How many investments has Babel Ventures made?

Babel Ventures has 29 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited.

What stage does Babel Ventures invest at?

Babel Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.

What is Babel Ventures's typical check size?

Babel Ventures typically writes checks of $100K – $3M.

What sectors does Babel Ventures focus on?

Babel Ventures focuses on Biotech, Consumer, Deep Tech, FoodTech, Impact & Social Good, New Materials.

Where is Babel Ventures located?

Babel Ventures is headquartered in San Francisco, US.

Does Babel Ventures lead rounds?

Babel Ventures typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.

Who does Babel Ventures co-invest with?

Babel Ventures most often shares deals with Y Combinator, At One Ventures, Blue Horizon Corporation, among 75 tracked co-investors.

Babel Ventures

Venture capital

San Francisco · Pre-Seed–Series A · 9 people tracked

★ Follow + Add to CRM ⤳ Find an introduction

Find your way into Babel Ventures

1,932 people in our graph share verified history with the Babel Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Anthony Philippakisunlockedknows Ryan Bethencourt · together at Yale University (overlapped)

knows the team · via Starlight Ventures

×2knows the team · via University of California, Berkeley

knows the team · via University of Cambridge

knows the team · via INSEAD

knows the team · via Blockchain Education Network (BEN)

✨ Fox Verdict

Investment thesis

Babel Ventures concentrates on early-stage consumer biotech, positioning itself as the first VC check in many of the companies it backs. The firm emphasizes a bold investment approach and a belief in groundbreaking ideas, pointing to a track record that includes companies going public and returns as high as 40x. Since launching in 2017, it has focused on supporting visionary entrepreneurs whose work drives innovation and contributes to a more sustainable future.

Invests inBiotech Consumer Deep Tech FoodTech Impact & Social Good New Materials North America San Francisco United States

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage

Pre-Seed–Series A

Check

$100K – $3M

San Francisco, California, US

Leads rounds

Follows

Instruments

Equity

Founded

2017

AUM

$26M

Tracked investments

Acquisitions

Team · 9 people

from the firm's website & curated & public directories

Ba Minuzzi· Founder and General Partner

A venture capitalist and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience raising capital and managing assets across real estate and technology. As founding GP of BABEL Ventures, she is noted as the first Latina to establish a VC firm in Silicon Valley and has launched several additional funds including Ausum Ventures, DuContra Ventures, and Barbarella Ventures.

Daniela Arruda· Co-founder and Advisor· San Francisco, Californiain 𝕏

Daniela Arruda blends legal training and serial entrepreneurship with cross-border early-stage investing; Latina Silicon Valley co-founder of a $30M fund and venture partner and Executive Director at BTG Pactual.

Bá Minuzzi· Co-Founder and General Partner· Ojai, California, United Statesin 𝕏

Bá Minuzzi, the first Latina solo GP in Silicon Valley biotech, is a former real‑estate entrepreneur and Brazilian financial advisor who raised over $250M and backs biotech and blockchain founders.

b•••@babel.venturesreveal

Barbara Kunde Minuzzi· Co-Founder & General Partner· San Francisco, Californiain 𝕏

Barbara Kunde Minuzzi structures and manages single-LP venture funds for founders, families, and public figures, focusing on long-term alignment and generational outcomes. Her work spans venture capital, family offices, and customized investment vehicles, with a focus on backing companies at critical stages while facilitating intergenerational capital transfer. Through Becoming a Good Ancestor DAF, she develops models integrating venture capital and philanthropy for systemic impact.

Marcelo Valente· Partner· Los Angeles, Californiain 𝕏

Founder of Shepherd, a Los Angeles company bridging entertainment and technology. Originally from Brazil, he studied at UCLA and has connected influential musicians and actors with brands and projects, joining BABEL in 2017 to bring on key investors.

Ryan Bethencourt· Partner· Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Areain 𝕏

CEO and co-founder of plant-based pet food company Wild Earth, and previously Program Director and Venture Partner at IndieBio. He has invested in over 180 early-stage food and biotech startups, including being the first investor in Upside Foods, Geltor, The Not Company and Shiok Meats. At SFV he sources deal flow and makes investment decisions.

