Mindtail, a mobile games studio based in Istanbul, has closed a $2 million pre-seed round. APY Ventures led the raise, joined by Inveo Ventures and Ak Portföy GSYF.

The studio will put the funds towards growing its team, setting up AI-based production systems, and testing its marketing approach. Mindtail plans to more than double its current headcount in the coming months. Its first game title is yet to be named but will be revealed soon.

Building the next wave of hybrid casual puzzle games

The studio was founded by R. Tamer Özgen, Umut Yıldız, Sarper Karabağ, and Doğuşcan Öztürk. Its focus is hybrid casual puzzle games, built through an AI-powered production process. The founding team previously held active roles across Dream Games, King, Tactile, Ace Games, and Codeway, contributing to products such as Royal Match, Royal Kingdom, Lily’s Garden, Candy Crush Soda, and the Braindom series — titles with a combined reach of hundreds of millions of users. Ece Özgüle is the studio’s Art Director.

Keçeli: “Game production as a capital efficiency game”

APY Ventures Fund Manager Mustafa Keçeli said: “What sets Mindtail apart is a founding philosophy that views game-making not just as a creative discipline, but as a capital efficiency game — where economics, production architecture, and timing align. A team with critical roles in globally successful titles placing AI-native production at the core of the company’s DNA from day one turns the per-iteration economic disadvantage of a hit-driven category into an advantage.”

Inveo Ventures’ Haluk Nişli noted: “Mindtail’s track record of working together, depth in product and growth, and rapid prototyping culture reflect what differentiating studios need in this new era. We’re proud to be among the first investors to back this newly founded studio.”

Ak Portföy GSYF’s Hüseyin Çelik added: “Mindtail stands out with its internationally proven founding team and AI-driven production approach. Türkiye’s recent billion-dollar exits clearly demonstrate the ecosystem’s global potential, and we believe Mindtail will be a major player as the AI transformation accelerates.”

Özgen: “Aiming to set a new standard”

Mindtail Co-Founder and CEO R. Tamer Özgen said: “This round is the moment our collective experience materializes. We aim to combine what we’ve learned from products serving hundreds of millions of players with an AI-native production model to set a new standard in hybrid casual puzzle. We’ve also created a meaningful option pool for those joining us — founder-employee alignment from day one is a top priority.”

About Mindtail

An Istanbul-based mobile gaming studio building hybrid casual puzzle games with an AI-native production model.