Rob Freelen

Rob Freelen joined Sozo Ventures in September 2022.

Rob Freelen is currently Managing Director and investing partner at Sozo Ventures. He is also a co-founder of LA-based FinTech company, Turbine Finance, a former SVB executive, and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 29).

Currently Rob serves on the boards of Carbon Robotics, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, Mercy Bioanalytics, Turbine Finance, and Atomic Machines.

Immediately prior to joining Sozo Rob helped co-found Turbine Finance and before that was Silicon Valley Bank’s Head of Venture Capital Relationship Management where he served as the bank’s principal advisor to SVB Capital’s Fund-of-Funds and primary relationship manager for many of the top US Venture Capital firms. During his SVB career Rob led teams in both healthcare and technology, opened the Santa Monica office, led the Los Angeles region to record growth/profit, helped reorganize the sales organization as Chief of Staff, and did deals with hundreds of technology companies that accounted for hundreds of millions in loans and billions in deposits.

Rob has a B.A. in Psychology from Whitman College and has lectured at UCLA, USC, and Stanford on venture capital and venture lending.

Rob was born and raised on the Stanford University Campus and maintains his allegiance to the 49ers, Warriors, and Giants despite a decade long love affair with Southern California that began in 2015. On the weekends Rob and his wife can be found hiking and biking with their three daughters.