SGC Blog – Venture Funding For Social Gaming

The SGC conference gets a Dragons Den makeover as a select group of new businesses pitch their business ideas to a panel of experienced new tech investors. The panel will also showcase new business strategies, showcase further business cases of successful investments and additionally give insights into what drives new venture funding for social gaming verticals.

Session Dragons

• Andrew Reader Director, Velo Partners
• Simon Collins, Managing Partners, Gaming Realms
• Raj Ramanandi, Founding Partner, #1seed

 

Session Pitchers

• Keith McDonnell, CEO, kmigaming.com
• Kai Peeters, CEO, Sodah Ltd
• Justin Jarman, President and Co-Founder, Youbetme 

SBC Session Notes

TotelFootball

• Keith McDonnell, pitches his real money fantasy football product. Keith highlights the opportunity that are visible in Europe and the US markets. Totel Football creates real money fantasy football betting, through pools and leagues. Keith states that his company are looking for new partnerships and have recently signed an agreement with Openbet. Totelfootball also acts as a retention, insight and acquisition tool. Totelfootball value their company at £7.5million and are looking for an investment of £1.5
• Dragons question whether the model is adaptable and demanded in the European gaming market. Dragons also question the acquisition costs of driving players to their product. They further question whether the valuation is repreentative of where the new business is currently at. Simon Collins asks whether the Totel team are looking for partnerships in media and TV.

Sodah ltd

• Sodah is the first flexible gaming platform to offer both online and social gaming platforms for partners. Kai Peeters showcases the product platform that Sodah will look to offer partners. The platform is functional with catered reporting for both igaming and social platforms. Peeters states that the platform will offer 360 control and retention to clients as they can target and share insight and conversion between gambling and real money gaming products
• Dragon Raj points that the presentation did not demonstrate team members and team skillset. Peeters replies that the company has currently a headcount of 10. Panel asks whether the company has had any products released on Facebook. Dragons question development cycle needed for a platform that caters both igaming and social gaming. Dragons are weary of bigger fish moving into the market.

Justin Jarman, President and Co-Founder, Youbetme

• American Youbetme, show real pedigree in experience and tech start-ups. Justin Jarman explains that his social betting product is geared towards the social mass market consumer.. The mobile app allows customers to bet on anything and everything. The App is fully capable of tracking bets between devices, text messages, voice recognition, etc…The company are looking to raise $3m – $5m in funding.
• Dragons question that the presentation did not cover market size and player acquisition strategy.. Simon Collins question that he does not see clear paths for revenue generations, and questions whether the model can be transferred to the European market. Jarman answers that the app will look to generate revenue through advertising, sponsorship and subscription to the app. Dragons also question whether the app can be cleared at the google store.