in GTM, growth, and distribution, which Baobab Ventures aims to provide.
- Carles Reina emphasized that startups today must quickly build momentum, nail GTM, and deploy products rapidly to succeed.
