Nabeel Hyatt
InvestorVenture Partner at Spark Capital · Board director at Sonder Canada · Board director at Rare Bits · Board director at Descript
Berkeley
Writes $100K – $15M checks · typically $10M
About
Nabeel Hyatt is a Berkeley-based angel investor who has backed early-stage founders for fourteen years. Before investing, he worked as an engineer, designer, and founder across three startups whose outcomes ranged from an IPO to an acquisition to a shutdown. He then opened the west coast office for Spark Capital, where he served as General Partner over more than a decade, helping grow the firm's AUM past $10b while making 37 investments across areas as varied as robotics, social networks, and large language models. He describes himself as a curious generalist drawn to complex technologies presented with beautiful simplicity, and he currently works on AI tools for human creativity while building game projects on the side.
Contact· published on Nabeel's own website
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningConsumerDeep TechFintechHardwareSaaS
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Founded and is opening Tabletop Library, a space for playing games with friends. Hyatt built a deck-building game called Race to Kepler with his sons over three years.
- Communities
- Co-hosts Hallway Chat, a podcast about AI products, with Fraser.
- Hobbies
- Is making Race to Kepler, a deckbuilding game, together with his kids. Hyatt spent over a decade playing competitive Pokemon TCG with his sons.
- Family
- Builds game projects alongside his children. Hyatt has sons with whom he plays games and builds game projects.
- More
- Previously worked as an engineer, designer, and founder in three startups, with outcomes including an IPO, an acquisition, and a shutdown.
From Nabeel's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Sonder Canada
Intro paths
In turn, Nabeel can intro founders to Sonder Canada's investors below.
Sonder Canada's investors · 3
Co-founders at Sonder Canada
Board director at Rare Bits
Intro paths
In turn, Nabeel can intro founders to Rare Bits's investors below.
Rare Bits's investors · 6
Co-founders at Rare Bits
Board director at Descript
Intro paths
In turn, Nabeel can intro founders to Descript's investors below.
Descript's investors · 7
Co-founders at Descript
Experience
- Spark CapitalEIRcurrent2026 — present
- Spark CapitalGeneral Partner2014 — 2026San Francisco Bay Area
- Spark CapitalVenture Partner2012 — 2014
- The Tabletop LibraryPartnercurrent2025 — presentBerkeley, CA
- The Bot CompanyBoard Membercurrent2024 — present
- GranolaBoard Membercurrent2024 — present
- ZūmBoard Membercurrent2018 — present
- DiscordBoard Observercurrent2016 — present
- Q.aiBoard Observer2023 — 2026
- Sonder Inc.Board Member2016 — 2025
- Postmates Inc.Board Member2014 — 2020
- CruiseBoard Member2015 — 2016
- ZyngaGM2010 — 2012
- Conduit LabsFounder, CEO2007 — 2010
- Ambient DevicesCo-Founder2001 — 2005
- TeamtalkCOO, VP Product1999 — 2001
Skills & more
+12 more
Angel InvestingUser ExperienceMergers & AcquisitionsProduct ManagementProduct DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsGo-to-market StrategySocial NetworkingHustleGrowthStrategyLeadershipFrom Nabeel's professional profile.
Deals · 5
Sonder CanadaBoard seat
via Spark Capital · filed Jul 2019 · $225M raise
Rare BitsBoard seat
via Spark Capital · filed Apr 2018 · $7.2M raise
Capella SpaceBoard seat
via Spark Capital · filed May 2017 · $15.6M raise
Cruise Automation, Inc.Board seat
via Spark Capital · filed Sep 2015 · $16.9M raise
CruiseLed round
via Spark Capital
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Sources: the firm's website · SEC Form D filings · curated public sources.
Colleagues at Spark Capital
%20(1)%20(1).png)
Network10
Investors connected to Nabeel in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Nabeel Hyatt?
- Nabeel Hyatt is a Berkeley-based angel investor who has backed early-stage founders for fourteen years. Before investing, he worked as an engineer, designer, and founder across three startups whose outcomes ranged from an IPO to an acquisition to a shutdown. He then opened the west coast office for Spark Capital, where he served as General Partner over more than a decade, helping grow the firm's AUM past $10b while making 37 investments across areas as varied as robotics, social networks, and large language models. He describes himself as a curious generalist drawn to complex technologies presented with beautiful simplicity, and he currently works on AI tools for human creativity while building game projects on the side.
- Where does Nabeel Hyatt work?
- Nabeel Hyatt is Venture Partner at Spark Capital and Board director at Sonder Canada and Board director at Rare Bits and Board director at Descript.
- What does Nabeel Hyatt invest in?
- Nabeel Hyatt invests in AI & Machine Learning, Consumer, Deep Tech, Fintech, Hardware, SaaS.
- What check size does Nabeel Hyatt write?
- Nabeel Hyatt typically writes checks of $100K – $15M.
- What boards does Nabeel Hyatt sit on?
- Nabeel Hyatt holds tracked board seats at Capella Space, Cruise Automation, Inc., Harmonixmusic, Postmates, Rare Bits, Sonder Canada.
- What companies has Nabeel Hyatt invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Cruise, Anthropic, Bot Co, Discord, Oculus VR, Postmates.
- Where did Nabeel Hyatt go to school?
- Nabeel Hyatt studied at Maryland Institute College of Art (Design); Purdue University (Computer Science).
- Does Nabeel Hyatt lead rounds?
- Yes — Nabeel Hyatt has led 1 tracked investment.
Same school
Also attended Maryland Institute College of Art3
%20(1)%20(1).png)
Shared employers
Also worked at Spark Capital40
+ 34 more
Also worked at The Bot Company8
+ 2 more
Also worked at Sonder Inc.13
+ 7 more
