Shawn Merani
InvestorCo-founder and Partner at Flight Ventures · Managing Partner at Parade Ventures · Advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck Fund · Board director at FlowPath · Board director at Beam Health · +1 more
Los Gatos, California
Writes $1M checks · typically $1M
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1,474 people in our graph share verified history with Shawn — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
About
Shawn Merani is Founder and Managing Partner of Parade Ventures, a pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital firm whose Fund I investments include companies such as Sonar, Monograph, Moichor, Northstar, Knapsack, and Prometeo. Previously, he was a co-founder and partner at Flight Ventures, where he invested in early-stage software and internet companies including Cruise Automation, Dollar Shave Club, and Plastiq, and served as a founding partner at Liquidnet's Private Shares marketplace, which grew to over $150 million in gross merchandise value within two years. Merani holds a BA in Economics and BS in Business Administration from UC Berkeley and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, and serves as faculty at UC Berkeley.
Board director at FlowPath
Intro paths
In turn, Shawn can intro founders to FlowPath's investors below.
FlowPath's investors · 3
Co-founders at FlowPath
Board director at Beam Health
Intro paths
In turn, Shawn can intro founders to Beam Health's investors below.
Beam Health's investors · 8
Co-founders at Beam Health
Board director at Sonar Software
Intro paths
In turn, Shawn can intro founders to Sonar Software's investors below.
Sonar Software's investors · 2
Experience
- Parade VenturesFounder and Managing Partnercurrent2018 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of BusinessLecturercurrent2022 — presentBerkeley, California, United States
- University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of BusinessGuest Lecturercurrent2013 — presentBerkeley, CA
- Alpha NetworkAdvisory Board Member, Bay Areacurrent2019 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- SkyDeck BerkeleyAdvisorcurrent2017 — presentBerkeley, CA
- RunaAdvisorcurrent2017 — presentMexico City Area, Mexico
- Music Audience ExchangeAdvisorcurrent2015 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Flight VenturesCo-founder and Partnercurrent2014 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- STRATIMAdvisor2014 — 2018San Francisco Bay Area
- LiquidnetFounder, Private Shares Marketplace2012 — 2013Greater Los Angeles Area
- ReachLocalSenior Director Business Development2008 — 2012Greater Los Angeles Area
- ReachLocalSenior Director Corporate Development2008 — 2012Greater Los Angeles Area
- ReachLocalBusiness Development Intern2008
- Riordan, Lewis & HadenIndependent Consultant2009
- UCLAUndergraduate Teaching Assistant2008 — 2009
- SavvianInvestment Banking Professional2005 — 2007San Francisco Bay Area
- HSBCExperienced Associate2003 — 2005
- WTASExperienced Associate2003 — 2005
- JP Morgan ChaseRetail & Middle Market Financial Services Intern2002
- Merrill LynchFinancial Advisor Intern1999San Jose, CA
- CylinkQA Intern1997Sunnyvale, CA
Skills & more
+12 more
Cloud ComputingStart-upsEarly Stage InvestmentFundraisingDigital MediaOnline AdvertisingProduct ManagementFinancial ModelingSaaSStrategic PlanningAnalysisInternetFrom Shawn's professional profile.
Deals · 3
Beam HealthBoard seat
via Parade Ventures · filed Jul 2025 · $2.2M raise
KnapsackBoard seat
via Parade Ventures · filed Aug 2023 · $7.5M raise
Sonar SoftwareBoard seat
via Parade Ventures · filed Mar 2020 · $1.7M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Per SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Flight Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Shawn Merani?
- Shawn Merani is Founder and Managing Partner of Parade Ventures, a pre-seed and seed-stage venture capital firm whose Fund I investments include companies such as Sonar, Monograph, Moichor, Northstar, Knapsack, and Prometeo. Previously, he was a co-founder and partner at Flight Ventures, where he invested in early-stage software and internet companies including Cruise Automation, Dollar Shave Club, and Plastiq, and served as a founding partner at Liquidnet's Private Shares marketplace, which grew to over $150 million in gross merchandise value within two years. Merani holds a BA in Economics and BS in Business Administration from UC Berkeley and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, and serves as faculty at UC Berkeley.
- Where does Shawn Merani work?
- Shawn Merani is Co-founder and Partner at Flight Ventures and Board director at FlowPath and Board director at Beam Health and Board director at Sonar Software.
- What check size does Shawn Merani write?
- Shawn Merani typically writes checks of $1M.
- What boards does Shawn Merani sit on?
- Shawn Merani holds tracked board seats at Beam Health, FlowPath, Knapsack, Sonar Software.
- Where did Shawn Merani go to school?
- Shawn Merani studied at University of California, Berkeley (BA, Economics); UCLA Anderson School of Management (MBA, Business Administration); University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business (BS, Business Administration).
Same school
Also attended University of California, Berkeley2,000
+ 1,994 more
Also attended UCLA Anderson School of Management329
+ 323 more
Also attended University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business828
+ 822 more
Also attended Cupertino High School17
+ 11 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Liquidnet7
+ 1 more
Also worked at ReachLocal8
+ 2 more
