Taunt, a Seattle-based startup that allows esports fans to interact and predict game outcomes, announced Thursday that it has closed a $3 million seed financing round, led by Foundry Group. Taunt is a spinout of the startup studio Pioneer Square Labs, whose new venture fund PSL Ventures joined in the investment along with Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital and CRCM Ventures, an esports industry investor. Foundry, which helped PSL get off the ground back in 2015, helped Taunt get started in September by leading a $1.7 million investment round. Taunt became the fifth startup to spin out of PSL, joining LumaTax, Jet Closing, AdLighting… Read More
As Russell Wilson describes the ethos of his new startup, it feels like you’re inside his Seahawks huddle, driving down the field in the fourth quarter. His words become sharp; the focus increases. You can hear the passion in his voice as the NFL star quarterback pumps you up and locks you in. “We all have our heroes,” Wilson told GeekWire in an interview last week. “No matter how successful or aspirational you want to be, we all have them, someone that we look up to. Those people can inspire us and make an impact — and we want TraceMe… Read More
Esports is a $700 million global industry, and growing rapidly. And while traditional sports fans may scoff at professional video gamers dueling in heated on-screen matchups of League of Legends or Overwatch, these competitions draw millions of dedicated and passionate online viewers. Now a Seattle startup wants to capitalize on this digital craze, offering esports fans a way to compete against each other while they watch live broadcasts of pro esports competitions. The idea of wagering on the outcomes of esports may seem bizarre to some — and quite meta. After all, it’s essentially a game going on inside of a game. But… Read More
Pioneer Square Labs is adding some bench strength. The Seattle-based startup studio, which has already spun out companies such as AdLightning, LumaTax, Boundless and JetClosing, has tapped longtime Seattle entrepreneur Matt Hulett as an entrepreneur-in-residence. Hulett is focusing on ideas in the eSports sector, signaling that Pioneer Square Labs sees opportunities in the burgeoning area of professional video games, which some see mushrooming into a billion dollar industry and is now attracting the likes of Turner and the NBA. Hulett has a history in the gaming industry. He previously served as chief revenue officer of RealNetworks’ RealGames unit, and also… Read More
