Where does David Helgason work?

David Helgason is Co-founder & CEO 2004–2014 of Unity and Founder at Transition Global.

What check size does David Helgason write?

David Helgason typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.

David Helgason

InvestorFounder

Founder at Transition Global · Founder at foobar.vc · Partner at Transition · Co-founder & CEO 2004–2014 at Unity

Reykjavík, Iceland

Writes $100K – $5M checks

FoundedUnity

About

David Helgason co-founded the game engine most of the world's mobile games are built with. He started Unity in Copenhagen in 2004 with Joachim Ante and Nicholas Francis, and it was born out of failure: their first game, GooBall, sold poorly, and they realised the tools they had built to make it were the real product. He was chief executive for a decade, handing over in 2014, and took the company to a New York listing in September 2020 that raised $1.3 billion at a $13.7 billion valuation. In 2021 he co-founded Transition, a London climate and deep-tech fund investing where artificial intelligence meets the physical world — power, robotics, materials — which closed a $150 million second fund in 2026 and passed $300 million under management. He left Unity's board in February 2026 after twenty-two years. Icelandic, he moved to Denmark at ten and studied physics and psychology in Copenhagen.

Invests in

Climate TechDeep TechEnergyHardwareMobility & TransportationSaaS

Beyond investing

Family: Icelandic; he moved to Denmark at ten with his journalist mother and two brothers, and studied physics and psychology at the University of Copenhagen.
More: Unity came out of failure: the trio's first game, GooBall, sold poorly in 2005, and they realised the tools they had built to make it were the product. Left Unity's board in February 2026, ending a twenty-two-year association with the company.

From David's own website — common ground for a warm intro.

Co-founder & CEO 2004–2014 at Unity

Intro paths

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In turn, David can intro founders to Unity's investors below.

Unity's investors · 22

Edge VCLondon · $1.3M – $6.3M checks EQUIAMSan Francisco · $1M – $10M checks Evolution VC PartnersNew York FounderFuelMontreal · $88K checks GP BullhoundLondon iGlobe PartnersSingapore · $600K – $6M checks Interlace VenturesNew York City · $200K – $600K checks Light Street CapitalPalo Alto London Venture PartnersLondon Loup VenturesMinneapolis Mana VenturesEstero Nelstone Ventures Premji InvestMenlo Park PROfounders CapitalLondon · $560K – $3.4M checks Sequoia CapitalMenlo Park · $4.4M – $214M checks Silver Lake PartnersMenlo Park Spider CapitalSan Francisco · $500K checks Sure Valley VenturesLondon Vanedge CapitalVancouver · $1M – $15M checks Vanedge Capital Limited PartnershipVancouver Webb Investment NetworkSan Francisco · $500K – $750K checks WestSummit CapitalBeijing · $10M – $20M checks

Co-founders at Unity

Joachim AnteCo-founder & CTO 2004–2023

Nicholas FrancisCo-founder & Chief Creative Officer 2004–2013

Experience

TransitionPartnercurrent2021 — present
foobar.vcPrincipalcurrent2012 — presentReykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
CleanPlayFoundercurrent2024 — present
AgonChairperson of the Boardcurrent2026 — present
Unity TechnologiesFounder & Board Member2003 — 2026London Area, United Kingdom
Unity TechnologiesFounder & CEO2003 — 2014
Nordic Makers – Backing Ambitious EntrepreneursPartner2016 — 2021
LabsterBoard Member & Investor2015 — 2021
Realm IncBoard Member2014 — 2019
SpiriInvestor & Board Member2016 — 2017Albertslund, Denmark
QuizUpInvestor & Board Member2012 — 2016Reykjavik, Iceland
World on a HangerCo-founder2008 — 2009London, United Kingdom
iCoverCo-founder & CTO2002 — 2004
PanmediaCo-founder2001 — 2002
NetropolisBackend Programmer1998 — 1999
Egeberg Interactive CommunicationWeb Programmer1996 — 1998

Education

Københavns Universitet - University of CopenhagenPhysics, Arabic, Psychology1997 — 2001

Skills & more

Game DevelopmentMobileStart-upsEntrepreneur3DOnline AdvertisingEntrepreneurshipMobile DevicesVideo GamesSocial GamesDigital MediaE-commerce

+12 more

Mobile GamesVenture CapitalNew Business DevelopmentOnline MarketingBusiness StrategyAgile MethodologiesBusiness DevelopmentDigital MarketingAndroidJavaScriptStrategyLeadership

From David's professional profile.

Colleagues at Transition Global

Ari Helgason

Founder at Transition Global

Network12

Roelof BothaScout

Advisor & former Steward at Sequoia Capital; SpaceX board member

Albert WengerScout

Heading towards the knowledge age

Alex BouazizScout

Partner at Sarona Ventures

Anjali BansalScout

Founder at Avaana Capital

Daniel HofferScout

Managing Director at Autotech Ventures

David Brillembourg Jr.Scout

Founder and General Partner at Dune Ventures

Esther DysonScout

Investor at Blue Tulip Ventures

Gary SwartScout

Operating Partner at Polaris Partners

Tom StaffordScout

Co-founder at DST Global

Mathilde Collin

Co-founder & Executive Chair of Front

Ilkka Kivimäki

Founding Partner & Advisor at Maki.vc

Jonathan Heiliger

General Partner at Vertex Ventures

Investors connected to David in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is David Helgason?: David Helgason co-founded the game engine most of the world's mobile games are built with. He started Unity in Copenhagen in 2004 with Joachim Ante and Nicholas Francis, and it was born out of failure: their first game, GooBall, sold poorly, and they realised the tools they had built to make it were the real product. He was chief executive for a decade, handing over in 2014, and took the company to a New York listing in September 2020 that raised $1.3 billion at a $13.7 billion valuation. In 2021 he co-founded Transition, a London climate and deep-tech fund investing where artificial intelligence meets the physical world — power, robotics, materials — which closed a $150 million second fund in 2026 and passed $300 million under management. He left Unity's board in February 2026 after twenty-two years. Icelandic, he moved to Denmark at ten and studied physics and psychology in Copenhagen.
Where does David Helgason work?: David Helgason is Co-founder & CEO 2004–2014 of Unity and Founder at Transition Global.
What does David Helgason invest in?: David Helgason invests in Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Energy, Hardware, Mobility & Transportation, SaaS.
What check size does David Helgason write?: David Helgason typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
What companies did David Helgason found?: David Helgason founded Unity.
Where did David Helgason go to school?: David Helgason studied at Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen (Physics, Arabic, Psychology).