Seattle esports betting startup Unikrn continues to grow and today announced another acquisition.
The company has swooped up Berlin-based ChallengeMe.GG, an esports matchmaking service and long-time tournament partner of Unikrn. Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood said it was a multi-million dollar acquisition and called it “one of the biggest deals of my career.” Unikrn said it will create the “first crypto gaming platform” with the acquisition.
“This is going to be the platform we use to bring skill-based betting products to our users as well,” Sood said in a blog post. “Remember, Unikrn has patent-pending technology on placing crypto bets on video game contests. Now it’s time for us to flex that IP, starting with the CME platform.”
Unikrn now employs 55 people after the acquisition. In the past few years it has acquired other companies like DotaProHub, Vision IP, and LEET.
Founded in 2014, Unikrn first launched as a platform for esports betting, but has since expanded to host physical tournaments, own competitive esports teams, partner with NBA teams, and more. The company raised $31 million in an initial coin offering this past October for UnikoinGold, a cryptocurrency created by Unikrn that can be used on its platform to bet on esports matches. Participants included Unikrn investor Mark Cuban and Ethereum co-founder Anthony Diiorio, who sits on Unikrn’s advisory board.
Sood said Unikrn’s blockchain technology will help power ChallengeMe.GG’s platform.
“They were going to make their own token, but we already have the best, most-sold and most widely traded esports and gaming token on the planet,” he wrote. “With this acquisition, everything is in place. This new world is coming upon us quickly.”
ChallengeMe.GG had raised more than $2 million. It will continue its operations as a matchmaking platform.
“By merging, we are in essence creating the ultimate community, skill-based and crowdfunding platform for esports tournaments,” Unikrn said in a statement. “An all-in-one platform to engage, challenge, match and reward gamers of any level.”
Unikrn has raised $10 million in venture funding from Cuban and others like Ashton Kutcher, Binary Capital, and Indicator Ventures. The company has offices in Seattle, Berlin, Sydney, and Las Vegas. It was named a Seattle 10 startup in 2015.
