Capitalizing on the massive success of voice AI giant ElevenLabs, insider Carles Reina is striking out on a new path. He just unveiled a $15 million solo fund designed to inject speed and momentum into the next generation of AI and defence founders.
The new firm, Baobab Ventures, arrives at a critical time when technical founders need more than just cash to survive. They need operational warfare tactics to win in a crowded market.
From Operator to Solo Investor
The venture capital landscape is shifting, and Carles Reina is at the forefront of this change. Reina is not your typical finance executive sitting in an ivory tower. He currently serves as the Go-To-Market lead at ElevenLabs, a unicorn startup now valued at a staggering $6.6 billion.
He knows the trenches well.
Reina was the fourth hire at ElevenLabs and an early angel investor in the company. He also holds a stake in the fintech giant Revolut. Now he is leveraging that frontline experience to launch Baobab Ventures. This represents a growing trend of “operator funds” where active tech leaders invest in the next wave of talent.
Carles Reina Baobab Ventures fund launch investment
“Founders need to move incredibly quickly whilst building a sales and growth motion fit for the AI age,” Reina stated regarding the launch.
He plans to continue his role at ElevenLabs while managing the fund. This dual role allows him to offer real time insights to new founders. He understands exactly what works in today’s market because he is doing it every single day.
Targeting High Tech and Global Markets
Baobab Ventures has a very specific mandate. The fund is technically based in Europe, with roots in London and Barcelona, but its vision is strictly global.
The fund will deploy checks averaging between $300,000 and $350,000.
These investments target pre-seed and seed stage startups. Reina is looking for technical founders who have an international mindset from day one. He is not looking for local heroes. He wants global conquerors.
The investment focus centers on three high impact sectors:
- Artificial Intelligence: Infrastructure and applications that solve real problems.
- Robotics: Hardware and software bridging the physical and digital worlds.
- Defence: Technologies that ensure security and sovereignty in an unstable world.
The geographic split is strategic. Fifty percent of the capital will support European startups. The remaining half is earmarked for the United States and other key international markets.
Speed Wins in the New Era
The core philosophy of Baobab Ventures is momentum.
Reina believes that the old playbook for building startups is dead. Artificial Intelligence has changed the game completely. It has made coding faster but sales harder.
“AI has killed cold outreach conversion rates,” Reina observed.
Because it is so easy to generate spam emails now, customers are ignoring them. This means startups need sophisticated Go-To-Market strategies to cut through the noise. Baobab Ventures promises to be hands on. Reina intends to help founders with pitch decks, contract negotiations, and critical hiring decisions.
Here is how Baobab differentiates itself from legacy firms:
| Feature | Traditional VC | Baobab Ventures (Operator VC) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Value | Capital & Board Governance | Operational Tactics & GTM Speed |
| Speed | Slow, Committee based decisions | Fast, Solo GP decision making |
| Experience | Financial Analysis | Current Operational Execution |
| Focus | Quarterly Reports | Weekly Momentum |
Big Names and Football Stars
A fund is only as strong as its backers, and Baobab Ventures is oversubscribed for a reason.
Reina has rallied an impressive list of Limited Partners (LPs). Institutional heavyweights like Cendana Capital, Isomer Capital, and RSJ Investments have committed capital. These are firms that specialize in backing the best emerging managers in the world.
But the list gets more interesting.
Mario Götze, the German professional football player and World Cup winner, is also an investor.
Götze has been active in the business angel scene recently. His involvement brings a unique flair to the fund. Other notable backers include partners from Concept Ventures and Credo Ventures. Deep tech investor Dr. Fatima Godall has also joined the fold. This mix of institutional stability and angel agility gives Baobab a robust foundation to support its portfolio companies.
With $15 million in the bank and a network of elite operators, Reina is ready to hunt for the next unicorn.
Conclusion
Carles Reina is betting that his experience building ElevenLabs into a multi-billion dollar giant is a repeatable formula. Baobab Ventures stands out because it offers founders a partner who is currently fighting the same battles they are. In a world where AI is rewriting the rules of business, having an operator in your corner might be the decisive factor between failure and massive success.
What do you think about “Operator VCs” who work full time jobs while investing? Do you prefer them over traditional investors? Let us know in the comments below. If you are excited about this launch, share this story on social media using #BaobabVentures.
