Brendan Baker

Partner at Ridge Ventures with extensive venture capital and advisory experience

Brendan Baker is a Partner at Ridge Ventures, a venture capital firm formerly known as IDG Ventures USA. He focuses on investing in early-stage companies, particularly in sectors like SaaS, IoT, and enterprise software, with an investment range typically between $2 million and $7 million, and a sweet spot around $4.5 million.1 2

Professional Background

Before joining Ridge Ventures in September 2018, Baker held various roles in the venture capital and startup ecosystem. He was a Director at Greylock, where he developed systems for evaluating investments and was instrumental in overseeing deal flow at AngelList, where he managed thousands of pitches and helped numerous startups secure funding.2 3

Baker has also worked with early-stage venture funds such as Wing and Hone Capital, and has experience with accelerators like Techstars and AngelPad. His diverse background includes roles as the Ethiopian Country Director for Practica Foundation, where he focused on sustainable water and energy solutions, and as a Director at Engineers Without Borders Canada.2 3

Education

Baker holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia, a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, and an MBA with distinction from the University of Oxford.2 3

Current Involvement

At Ridge Ventures, he has led investments in companies like Loop Returns and serves on the boards of several startups, including Grabango and Sama. His approach emphasizes building large, revenue-driven companies and supporting innovative founders.2 3 4

Highlights

Oct 31 · FinSMEs

Espresa Raises $23M in Series A Funding - FinSMEs

Sep 13 · FinSMEs

Theom Raises $16M in Seed Funding - FinSMEs

Experience

Partner at Ridge Ventures (Sep 2018 - Present)

Series A Investor at Chord (May 2023 - Present), Series A Investor and Board Observer at Loop (Oct 2019 - Present), Series A Investor and Board Member at ASIMILY (Jul 2021 - Present), Advisor at Aumni (Feb 2019 - Present), Consultant at OX1 (May 2016 - Jun 2019), Director at Greylock (Jul 2011 - Feb 2015), Dealflow Manager at AngelList (2010 - May 2011)

Education

MBA (Distinction) from University of Oxford - Said Business School (2009 - 2010), MPhil from University of Cambridge (2007 - 2008), BASc. from The University of British Columbia (1998 - 2004)