The Gaming and eSports industry involves the development, marketing, and monetization of video games and competitive gaming tournaments. This sector includes both traditional video games and the rapidly growing eSports segment, where professional gamers compete in organized tournaments.
The global gaming market was valued at approximately $159.3 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $295.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 10.5%. The eSports segment, valued at $1.1 billion in 2020, is expected to grow to $3.5 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 24.4%.
The growth of the gaming and eSports industries is driven by increasing consumer demand for interactive entertainment, advancements in gaming technology, and the rise of streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming. These factors contribute to the expanding audience and revenue potential.
Gaming and eSports have a significant impact on society by providing entertainment, fostering social connections, and creating new career opportunities. The industry supports a wide range of professions, from game developers and designers to professional gamers and streamers.
The industry is characterized by rapid innovation, with new game genres, immersive experiences, and monetization models constantly being introduced. Technological advancements such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and cloud gaming are transforming the way games are developed and played.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the growth of gaming and eSports, as individuals turned to digital entertainment during lockdowns. The increased time spent on gaming platforms has led to higher engagement and revenue growth.
Despite its growth, the industry faces challenges related to online toxicity, data privacy, and the need for regulatory frameworks to govern competitive gaming. Addressing these issues is essential for the sustainable development of the sector.
The potential benefits of gaming and eSports innovations are immense. Continued investment and innovation in this sector are essential for driving growth. As technology advances, the gaming and eSports industry will play a crucial role in shaping the future of entertainment, providing engaging and immersive experiences, and fostering a global community of players and fans.
To connect with VCs in the Gaming & eSports sector, target firms such as Benchmark, Andreessen Horowitz, and Makers Fund. Research their investment portfolios to understand their focus areas and tailor your approach accordingly.
Networking through industry conferences, gaming summits, and eSports forums can provide opportunities to meet VC partners. Engaging in these events allows you to establish connections and showcase your startup to potential investors.
When pitching, focus on demonstrating the market potential, technological innovation, and scalability of your gaming or eSports solution. Be prepared to discuss your business model, customer acquisition strategies, and revenue projections in detail.
Participating in demo days hosted by gaming accelerators or incubators can help you showcase your product to a broader audience of VCs. These events provide a platform to highlight your solution’s unique value proposition.
Crafting a compelling story about your product’s impact and the problem it solves will resonate well with VC investors who are looking for high-growth potential startups. Emphasize the transformative potential of your solution.
Following up with a comprehensive pitch deck that includes market analysis, go-to-market strategy, and potential exit opportunities can further strengthen your case. A detailed and well-prepared pitch deck is crucial for attracting investor interest.
Highlighting any strategic partnerships or collaborations with major gaming companies or eSports organizations can also add weight to your pitch. These partnerships validate your solution and demonstrate market acceptance.
Ensuring that you present a well-rounded team with expertise in both gaming and eSports technology will appeal to VCs looking for capable execution of your vision. A strong and experienced team is essential for successful implementation and growth.
To connect with VCs in the Gaming & eSports sector, target firms such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Benchmark. These firms have a strong track record of investing in successful gaming and eSports startups.
Sequoia Capital, known for backing companies like Unity and Discord, focuses on high-growth potential and market disruption. They seek out startups that have the potential to significantly impact the gaming market.
Andreessen Horowitz, with investments in companies like Roblox and Oculus, looks for innovative gaming solutions that can scale globally. Their focus is on groundbreaking technologies with broad applicability in the gaming sector.
Benchmark, with a portfolio including Riot Games and Twitch, targets startups with strong user engagement and scalable business models. They are interested in companies that can achieve significant market penetration and user loyalty.
To connect with these VCs, research their investment portfolios and identify partners who have shown interest in your industry. Attend industry conferences, gaming summits, and eSports forums where these VCs are likely to be present.
Participating in demo days hosted by gaming tech accelerators or incubators can also provide exposure. These events offer opportunities to showcase your product to a broader audience of potential investors.
