Fundraising Fox

Shanti Bergel

Investor

Managing Director at TRANSCEND

San Francisco, California

Writes $500K – $3M checks Β· typically $2M

About

Shanti Bergel is an investor at Transcend, a venture fund focused on games and digital entertainment. Content on the page describes his transition from operator to venture capitalist and his work investing across the games ecosystem.

LinkedIn β†—X / Twitter β†—
Latest on 𝕏

Shanti Bergel @sbergel

5/ Congrats to Tal Shoham, Amir Shaked, Nimrod Zuta, and the whole Velocity team. More on why Transcend invested β†’ https://t.co/xsSw3vh5l1

Jul 17, 2026 Β· β™₯ 2

Shanti Bergel @sbergel

4/ Every platform shift breaks the infrastructure built for the last one and the companies that build the new plumbing early are the ones that compound. We've watched this pattern play out through mobile, social, and F2P. This one rhymes.

Jul 17, 2026 Β· β™₯ 2

Shanti Bergel @sbergel

3/ Co-founder Amir Shaked put it well: "Search created infrastructure for intent. Mobile created infrastructure for apps. AI requires infrastructure for interactions."

Jul 17, 2026

Invests in

GamingMedia & Entertainment

Experience

  1. Transcend.Founding General Partner & Managing Directorcurrent2020 β€” presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  2. Transcend.Lead Investor, Kinoacurrent2026 β€” present
  3. Transcend.Lead Investor, welevelcurrent2026 β€” present
  4. Transcend.Lead Investor, Gardens Interactivecurrent2021 β€” present
  5. Transcend.Lead Investor, Brain Jar Gamescurrent2024 β€” present
  6. Transcend.Lead Investor, Ruckus Gamescurrent2022 β€” present
  7. Transcend.Investor, thatgamecompanycurrent2020 β€” present
  8. Transcend.Lead Investor, Stress Level Zerocurrent2020 β€” present
  9. Transcend.Lead Investor, Cosmic Loungecurrent2023 β€” present
  10. Transcend.Lead Investor, Midsummer Studioscurrent2024 β€” present
  11. Transcend.Lead Investor, Big Runcurrent2020 β€” present
  12. Transcend.Lead Investor, Eggscapecurrent2024 β€” present
  13. Transcend.Lead Investor, LIVE AWARE LABScurrent2024 β€” present
  14. FunPlusExecutive Vice President2017 β€” 2020San Francisco Bay Area
  15. IUGO Mobile EntertainmentBoard Member2016 β€” 2017Acquired by Embracer Group
  16. GREE, Inc.Senior Vice President, Business & Corporate Development2011 β€” 2017San Francisco Bay Area
  17. Electronic Arts (EA)Business & Corporate Development | Playfish2009 β€” 2011San Francisco Bay Area
  18. Three Rings Design (acquired by SEGA)Vice President, Business Development2007 β€” 2009San Francisco Bay Area
  19. Electronic ArtsProducer | FIFA, The Sims2003 β€” 2007Vancouver, Canada Area
  20. Qbiquity (acquired)Co-Founder1998 β€” 2001San Francisco Bay Area

Education

  1. Waseda University
  2. University of Oregon

Skills & more

Japanese11Strategy21Early Stage Investment2Game Development1Venture Capital12Video Games40Corporate Development8Mobile Games33Online Gaming6Business Development12Product Management16Product Marketing9
+12 moreEntrepreneurshipAcquisitionsGame DesignMobile DevicesStart-upsMobile ApplicationsSocial MediaMobile MarketingCloud ComputingVirtual GoodsFree to PlaySaaS

Languages Japanese

From Shanti's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Waseda University47

Kaz TeradaVenture Advisor at Monta Vista CapitalKoichiro NakamuraSenior Managing Director at Sozo VenturesAyaka MatsumotoCorporate Development Manager at TNBAuraNatsuki TamuraInvestor at Inception Studio CapitalKosho SatoInvestment Partner at Joyance PartnersYuichiro SanoPrincipal at Beyond Next Ventures

+ 41 more

Also attended University of Oregon53

Darcy YeeMarketing and Communications at Menlo VenturesJessica YuSenior Finance Associate at GreycroftIsabelle SmithEvents Coordinator at HeavybitJennifer SavagePartner at Illuminate VenturesTilak MandadiExecutive Vice President, Ventures and Chief Experience and Technology at Flare Capital PartnersKrista CoppermanOperating Partner at TCV

+ 47 more

Shared employers

Also worked at FunPlus3

Brett KrauseManaging Director at TRANSCENDMichail KatkoffAdvisor at Play VenturesGabriel LiAdvisor at Elev8 Venture Partners

Also worked at GREE, Inc.7

Teppei TsutsuiGeneral Partner at GFR FundYasushi KomoriGeneral Partner at GFR FundBrian TakemasaAssociate at GFR FundHideki FujitaFounder and CEO at SEGNEL VenturesRyo UmezawaPartner at AntlerAlan Kuan HsuGeneral Partner at KK Fund

+ 1 more

Also worked at Electronic Arts (EA)70

David SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockTiffany SpencerHead of Marketing at Menlo VenturesRajat TanejaInvestor at Foundation CapitalGustav RydstedtAdvisor, Infrastructure Software at Verissimo VenturesAndrew SheppardManaging Director at TRANSCENDEileen McMahonCoordinator of Operations and Executive Support at Prelude Ventures

+ 64 more

Also worked at Interplay Entertainment Corp. (IPO)1

David BillOperating Partner at Virta Ventures

Deals Β· 3

Midsummer Studios Inc.Board seat

via TRANSCEND Β· filed Mar 2026 Β· $3M raise

Gardens Interactive, Inc.Board seat

via TRANSCEND Β· filed May 2023 Β· $31.4M raise

Big Run StudiosBoard seat

via TRANSCEND Β· filed Aug 2020 Β· $6.7M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Colleagues at TRANSCEND

Andrew Sheppard
Managing Director at TRANSCEND
Brett Krause
Managing Director at TRANSCEND
Lirui Ding
Principal at TRANSCEND
Sikander Chahal
Principal at TRANSCEND

Network2

Alvaro Alvarez del Rio
Managing Partner at Boost Capital Partners
Andrew Sheppard
Managing Director at TRANSCEND

Investors connected to Shanti in public investor directories β€” a warm-intro map.