Marcos Botelho· Partner· Sao Paulo, Brazil

Ron Shigeta· Scientist in Residence· Berkeley, Californiain 𝕏

Ron Shigeta is founder of iAccelerate and Elevated.eco, where he mentors and advises early-stage startups in biotechnology, food, and health. He holds a PhD in biophysics and biochemistry and has held roles including co-founder of indieBio, where early investments of $15 million generated over $1 billion in funding for portfolio companies, and science officer at Wild Earth, a plant-based mycoprotein pet food company. He currently serves as a diligence advisor to multiple venture funds and invests in companies within his advisory portfolio.

Andre Martins· Investor· Sao Paulo, Brazilin 𝕏

Andre Martins is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience in corporate development, business scaling, and merger and acquisition integration across the benefits, services, and technology sectors. As co-founder and CEO of a venture builder, he developed a diversified portfolio of companies that achieved 4x capital appreciation and two successful exits. His background also includes leadership roles as president and CEO of benefits companies, where he drove organic growth, oversaw digital transformation, and managed post-acquisition integration initiatives.

Founder mafia

2 people who came through Babel Ventures went on to found or lead other companies.

Ryan BethencourtPartnerFounded Scirouter +1 Ron ShigetaScientist in ResidenceFounded Wild Earth

What they invest in

from 23 of 29 portfolio companies

Consumer ×10FoodTech ×9Biotech ×7Healthtech ×7Direct to Consumer ×6Wellness & Fitness ×6Circular Economy ×5AI & Machine Learning ×3

HQs:United States×11New Zealand×1Philippines×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 15 portfolio companies

53%

solo founders

8 of 15 mapped founding teams

68%

repeat founders

of 19 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×82 founders×43 founders×24+ founders×1

Where their founders studiedfrom 17 founders with education data

Harvard Business School ×4Langley High School ×2Princeton University ×2Stanford University ×2University of Massachusetts Amherst ×2Yale University ×2

What their founders studiedfrom 16 founders with field-of-study data

Life Sciences ×6Business & Management ×4Computer Science ×4Economics ×3Politics & Policy ×3Mathematics & Statistics ×2Medicine ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 19 founders with career history

Goldman Sachs ×2Openai ×2Wild Earth Inc ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Y Combinator ×3

Investments · 29 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2023 · 1 2022 · 1 2021 · 2 2020 · 5 2019 · 1 2018 · 111 dated

(occamzrazor.comoccamzrazor.com

Occam Razor develops drug discovery technology using digital science to target neurodegenerative diseases, focusing initially on Parkinson's disease and brain aging.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech

Co-investorsDaybreak Partners Dreamers VC Lauder Partners

BioAestheticsbio-aesthetics.comSeries A · Oct 2020 · $6M

BioAesthetics develops NACgraft, a cell-free, collagen-rich nipple-areolar complex graft that a surgeon applies so the patient's own cells integrate it into living nipple and areola tissue.

BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesNew Materials

Juliana Blum(CEO & Director)Billy Heim(COO)in

Co-investorsFemHealth Ventures Hemi Ventures, Llc Joyance Partners New Orleans Startup Fund The Launch Place IndieBio

Bluelandblueland.com in

Blueland manufactures sustainable household cleaning products packaged in refillable, plastic-free formats.

Circular EconomyCleantechConsumer

Sarah Paiji Yoo(Co-Founder + CEO)inJohn A. Mascari(Founder)in

Co-investorsAble Partners BAM Ventures Comcast Ventures Trust Fund 468 Capital BBG Ventures +4 more

Covecove.co

Cove is a material innovation company that designs and commercializes sustainable alternatives to conventional polluting materials for global consumer brands.

Circular EconomyCleantechClimate TechNew Materials

Alex Totterman(Founder and CEO)in

Co-investors1/1 Capital Trust Fund

Crossing Mindscrossingminds.com in

Crossing Minds built infrastructure for AI assistants focused on understanding user intents and preferences, with capabilities in personalization, retrieval-augmented generation, and real-time machine learning for applications requiring semantic understanding of user behavior.

