eSports
BITKRAFT Ventures Launches New $275M Venture Fund, Continues to Invest in Early-Stage Gaming and Interactive Media Startups Globally
Once closed, this fund will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion
BITKRAFT Ventures, one of the leading global games investment platforms, has announced the filing of BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3, a $275 million fund dedicated to driving early-stage investments in gaming and interactive media companies. Serving as the successor to their two Early Stage Equity Venture Funds, BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3 will continue to invest in studios, platforms, and technology globally within the gaming and interactive media space at the Seed and Series A stages. Once closed, this milestone launch will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion.
Grounded in its vision of synthetic reality, BITKRAFT believes in the transformative power of digital experiences, shaping the future of entertainment. With a core belief that humanity is increasingly immersing itself in digital realms, BITKRAFT recognizes game companies as central to this development, driving the evolution of digital entertainment. Founded by seasoned entrepreneurs and builders in the games ecosystem, BITKRAFT has grown from a small team to over 25 professionals distributed globally, with a presence in key markets in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
“At BITKRAFT Ventures, we are as committed to — and optimistic about — the future of the games industry as we were from the inception of BITKRAFT in 2016. We’ve seen continued growth across all major game platforms, in metrics including user engagement, activity levels, and monetization,” says Jens Hilgers, Founding General Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures. “Newly formed game studios have seen substantial break out successes over the last years, and the advent of AI in game production further benefits new upstarts in the space. Additionally, we have witnessed increased interest in game content beyond incumbents from media and tech giants, as well as private equity firms entering the landscape of potential buyers further expanding the exit landscape.”
BITKRAFT Ventures has strategically invested in various stages in a global roster of well-known companies including Frost Giant, a studio dedicated to bringing back real-time strategy; Anzu, an in-game advertising platform revolutionizing the gaming industry; Carry1st, a mobile gaming platform focused on serving the African market; InWorld, a social platform merging the digital and physical worlds; Voicemod, a voice modulation software empowering content creators; Immutable, the creators of the popular blockchain game Gods Unchained; and Karate Combat, an innovative martial arts league bringing high-octane combat sports to global audiences.
BITKRAFT Ventures’ funds exhibited noteworthy performance, as documented by the Cambridge Associates Benchmarking Data Report 2023. BITKRAFT’s inaugural Web 3 fund achieved a top 5% ranking, while its second Venture Fund secured a position in the top 8% of all funds based on Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
eSports
PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical

PlayVS, the leading esports platform in North America, announced a multi-year partnership with Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer. This partnership establishes Zenni as the official eyewear partner of PlayVS, bringing exclusive benefits to PlayVS’ esports community.
As part of this collaboration, Zenni will serve as the official eyewear partner of the PlayVS Cup, the annual national esports championship for high school students. The Cup provides top scholastic esports teams from across the country with an opportunity to compete for a national title and earn recognition and awards, including college scholarships. Zenni’s partnership will help power scholarship prizes for Cup finalists, furthering PlayVS’ dedication to empowering students and supporting their educational and athletic ambitions. These scholarships not only aid with alleviating financial strain, but also highlight esports as a viable pathway to academic and professional success.
Zenni’s eyewear will also be included in the prize packages that PlayVS Cup champions and PlayVS Awards winners receive, providing students with high quality eyewear to complement their gaming performance. Additionally, Zenni will offer members of the PlayVS community exclusive discounts on eyewear.
“We are excited to partner with PlayVS and expand our ongoing support of the gaming and esports community. Empowering a dedicated high school esports program that not only will generate awareness around the importance of eye health to a new generation of gamers but also support their academic pursuits is such an amazing opportunity for Zenni to partner with,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical.
Through this partnership, Zenni will also be integrated into PlayVS’ content series, Road to the PlayVS Cup, a set of videos showcasing different esports programs across the nation as they compete to earn a spot in the PlayVS Cup.
“Partnering with Zenni is a natural fit for us as we continue to grow the high school esports community. Zenni shares our commitment to supporting students in both esports and academics. By joining forces with Zenni, we’re empowering students with scholarships and enabling them to partake in healthy competition to foster their esports careers. We’re excited to work together and bring Zenni’s eyewear to our community of gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS.
The post PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID

Genius Sports Limited has signed new partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID Esports (GRID) to provide sportsbooks with the highest-quality official esports offering.
GRID, as the only game data platform directly working with the game publishers will provide Genius Sports with exclusive access to official live esports data from League of Legends, and VALORANT, the fastest-growing betting esports title, alongside Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six data, and a robust portfolio of CS2 and Dota2 data from the global tournaments by BLAST and Champion of Champions.
Genius Sports’ sportsbook partners will also be able to access official streaming and data visualizations powered by official GRID data.
Bayes Esports is helping power Genius Sports’ esports offering with its highly granular Live Match Data. As the exclusive data partner of key esports tournament organisers such as ESL FACEIT Group, Bayes Esports covers the majority of official live data for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 esports, which brings in some of the highest revenue for sportsbooks.
Genius Sports will further enhance its offering with Bayes Esports’ data product suite, including low-latency video and live data-powered widgets. Select Genius Sports products will be available through Bayes Esports’ distribution in return.
Going forward, Genius Sports will provide sportsbooks worldwide with an end-to-end esports trading product across pre-match and in-play, powered by ultra low-latency data to guarantee sharp odds and maximum market uptime. Through this product, sportsbooks can unlock new revenues by reaching a highly engaged audience with high-octane, year-round content.
“We are thrilled to announce these new partnerships with Bayes and GRID, two leaders in their field, to create an unrivalled esports content suite for our sportsbook partners. As the new home of esports for sportsbooks, we will provide our partners with the highest-quality data and odds on the most prestigious titles in the sport,” said Matt Stephenson, Global Partnerships Director at Genius Sports.
The post Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that DACH CS GmbH (DACH CS), a tournament organiser seeking to revitalise competitive Counter-Strike in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, has officially joined ESIC membership.
By joining ESIC, DACH CS commits to upholding the highest standards of competitive integrity. The membership requires the league to implement ESIC’s Integrity Programme across all of its tournaments, tackling key issues such as match-fixing, cheating, and doping, fostering a culture of fair play within the region.
As an ESIC member, DACH CS will integrate ESIC’s codes of conduct, actively cooperate in investigations, and enforce ESIC’s rulings. This commitment aligns DACH CS with global best practices, ensuring that the DACH Counter-Strike esports scene operates with a proven integrity framework.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said: “DACH CS’s dedication to rebuilding and strengthening the competitive Counter-Strike scene in the DACH region makes them a valuable addition to ESIC’s growing membership. Their commitment to competitive integrity and fair competition aligns perfectly with our mission to safeguard esports. We look forward to working closely with them to support a sustainable and transparent ecosystem for players, teams, and stakeholders in the region.”
Anton Christoph, Founder & Managing Director of DACH CS, said: “At DACH CS, we’re on a mission to take the Counter-Strike Scene in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to old and new heights! We’re super excited to be joining forces with ESIC, as we’re confident that this is a vital step in keeping our community’s most prized values at the heart of our operations. By teaming up with ESIC and aligning with their globally recognised integrity standards, we’re making a promise to you, our players, teams and stakeholders, to provide a competitive environment that’s both trusted and well-structured. We are excited to work closely with ESIC to build a sustainable and respected esports landscape in the DACH region.”
The post DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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