Rising Stars 2026: Manas Punhani, Woven Capital

Manas Punhani’s greatest recent impact at Woven Capital includes two investments that closed after almost 18 months of effort.

One of those investments, ElevenLabs, marked an expansion beyond Woven’s focus on deep tech and mobility.

Punhani has “demonstrated a unique ability to bridge the rigour of venture investing with Toyota’s operational and strategic priorities, enabling a solid balance of financial returns yet driving value for both Toyota and the portfolio company,” says Nicole LeBlanc, partner at Woven Capital.

In his day-to-day role, Punhani finds the greatest reward in working closely with founders who challenge conventional thinking and pursue bold visions and by the ability to support them not only through capital, but by facilitating strategic collaborations with Toyota. That combination of venture investing and corporate partnership, he says, makes the work engaging.

For those considering a career in corporate venture capital, Punhani emphasises the importance of patience. Feedback cycles in venture are long – sometimes stretching years from first meeting to investment – and even longer to understand outcomes. Because traditional performance signals arrive slowly, he encourages newcomers to define proxy metrics for progress and fulfillment early on. Corporate venturing, he says, rewards those who can stay committed, reflective and confident in the long game.

Founded in 2020, Woven Capital, the growth-stage investment arm of Japanese carmaker Toyota, manages $1.6bn in assets across two $800m funds. The unit backs around 20 portfolio companies per fund, with initial checks typically ranging between $10m and $35m. Woven invests primarily from series B to pre-IPO. Approximately 40% of its portfolio companies have strategic collaborations with the Toyota Group.

The Rising Stars are early-career corporate venture professionals who are making an outstanding contribution to their teams and the industry.

See the full list of Rising Stars 2026 here.