Tandem Capital Profile

Tandem is a venture capital firm deploying seed rounds in startups that are disrupting traditional industries. 

Tandem Capital is a seed-stage venture capital fund that invests in product-focused startups in a variety of industries from food and beverage to transportation. 

Founded in 2007 by Sunil Bhargava, Doug Renert, and David Wagonfeld, Tandem takes an innovative approach to venture capital, focusing on more than just product. As their website states, “Tandem looks for disruptive startups that innovate in how they acquire customers, develop distribution channels and build their brands.” 

While the fund invests in startups globally, startups that receive funding from Tandem are required to have a strong connection to the Bay Area. And despite being a seed-stage venture capital fund, Tandem reserves capital to deploy as follow-on funding for their scaling portfolio companies.

Sunil Bhargava is an engineer turned founder and managing partner with stints as VP of Technology at Webvan as well as founder and VP of Strategy at Business Signatures. 

Doug Renert is a founding partner in both Tandem Capital and 444 Capital. Prior to this, he was the President and CEO of Tello as well as Vice President of Industry Applications at Oracle. 

David Wagonfeld is a multi-time founder and partner at Castle Peak Partners, J-Ventures Fund, Whirl Partners, Standard Pacific Capital, and Tandem Capital. 

Some of the many sectors Tandem Capital is involved with include construction, consumer packaged goods and electronics, entertainment and media, food and beverage, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics.