Braid & Berry
Fast-casual challah sandwiches and smoothies. San Diego.
See the process ›
Building from scratch, in public. Carlos Gotlib, founder and investor.
Founder and investor.
2 APPS AT #1·1M+ USERS·32 INVESTMENTS
Investments
TovalaWritesonicEnfluxclosedKrediFitiaConstruct VRclosedFondoPlerkexitAirdeployclosedCaféclosedKarbonMoonshot BrandsclosedKandaclosedLeah LabsKoddaclosedNectomeRethoricSkylightsclosedWhalyFarelBreadcrumbsclosedFarmakoFiladdWayru NetworkclosedCeroTodos ComemosNestdropclosedRevlAirthiumPledgecampclosedSaphibeatclosedTribeclosedTovalaWritesonicEnfluxclosedKrediFitiaConstruct VRclosedFondoPlerkexitAirdeployclosedCaféclosedKarbonMoonshot BrandsclosedKandaclosedLeah LabsKoddaclosedNectomeRethoricSkylightsclosedWhalyFarelBreadcrumbsclosedFarmakoFiladdWayru NetworkclosedCeroTodos ComemosNestdropclosedRevlAirthiumPledgecampclosedSaphibeatclosedTribeclosed
Latest
The latest, as it happened.
- Empresa 2highI defined the criteria to choose the second company. Still evaluating. See the criteria ›
- Braid & BerrymediumSite under construction. The hero will be the sandwich exploding and putting itself back together.
- Braid & BerryI hired the designer for the logo, packaging and brand system.
- Braid & BerryName locked: Braid & Berry. It beat Braid & Blend.
01
Now
Two new companies, from scratch. This is what exists today and what comes next.
Empresa 2
It doesn’t exist yet. I’m deciding what it is.
Ver el proceso ›02
Before
What I built before: four companies, two apps at #1 on the App Store.
SpeakOn
2015Messaging with real-time translation in 60+ languages.
#1 free app in Mexico. 350K sign-ups, 200K in 48 hours.
It didn’t survive.
Donna
formerly WeHelp · 2019Personal safety for women in Latin America.
#1 free app. 700K sign-ups, almost 100K followers.
It never made money.
Kimik
2019 to 2021One of the first programmatic DOOH platforms in Mexico.
2,500 outdoor screens. $1M in 6 months.
Shut down in 2021.
TurboCar
Miami · 2024 to 2026A shop that bought wrecked luxury cars at auction, repaired them and sold them to end customers.
My first acquisition: $160K. $2.5M in sales.
I sold the inventory and closed it.
03
Investments
What I bet on and why.
32investments since 2016
24backed by 
17active
1exit
14shut down
I invest in founders who have built something before, in products people use before the metrics exist, and in bets where losing costs little and winning changes everything. The 14 that didn’t make it taught me as much as the ones that did.
See the full portfolio ›04
Content
What I built, what I decided and what went wrong, every week.
Videos
Coming soon
Coming soon
Coming soon
Blog
Sep 26, 2026 · Braid & Berry
Why I’m starting with a cart and not a store
What it costs to open in San Diego, and why I’d rather be wrong on wheels.
Coming soonFrom 15 names to one
The full process to get to Braid & Berry, with the ones I ruled out and why.
Coming soonReaching #1 with an app that didn’t last
SpeakOn: 200,000 users in 48 hours and the most expensive lesson I’ve paid for.
Follow
The full process is on social. Here, just the summary.
Instagram@soycarlosgotlibFollow
TikTok@soycarlosgotlibFollow
YouTube@soycarlosgotlibSeguir
X@soycarlosgotlibFollow
LinkedInCarlos GotlibSeguirsoycarlosgotlibReel
8.1K viewsDay 1 of 30: first baking test
InstagramExample
soycarlosgotlib@carlosgotlib
12.4K viewsCart or store? Why I’m starting on wheels 🥖
TikTokExample
soycarlosgotlibShorts
5.3K views109 ideas, 7 finalists: how I’m choosing my second company
YouTubeExample
About Carlos Gotlib
Carlos Gotlib is a founder and investor. He founded SpeakOn in 2015, a messaging app with real-time translation that reached #1 among free apps in Mexico with 200,000 users in 48 hours. In 2019 he founded Donna, formerly WeHelp, a personal safety app for women with 700,000 registered users that also reached #1 on the App Store, and Kimik, one of the first programmatic DOOH platforms in Mexico, which sold one million dollars in its first six months. In 2024 he made his first acquisition, TurboCar, a luxury car shop in Miami that reached $2.5 million in sales.
As an investor he has backed 32 startups since 2016, 24 of them backed by Y Combinator. Today he is building Braid & Berry and a second company from scratch, and shares every decision, number and mistake in public.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Carlos Gotlib?
Carlos Gotlib is a founder and investor. He founded SpeakOn, Donna (formerly WeHelp) and Kimik, acquired and ran TurboCar in Miami, and has invested in 32 startups, 24 of them backed by Y Combinator. Today he is building two new companies from scratch and documenting the process in public.
What is Carlos Gotlib building now?
Braid & Berry, a fast-casual concept of challah sandwiches and smoothies in San Diego, and a second company he is still choosing. He publishes every decision, number, mistake and win on his site, social media and newsletter.
What companies has Carlos Gotlib founded?
SpeakOn (2015), a messaging app with real-time translation that reached #1 among free apps in Mexico; Donna, formerly WeHelp (2019), a personal safety app for women with 700,000 registered users that also reached #1 on the App Store; and Kimik (2019 to 2021), one of the first programmatic DOOH platforms in Mexico. He also acquired TurboCar (2024 to 2026), a luxury car shop in Miami with $2.5 million in sales.
Which startups has Carlos Gotlib invested in?
In 32 startups since 2016, 24 of them from Y Combinator. 17 are still active, 1 had an exit (Plerk) and 14 shut down. Among them: Tovala, Writesonic, Kredi, Fitia and Fondo.
Where can I follow the process?
In his weekly newsletter, at carlosgotlib.com and on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
Learn how to build a company by watching me build mine.
One email a week. No theory.
- The decisionWhat I chose this week and why.
- The numberWhat it cost, what it sold or what failed.
- The mistakeWhat I wouldn’t do again.
- The winWhat worked and I’d do again.
Let’s talk
For talks, interviews, press or investing in what I’m building.
01Talks and eventsTalks about building companies, failing in public and investing.Write to me ›02Interviews and podcastsThe full story: SpeakOn, Donna, Kimik, TurboCar and what’s next.Escribirme ›03InvestIn Braid & Berry or in the second company, once it exists.Write to me ›04PressVerified facts, photos and bio, ready to use.Escribirme ›