AI & Machine LearningData & Infrastructure

Emile Contal(Founder)inAlexandre R.(Founder)in

Co-investorsIndex Ventures Lerer Hippeau

Dirty Labsdirtylabs.com in

Dirty Labs makes bio enzyme laundry detergents and boosters using its Phytolase enzyme-based cleaning technology, offering nontoxic, biodegradable formulas as an alternative to conventional chemical cleaners.

CleantechConsumerDirect to ConsumerPortland, US

David Perry Watkins(Founder)in

Co-investorsChamaeleon Clover Vitality Entrée Capital Bullish

Finless Foodsfinlessfoods.com in

Finless Foods develops cell-cultivated seafood alternatives, starting with Pacific bluefin tuna, aimed at consumers seeking sustainable options that reduce pressure on wild fish stocks.

BiotechClimate TechFoodTech

Brandon Chen(Co-Founder & CEO)inBrian Wyrwas(Co-Founder & CSO)inMichael Selden(Co-Founder & Advisor)in

Co-investorsAt One Ventures Aurum Venture Partners Blue Horizon Corporation Blue Revolution Investments G.P.Draper Associates Endurance28 +9 more

Forever Labsforeverlabs.com in 𝕏

Forever Labs operates a stem cell banking service that collects, processes, and cryopreserves adult stem cells from individuals for potential use in future regenerative therapies.

BiotechHealthtechLongevityAnn Arbor, US

Steven Clausnitzer(Founder/CEO)inEdward Cibor(Founder)inMark Katakowski(Founder/President & Chief Science Officer)in

Co-investorsFundersClub Silicon Badia Y Combinator FCVC

Galygaly.co inJul 2020

GALY develops biocrafted alternatives to conventionally extracted materials like cocoa and cotton, positioning grown products as sustainable replacements for industries reliant on extractive supply chains.

AgTechBiotechCircular EconomyFoodTechNew MaterialsBoston, US

Luciano Bueno(Executive Officer, Director)in

Board Carmichael Roberts(Director)inRyan Panchadsaram(Director)

Co-investorsAgronomics Artesian Breakthrough Energy Ventures Brinc Material Impact Mundi Ventures +1 more

Goodfor.Cogoodfor.co.nz

A New Zealand-based chain of physical stores offering refillable pantry and household goods, as well as sustainable lifestyle products, designed to reduce packaging waste.

Circular EconomyConsumerE-commerceFoodTechImpact & Social GoodRetail TechAuckland, NZ

High Time Foodshightimefoods.com inPre-Seed · May 2022 · $360K

High Time Foods produces traditional Indian snacks (tikki, samosa, momo) formulated with increased protein content, addressing nutritional accessibility for the Indian market.

FoodTechHealthtechWellness & FitnessCambridge, US

Co-investorsSustainable Food Ventures TBD Angels Techstars Avaana Capital

Itsquimitsquim.com 𝕏

A topical wellness product infused with hemp CBD and botanical oils designed for intimate body care and comfort during various life phases including menstruation, postpartum recovery, and general maintenance.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFemTechHealthtechWellness & Fitness

Libre Foodslibrefoods.coPre-Seed · Jan 2021 · $300K

Co-investorsSustainable Food Ventures

MadeMangetmademan.com

MadeMan offers a simplified, two-step skincare regimen designed for men who seek an efficient alternative to complex routines.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerWellness & Fitness

Jeremy Gardner(Founder)

Co-investorsAusum Ventures

MeliBiomelibio.comPre-Seed · Dec 2020 · $330Kacquired by FoodYoung Labs

MeliBio is a California-based biotech company that develops plant-based honey alternatives using proprietary plant-science technology to replace commercial honeybees, addressing food security and supply chain challenges while supporting native pollinator biodiversity.

