$50,000 Investment Prize & Global Exposure Await the Next Big iGaming Startup

Xanada Investments announced the launch of the Xanada Pitch Contest 2025, a global competition aimed at supporting iGaming startups seeking investment and growth opportunities in partnership with NEXT.io and Lilith PR Agency.

The contest offers a $50,000 equity investment to the winning startup, along with strategic mentorship, industry connections, and marketing support.

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The competition will follow a two-stage selection process. From February 10 to April 1, 2025, startups can submit their applications online. Following the initial evaluation, the top five finalists will be announced on April 10, 2025, and will proceed to a live pitch event at the NEXT Summit in Valletta on May 8, 2025.

A Panel of Experts Will Choose the Winner

The final five startups will pitch their ideas live on stage at NEXT Valletta to a distinguished panel of judges, including:

• Vladimir Malakchi – CEO & Managing Partner, Xanada Investments
• Pierre Lindh – Co-founder & Managing Director, NEXT.io – The World’s iGaming Community
• Dmitry Belianin – CEO & Founder at Belianin, Co-founder & Managing Partner at Blask
• A Secret Judge – To be revealed soon

“A Unique Chance to Scale and Succeed”

“The Xanada Pitch Contest is raising the bar for startup competitions. This is a rare opportunity for iGaming startups – whether they are launching, growing, or looking to scale – to showcase their vision in front of key investors and decision-makers. We are committed to bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to support the next wave of innovation,” said Vladimir Malakchi, CEO & Managing Partner of Xanada Investments.

Who Should Apply?

The contest is open to Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A startups operating in the iGaming sector. Startups at various growth stages – whether developing new solutions or scaling existing ones – are encouraged to apply.

Application and Key Dates

• Applications Open: February 10 – April 1, 2025
• Top 5 Finalists Announced: April 10, 2025
• Live Pitch Event: May 8, 2025, at NEXT Summit, Valletta

For further information and to apply, visit https://xanada.investments/contest or reach out to Xanada Investments at [email protected]

Gainr.ai announces a strategic agreement with Goal Analytics for sports data models

Gainr.ai, a leader in AI-powered alternative trading solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Goal Analytics – a top European data analytics company to enhance the performance of the Gainr Trading portfolio through advanced predictive data insights. This collaboration will provide Gainr Trading with high-quality, data-driven intelligence to optimise trading strategies, improve risk management, and refine AI-driven market-making models.

As a specialist in sports data analytics, Goal Analytics will supply Gainr Trading with in-depth statistical models and proprietary data sources, offering a crucial edge in predictive accuracy for trading syndicates. This partnership marks a significant step in Gainr.ai’s commitment to integrating best-in-class analytical expertise into its trading ecosystem, ensuring partners have access to cutting-edge insights to inform their strategies.

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Gainr Trading is a scalable alternative trading fund, administered and audited by Suntera, leveraging Gainr.ai’s proprietary technology to execute verified prediction market strategies. The addition of high-quality data analytics strengthens its ability to optimise odds, enhance risk assessment, and refine AI-driven decision-making in real time.

Commenting on the announcement, Theodoros Koumis, CEO and Founder of Gainr.ai, stated: “Access to superior data is at the heart of every high-performance trading strategy. Our partnership with Goal Analytics allows us to integrate deeper statistical intelligence into Gainr Trading, ensuring our partners and investors benefit from the most accurate and actionable insights available. This collaboration underscores our commitment to advancing AI-driven trading solutions with academic-grade models and industry-leading automation.”

“We are very happy to team up with Gainr Trading and share our expertise in football data analytics and algorithm development. Gainr Trading’s expertise and experience in trading and execution makes this a highly compelling partnership forming a very strong syndicate for football. We are excited to support Gainr at all levels with our football data-driven expertise, creating a wide range new opportunities in the industry.” Malte Schmielewski CEO Goal Analytics.

With this expansion into Europe, Gainr.ai continues to enhance its alternative trading intelligence framework, ensuring its ecosystem remains at the forefront of AI-powered trading innovation. As demand for agile, data-driven trading strategies grows, Gainr Trading is well-positioned to provide superior analytics and automation for sports betting syndicates and alternative investment firms.

Playzia, a rapidly growing game provider in the iGaming industry, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with St8.io, a next-generation casino game aggregator. This collaboration will see Playzia’s innovative and engaging game portfolio integrated into St8.io’s advanced aggregation platform, enabling operators worldwide to seamlessly access and offer Playzia’s thrilling content to their players.

This collaboration represents a major leap forward in Playzia’s journey to expand its presence in international markets. Players can now access an array of captivating titles from the innovative studio, including Billionaire Wolf, Cosmos Cash, Sweet Candy Fortune, and The Great Fishing Adventure, alongside recent hits like Joker Dice and Fight or Die Crew, all available through the St8.io platform. With plans to release three exciting new games every month, Playzia is also focusing on delivering exclusive branded content, such as the highly anticipated Love Island series in partnership with ITV. This alliance is just the beginning of Playzia’s ambitious plans for growth and creative breakthroughs in the iGaming space.

St8.io’s platform is renowned for its simplicity, speed, and reliability, providing operators with access to thousands of games through a single, efficient API integration. By joining forces with St8.io, Playzia aims to enhance its global footprint, delivering exceptional gaming experiences to a broader audience.

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“We are thrilled to partner with St8.io, whose cutting-edge technology and extensive network will allow us to reach new markets and players,” said Vlad Modorcea, Chief Product Officer at Playzia. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to provide top-tier, innovative games that players love to play.”

St8.io has been expanding its regulated market presence, recently securing licenses from the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission and a recognition notice from the Malta Gaming Authority.

These achievements underscore St8.io’s commitment to delivering compliant and high-quality solutions to its partners.

“Partnering with Playzia adds a new dimension to our diverse game offerings,” said Vadims Petrovs at St8.io. “Their commitment to innovation and quality aligns with our values, and we are confident that operators and players alike will benefit from this collaboration.”