When pitching to VCs, emphasize your startup’s market opportunity, technological innovation, and scalability. Be prepared to discuss your business model, customer acquisition strategies, and revenue projections in detail.
Crafting a compelling story about your product’s impact and the problem it solves will resonate well with VC investors. Highlight the unique aspects and potential of your solution.
Follow up with a comprehensive pitch deck that includes market analysis, competitive landscape, and potential exit opportunities. This will provide VCs with a clear understanding of your business and its potential.
Highlighting any strategic partnerships or collaborations with major gaming companies or eSports organizations can also add weight to your pitch. These relationships can demonstrate market validation and growth potential.
Ensure that you present a well-rounded team with expertise in both gaming technology and business development. A capable team is essential for executing your vision and achieving success.
San Francisco California - San Francisco Bay Area - New York City, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Gaming (& eSports) • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Impact • Payments • Robotics • Aerospace (& Defense) • Nanotechnology • Online Social • Consumer
Goldman Sachs is a global leader in corporate equity investing. Since 1986, Goldman Sachs Sachs and its predecessor business have invested over $82 billion of equity in over 600 companies globally. Goldman Sachs is currently investing its GS Capital Partners VI fund, comprised of $20 billion of equity, including over $7.4 billion of capital from Goldman Sachs. The fund invests across a broad range of industries in the Americas, Europe and Asia with investment targets ranging from $50 million to $800 million. In addition, the technology group within Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Area, invests in innovative technology companies across the many stages of a company's lifecycle. As of December 31, 2008 the Goldman Sachs Private Equity Group (PEG) managed over $32.8 billion across primary commitments, co-investments and secondary-market investments, with over $2.0 billion invested by Goldman Sachs and its employees. Private Capital Investing (PCI) is Goldman Sachs' investment platform dedicated to providing preferred equity and mezzanine capital to growth and middle market companies based in North America. PCI invests $20 million - $150 million of equity per transaction in the form of common, preferred, and structured equity.
San Francisco Bay Area - San Francisco California, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Advertising • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • DeepTech • Nanotechnology • Consumer • Woman Focused
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Just visit our web site and submit your pitch to us. All 3 of our Managing Partners review every submission and as a startup ourselves we remain very open minded when reviewing founder submissions. Our investment focus is pre-seed and seed stage companies. We cover ALL sectors and ALL geographies. We are founder-focused. We invest in people first and foremost, which is why we have opened up and democratized our process. We typically lead early stage deals with checks anywhere from $200k to $1M.
New York City (NY), U.S.A.
BioTech • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Entertainment (& Sports) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Gaming (& eSports) • Food & Beverage • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Mobile • Online Social • Consumer • Woman Focused
ZX Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The firm invests in the beverage, consumer and retail sectors. It was founded in 2015 and is based in New York, New York.
New York City - , U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • PropTech • IT (& TMT) • Hospitality (& Events) • Media • Education • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Advertising • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Developer tools • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • Aerospace (& Defense) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Investment Management • Mobile • Online Social • Consumer
FirstMark Capital is an early stage venture capital firm investing in technology and technology-enabled companies. The firm primarily seeks to make seed and early stage investments, but also invests in later stage companies and makes follow-on investments through their opportunity fund series. It was founded in 2008 and is based in New York, New York.
New York - City, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • PropTech • IT (& TMT) • Media • Education • BioTech • AgroTech • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Energy • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • Entertainment (& Sports) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Advertising • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Developer tools • GovTech • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Local commerce • Logistics (& Distribution) • Material Science • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Payments • Robotics • Aerospace (& Defense) • Real Estate (& Construction) • DeepTech • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Mobile • Mobility • Nanotechnology • Online Social • Consumer • Woman Focused
Bessemer Venture Partners is a venture capital firm based in Redwood City, California. The firm focuses on investing in companies operating in the clean technology, energy, healthcare, financial services, mobile, data security, cloud computing, software, communications and manufacturing sectors.