AgTechBiotechFoodTechSan Francisco, US

Darko Mandich(Co-Founder & CEO)Dr. Aaron Schaller(Co-Founder & CTO)

Co-investorsBig Idea Ventures Collaborative Fund Joyance Partners Juniper Sustainable Food Ventures Astanor Ventures +1 more

Mellowsgetmellows.com 𝕏

Mellows is a cannabis edibles company that produces handcrafted, low-dose marshmallows designed for both flavor and aesthetic appeal.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Stephanie Hua(Founder and Chief Confectioner)

Mission Barnsmissionbarns.com in 𝕏Nov 2018

Mission Barns produces cultivated meat products, primarily pork-based items like meatballs, bacon, and sausages, combining lab-grown pork fat with plant protein for consumers seeking sustainable alternatives to conventional meat.

Climate TechFoodTechBerkeley, US

Ilan Eitan Fischer(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardDavid Bowman(Director)

Co-investorsAir Street Capital Better Ventures Central Llc Bloom8 Blue Ledge Capital Joyance Partners Lever VC +6 more

Mogulonmogul.com in

Mogul is an advisory, executive search, and training firm that helps large companies find senior leaders and develop them through AI-personalized leadership programs.

AI & Machine LearningFuture of WorkHR Tech

Tiffany Pham in

Co-investorsSoftBank Group 500 Global Alpha Startups Pre-Accelerator CityPark Investments Click Ventures Ranch Ventures +2 more

Nabisnabis.com in

Nabis is a cannabis wholesale platform that supplies branded products to dispensaries across California, New York, and Nevada.

B2B MarketplacesEnterprise SoftwareFintechLogistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesSan Francisco, US

Vince Ning(CEO, Co-Founder)in Jun S. Lee(Co-CEO and Co-Founder)in

Co-investorsAngel Collective Opportunity Fund Artemis Growth Partners Delta Emerald Ventures Emles Venture Partners JourneyOne Ventures Outbound Ventures +4 more

Quinntryquinn.com

Quinn is a mobile app offering audio erotica content, organized by creators and categories.

ConsumerCreator EconomyMedia & EntertainmentWellness & Fitness

Co-investorsGreat Oaks Venture Capital Montage Capital Tq Ventures Llc Progression Viola FinTech

Vitagenevitagene.com

Vitagene offers at-home test kits that analyze DNA, inflammation markers, and other health indicators, delivering results online in plain language.

Digital HealthDirect to ConsumerHealthtechWellness & FitnessSan Francisco, US

Mehdi Maghsoodnia(Executive Officer, Director)inReza Malek(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardLyon Wong(Director)

Co-investorsNetflix Viking Global Investors

Wild Earthwildearth.com 𝕏

Wild Earth manufactures plant-based dog food formulated to meet nutritional standards while reducing environmental impact compared to traditional meat-based pet food.

Circular EconomyConsumerFoodTechHealthtech

Ryan Bethencourt(Founder)in Ron Shigeta(Founder)inAbril Estrada(Founder)Kristin Wuhrman(Founder)

Co-investorsAt One Ventures Big Idea Ventures Blue Horizon Corporation Civilization Ventures Management, Llc Evolution VC Partners MaC Venture Capital +4 more

Wth Foodswthfoods.ph inSeed · Oct 2021 · $1M

WTH Foods makes 100% plant-based meat alternatives under its UMANI brand, offering South-East Asian-inspired products for health- and sustainability-conscious consumers.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Co-investorsBig Idea Ventures

ZBioticszbiotics.com in 𝕏

Z Biotic develops genetically engineered probiotics designed to improve daily health and wellbeing.

BiotechConsumerHealthtechWellness & FitnessSan Francisco, US

Stephen Lamb(Founder)inZack Abbott(CEO)

Co-investorsAble Partners Champion Hill Ventures Fundamental Ventures Goat Rodeo Capital Hyperguap Innovation Global Capital +6 more

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

Evo FoodsMatchboxSnacktbhSobo FoodsVeggie Victory

Exits · 1

1 acquisitions

MeliBioacq. by FoodYoung Labs

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Cove Capital Investments Fully Subscribes Its Cove Essential Net Lease Industrial 108 Delaware Statutory Trust Offering After Successfully Raising $9,964,510 from Accredited 1031 Exchange and Direct Cash Investors

