The Barcelona-based angel fund Masia launches immediately, devoted to capitalising on what the Co-founders describe as a “tipping level” for Barcelona-based frontier tech expertise.
The group intends to deploy €20 million throughout sixty investments on the pre-Seed and Seed levels, particularly in native and worldwide Founders who’re constructing international know-how firms in Barcelona.
Co-founder Carlos Trenchs says: “There’s a large alternative creating in Barcelona. An excellent, various mixture of each native and worldwide Founders has grown over various years right here. In the meantime, a brand new breed of MicroVCs and angel funds throughout Europe are altering how pre-Seed and Seed rounds are performed. By performing as a glue for these two rising forces, now’s the time for a fund like Masia to assist develop Barcelona into a serious EU ecosystem for frontier applied sciences.”
Masia is launched by VC investor Carlos Trenchs and Co-founder of Crowdcube Europe, Pepe Borrell. Masia had launched in stealth mode in September of final 12 months, investing in 9 startups alongside 20 worldwide VCs and angel funds led by rising managers. Early portfolio firms embrace Fermat, Biorce, Zymvol, and Capably.
The fund operates collaboratively, co-investing with different angel funds and specialist micro-VCs on the pre-Seed and Seed levels. Moreover, Masia selectively invests in worldwide angel funds to foster sturdy partnerships.
Trenchs and Borrell recognized three causes the town of Barcelona is on the precipice of changing into a serious tech hub:
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Barcelona as a tech hub is maturing quick. Native first-time Founders are exiting their firms and seeking to reinvest capital or begin new initiatives.
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The town has seen a tangible inflow of worldwide founders and builders, creating a various ecosystem. In 2024, two-thirds of Barcelona-based tech startups had not less than one worldwide Founder.
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Most worldwide VCs and MicroVCs prioritise different main tech hubs in Europe, like London or Berlin. They require an area co-investor who understands the Barcelona tech scene to efficiently achieve publicity to the ecosystem.
Masia’s advisory board contains notable tech entrepreneurs and operators from Barcelona, similar to Didac Lee (Co-founder of Galdana & TradeInn), Albert Nieto (Co-founder of Seedtag), Elisenda Bou (Co-founder of Vilynx, acq.Apple), Philippe Gelis (Co-founder of Kantox, acq. BNP Paribas) and Albert Castells (Co-founder iSalud, acq. CNP Insurance coverage).
Co-founder Pepe Borrel says: “Though a proud Barcelonian, I’ve labored throughout Europe in varied capacities. I can say with full objectivity that the potential we’re seeing first-hand in Barcelona is important. An ideal storm of things means the instant future for tech within the area seems extraordinarily wholesome. We wish to be a part of that course of. Utilizing our mixed expertise and the assist of our Restricted Companions, we hope to foster actual development for Barcelonian groups all throughout Europe.”
Masia operates with a definite funding technique and group, separate from Aldea Ventures. Though Trenchs will proceed to function a strategic advisor to Aldea, his essential focus will now be on rising and scaling Masia, whereas additionally supporting different initiatives in Barcelona. Operational obligations at Masia can be led by Borrell, who brings over a decade of expertise as a profitable tech operator.
Pedro Coelho, Co-founder and CEO at Biorce, says: “This distinctive likelihood to accomplice with Pepe and Carlos in Barcelona on pivotal issues—encompassing every part from group growth to long-term imaginative and prescient and important consumer collaborations—is an immense privilege. It cultivates a useful feeling of dwelling and assist.“
Within the months to return, Trenchs and Borrell could have important funding bulletins to make, in the direction of their aim of capitalizing on an area tech scene on its method to changing into one of many main tech hubs in Europe.
