Animal Capital and Other Investors Fund 20Shots
20Shots, a business-to-business developer of fantasy sports software, has received extra funding to power its business. Investors supplied the company with $482,334, helping it reach a valuation of $6 million.
20Shots Received Half a Million in Funding
The success of Fantasy5, 20Shots’s Premier League-themed fantasy sports product, attracted the attention of notable investors, including Animal Capital. The latter provided funding to the company although 20Shots refused to disclose the exact amount. In the end, all investors combined donated almost half a million to the developer, helping its evaluation reach $6 million.
20Shots will use the newly-received funds to power new fantasy products. According to the company, it is about the release its largest range of products yet. For example, the fantasy developer plans to add new games to its Fantasy5 product and cover many of Europe’s most popular soccer leagues. 20Shots will therefore add Europa League and UEFA Champions League offerings to better engage soccer fans.
Fantasy5 will offer prizes of $12,000 for all games, which is the prize it currently offers to players in its Premier League fantasy game.
Animal Capital Praised 20Shots’s Products
Marshall Sandman, managing partner at Animal Capital, spoke about his firm’s decision to invest in 20Shots. He lauded 20Shots for being able to distinguish itself in an oversaturated fantasy market and deliver an exceptional product. Sandman also praised the company’s Fantasy5 for being an early hit and attracting the attention of companies and fans alike.
Their flagship game Fantasy5 is an early hit, their B2B relationships are uniquely positioned to make this an exciting asset and their ability to resonate and be sticky with a younger audience are all reasons why we were excited to be on the journey.
Marshall Sandman, managing partner, Animal Capital
Jacob Kalms, co-founder and chief executive officer of 20Shots, confirmed that the free-to-play space is becoming increasingly saturated. Because of this, 20Shots aims to use its technology seamlessly across most of the popular sports leagues across the world. To that end, 20Shots wants to invest in its ability to consistently roll out new quality products.
Our growth model forecasts we will break the half a million player mark this season, with our scaling driving down the cost of acquisition for partners while maintaining our engagement, dwell and retention rates considerably above industry averages.
Jacob Kalms, CEO, 20Shots
In February, Kalms spoke with Gambling News about his vision for Fantasy5. Back then, he told us that he believes free-to-play games will only get more popular and will become the new big thing in the next three years.
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