Palo Alto California, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Payments • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Mobile • Consumer
American Express Ventures is a corporate venture capital arm of American Express. The firm is based in Palo Alto, California. The firm invests in the b2b services, business payments and data analytics.
New York - City, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Education • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Advertising • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Developer tools • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • Real Estate (& Construction) • DeepTech • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Nanotechnology • Online Social • Consumer
ENIAC Ventures is the first independent seed stage venture fund focused exclusively on the mobile software sector. ENIAC Ventures invests in high growth mobile startups identified through its network of established relationships in the sector. The firm takes a hands on approach and provides talented, driven entrepreneurs with on-the-ground management strategy and execution. The firm is led by Hadley Harris, Nihal Mehta, Vic Singh, and Tim Young. In October 2010, the firm announced that it raised $1.6 million in its first fund, which it will invest in $25,000 to $100,000 chunks over the next four to five years. Specific targeted sectors include, but are not limited to the following: Enterprise and consumer productivity applications, Interactive and casual gaming, Location based services, Mobile advertising, Mobile commerce, Mobile presence, Mobile analytics, Aggregation of services, Mobile virtual worlds, Near field communications, Payments and mobile banking, Rich media content delivery, and Mobile user interfaces.
New York City, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Education • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Gaming (& eSports) • Investment Management • Life Science • Mobile
Artesian Capital Management is an alternative investment manager with an approach to early stage venture capital investments targeting both financial and strategic returns for 'High Net Worth Individuals', corporate and institutional investments. The firm invests in the media, healthcare, diagnostics and life sciences, web application, software, mobile, communications and information technology sectors
London, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Education • BioTech • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Gaming (& eSports) • Analytics • Developer tools • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • DeepTech • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Investment Management • Consumer • Pharmaceutical (& Medicine) • Woman Focused
Hummingbird ventures is a venture capital firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The firm makes transactions in seed round, early stage, growth capital and later stage funding. It specializes in the information technology, online service and focuses on digital media, social media, e-commerce, cloud computing, infrastructure software, enterprise software, gaming and mobile application sectors.
London, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Entertainment (& Sports) • IoT (& Wearables) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Developer tools • Future Of Work • Food & Beverage • Impact • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Material Science • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • DeepTech • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Investment Management • Mobile • Mobility • Online Social • Consumer • Woman Focused
Balderton Capital is a venture capital firm. It was founded in 2000 and is based in London, United Kingdom.
Geneva, U.K.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • PropTech • IT (& TMT) • Hospitality (& Events) • Media • BioTech • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Gaming (& eSports) • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Developer tools • Future Of Work • Food & Beverage • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Logistics (& Distribution) • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Robotics • Real Estate (& Construction) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Investment Management • Life Science • Mobile • Mobility • Nanotechnology • Oncology • Online Social • Consumer • Pharmaceutical (& Medicine) • Woman Focused
Index Ventures is a venture capital firm which specializes in seed, early stage, later stage and growth capital investments. The firm focuses on investing in companies based in Europe, operating in the biotechnology, retail, clean technology, media and life sciences sectors. It was founded in 1996 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Index Ventures invests in multi-stage, transformative companies who are willing to challenge convention. The firm is especially dedicated to the information technology, clean technology, and life science sectors. They back the best and most ambitious entrepreneurs with a tight-knit collaborative partnership that retains a shared mission of seeing opportunity instead of obstacles. Index Ventures has teamed up with exceptional entrepreneurs in 39 cities around the world and have helped them grow into new regions. They provide a full-service partnership where they bring a lot of experience and expertise to the table.
In November 2022, they launched their second seed fund Origin II, a $300M fund focus on early-stage investing. It is $100m larger than Origin I, and is a highly collaborative fund, with seed-specific support, that works alongside solo GPs and angels, to help companies be best positioned for success.