Cove · prnewswire.com · Sep 9, 2026

Why We Invested in Mission Barns. Two years ago I went out of my little… | by Christoph Janz | Point Nine Land | Medium

Mission Barns · medium.com · Jul 26, 2026

Cannabis Wholesaler Nabis Launches New Service Tiers | Cannabis Equipment News

Nabis · cannabisequipmentnews.com · Jul 15, 2026

Mogul Club Review 2026: Is Mogul a Good Investment? (Fees, Returns, Complaints)

Mogul · lofty.ai · May 5, 2026

Finless Foods on Republic – Reg CF Investment Crowdfunding Raise Feed

Finless Foods · blog.seedstage.ai · Apr 30, 2026

This Founder's Unusual Strategy Led Her Business to Profitability — and $300M in Lifetime Sales

Blueland · entrepreneur.com · Nov 24, 2025

Laundry Detergent Market Size, Share | Growth Report [2033]

Dirty Labs · astuteanalytica.com · Sep 11, 2025

Quinn raises $11M to embed financial advice in fintech apps

Quinn · axios.com · Jun 24, 2025

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Babel Ventures made?: Babel Ventures has 29 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited.
What stage does Babel Ventures invest at?: Babel Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
What is Babel Ventures's typical check size?: Babel Ventures typically writes checks of $100K – $3M.
What sectors does Babel Ventures focus on?: Babel Ventures focuses on Biotech, Consumer, Deep Tech, FoodTech, Impact & Social Good, New Materials.
Where is Babel Ventures located?: Babel Ventures is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
Does Babel Ventures lead rounds?: Babel Ventures typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Who does Babel Ventures co-invest with?: Babel Ventures most often shares deals with Y Combinator, At One Ventures, Blue Horizon Corporation, among 75 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

Ryan Bethencourt - BABEL VENTURES

Babel Ventures · Ryan Bethencourt

Ryan Bethencourt for NEW ECONOMY - trailer(StartSe and BABEL VENTURES)

Babel Ventures · Ryan Bethencourt

Co-investors · 9

Big Idea Ventures

Big Idea Ventures is a venture capital fund with startup accelerators focused on solving global challenges in the food innovation space. The firm operates accelerator programs twice yearly across New York City, Singapore, and Paris, investing in alternative protein and food technology startups.

Both backed · 3

MeliBio Wild Earth Wth Foods

$125K – $2.5M

Social Starts

Social Starts is a group of early-stage venture funds that applies a data-driven, analytics-based methodology to identify and back promising companies in high-potential segments. Its current fund, Social Starts Health and Happiness, targets startups focused on helping people live longer and better.

Both backed · 2

Finless Foods Mission Barns

Blue Horizon Corporation

Blue Horizon Corporation is an investment firm focused on accelerating the transition to a sustainable food system, aiming to deliver strong returns for people and the planet.

Both backed · 2

Finless Foods Wild Earth

Techstars

Techstars is a startup accelerator and early-stage investor that funds ambitious founders and provides capital, mentorship, and access to a global network of investors, operators, and corporate partners.

Both backed · 1

High Time Foods

$220K

Mayfield Fund

Mayfield is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage consumer and marketplace companies, backing founders from inception through IPO.

$500K – $12M

Pioneer

Pioneer Fund is a venture capital firm investing in the top Y Combinator startups.

Awesome People Ventures

Awesome People Ventures operates as a decentralized VC fund using a network of deal partners and contributors to source and vet investments, while giving carry to core contributors beyond just the GP to mirror web3's community ownership ethos. The fund focuses on investing in awesome people building awesome things in web3 with a world-positive mandate, and is backed by iconic crypto investors including Chris Dixon, Marc Andreessen/a16z, and Multicoin.

$50K – $250K

Makers Fund

Makers Fund is a global venture capital firm focused on games and interactive entertainment, backing early-stage founders.

$500K – $40M

Better Capital

Better Capital is an India-focused early-stage venture investor backing startups across sectors including consumer, mobility, fintech, edtech, ecommerce and gaming.

$5K – $100K

Firms observed investing alongside Babel Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Babel Ventures's recorded portfolio.

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