Stats Perform co-founder Oliver Slipper has launched new social gaming platform PickGuru.
The platform, which is backed with £2.6m (€3.1m/$3.5m) in seed funding from a number of angel investors, will allow fans to challenge each other in a range of sports prediction games, competing against their friends or in mini leagues to win cash prizes.
Players will be required to place small stakes on their predications, with leaderboards to be updated dynamically as games progress and reward players with prizes.
Following a £6m pre-money valuation, PickGuru brought together a list of angel investors for a seed funding round to support the launch of the platform.
The round generated £2.6m in funds and included support from a former communications director at Paddy Power, Global Cycling Network founder and chairman Simon Wear, Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, the founders of recent unicorn Marshmallow, and Grabyo founder Will Neale.
In terms of leadership at PickGuru, Slipper will serve as chairman, with support from Paul Cobley, the founder of Matulo Software, as well as Paul Watkins, former financial planning and analysis director at Stats Perform, Jon Owen and Jon Youell, the founders of Pitch International, and Adam Perrin, co-founder of Masomo Games and ex-brand director at Paddy Power.
PickGuru is seeking to fill 10 roles across development, compliance and marketing with a view to recruit a further 20 roles over the next 12 months and the aim of launching in early 2022.
“Following months of hard graft and huge investment, we’re proud to be building the first UK-focused platform that uniquely combines elements of fantasy sports, gaming and live action, and strongly believe users will love the result,” Slipper said.
“I’m delighted that some of the most successful sports entrepreneurs shared our vision and I thank them for backing our ambitious plans for the business.”
