Top 10 Gaming and Esports Capital Raises and Investors in the U.S. – January 1st to 31st, 2026
Several interesting transactions closed in the Gaming and Esports sector over the past month. If you would like more info or would like to discuss the capital raising market for your company, please contact me.
PIPE
- Virtuix, technologies for immersive virtual environments, including both simulated and real-world applications, received $11 million of development capital from Chicago Venture Partners.
Merger/Acquisition
- Scrimmage, sports betting outlet that offers users to view pre-game and live odds for all major U.S. sportsbooks, was acquired by Xtremepush.
Later Stage VC
- Lucra Sports, social sports gaming platform that creates a fantasy league, raised $18 million of Series B venture funding from Harlo Equity Partners and other investors, putting the company’s pre-money valuation at $91 million.
- Major League Pickleball, sports agency that provides professional pickleball content, raised venture funding from Forma Capital.
- ZEBEDEE, online payment platform that permits the integration of cryptocurrency and lightning into digital gaming environments, raised $40 million of Series C venture funding in a deal led by Blockstream.
Early Stage VC
- Hologram, self-expression engine that turns real-life assets into digital ones, raised venture funding from MH Ventures.
- Jpeg App, social prediction gaming platform for on-chain photo-based wagering and culture-driven speculation, raised venture funding from Treble, Kartik Talwar and Scott Moore.
- YKB, mobile and web-accessible interactive software for the documentation and comparison of sports-related viewpoints over time, raised venture funding from Gaingels.
Seed Round
- Slips, real-money gaming application that offers lottery ticket purchases and head-to-head sports betting, raised $3.5 million of seed funding in a deal led by Sunset Bay Capital and Las Olas Capital Advisors.
- Sound Games, cross-platform games that redefine modern play for developers and players, raised $6.5 million of seed funding in a deal led by Point72 Ventures.
#castleplacement #capitalraising #privateequity #venturecapital #investment #gaming #esports #gamingandesports
Tamara Williams
Managing Director
Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss your capital raise:
Email: twilliams@castleplacement.com
(C) (385) 600-1871
Send us a message:
Sources: Information on this page was derived from a variety of sources including Bloomberg, Company Websites, Crunchbase, PitchBook and other news outlets. Castle Placement® does not warrant or guarantee this information, nor makes any representations as to the accuracy of the information. For more Risks, see CPGO Risks and Disclaimers.
