The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
GameCentric, a UAE-based gaming platform committed to connecting brands and gamers, has raised US$1.5 million in an angel funding round led by UAE-based angel investor Bilal Merchant. The funds will be allocated to improving the platform's functionality, expanding its user base and footprint across the MENA region, and ultimately improving the gaming experience for users. The influx of new capital will also be used to achieve GameCentric's goal of transitioning to a Web3.0 platform that incorporates digital assets such as cryptocurrencies by 2025.
Launched by Saad Khan in December 2023, GameCentric was created as a platform that can be used by gamers across age groups and skill levels, in the competitive as well as casual gaming space. “GameCentric's vision is to create games that transcend borders and become gaming cultural phenomena by providing a wide range of gamer features across a wide range of game genres, covering both Web2.0 and upcoming games. “It revolves around redefining the gaming experience by creating a platform , the title of Web3.0 Gaming,” says Khan. “Furthermore, the platform also serves as an end-to-end gaming-as-a-service enabler for regional and global brands looking to expand into the world of gaming, reinforcing brand and customer engagement efforts. It helps you diversify and develop a deeper brand' affinity and loyalty. ”
Just three months after the platform officially went live, GameCentric has already forged key partnerships with organizations across the region. In Saudi Arabia, we partnered with POWR eSports, an esports organization that organizes brand activation and influencer management campaigns in the Kingdom, with the aim of strengthening our gamer acquisition strategy. Closer to home, GameCentric has also signed a partnership with his LIV Bank, the UAE's first digital bank, launched by Emirates NBD. This will enable the platform to offer a gamified approach to support banking and financial education goals.
GameCentric Team (L-R): Ray Joseph, Head of Product; Kashan Rafique, Strategy and Web3.0 Advisor. Adveta Dwivedi, Growth Hacker. Saad Khan, Founder and CEO. Nadia Nasr, Head of Marketing. and business director Nauman Mogul.Source: Game Centric
GameCentric's previously curated propositions for brands, game publishers and gamers across the region have been driven primarily by cutting-edge technology integrated into the platform. This explains why Khan decided that becoming a Web3.0 platform was the next logical step for his GameCentric to stay committed to the latest technology trends in the gaming space. “By adopting Web3.0 technology, GameCentric strengthens the security of our platform and provides a transparent and trustworthy environment for our users,” continued Khan. “Additionally, personalized experiences are amplified through artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms driven by Web3.0 data to tailor recommendations and content to individual tastes. Utility and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) ) to gamify interactions and offer exclusive rewards to users, and the move to a Web3.0-based platform opens up new features such as token economies, decentralized governance, and interoperability. , paving the way for increased user engagement and fostering collaboration opportunities within the gaming community.”
Related: “We’ve raised funding!” Abu Dhabi-based food tech startup The Crowd secures $12 million in Series B round
But with an influx of $1.5 million worth of new capital, Khan's business plan goes beyond tweaking the platform's capabilities. The founder has already put forward four strategies, the first of which is his plan to adopt his Web3.0 technology mentioned above. “Secondly, the majority of the funds will be earmarked for expansion into new markets, particularly targeting the GCC, subcontinent and Southeast Asia,” Khan revealed. “This expansion will allow us to tap into a broader base of gamers, accelerating user acquisition and platform growth. Third, we will be hiring top talent in a variety of fields to further enrich our platform and services. “Finally, there are marketing and branding efforts.” “We will receive significant funding to increase awareness and attract new users to the platform. Strengthen the presence of our brand. and reaching potential users will help drive user engagement and accelerate our overall growth trajectory.”
Saad Khan, Founder and CEO of GameCentric, said:Source: Game Centric
But GameCentric's market expansion plans are anything but modest. Over the next two years, the platform aims to: triple The founders say that the MENA-wide user base and gaming trends within the region will play a major role in realizing this goal. “Even within the MENA region, [as per a report by Statista] “By 2027, we will have an audience of over 80 million gamers and over $2.5 billion in revenue,” Khan said. “These two growth metrics continue to show that pent-up demand is being released into games across markets, genres, and gamers,” especially as they compete for leaderboard status and It is popular among casual gamers who want to win prizes as a result. This trend will continue in the short term over the next 6-12 months. Therefore, GameCentric is taking advantage of this period to establish major brand and game publisher partnerships to further drive our gamer engagement products, with the Saudi market at the forefront of this growth explosion and expansion. To go. ”
In the long term, Khan said his platform would also like to collaborate with well-known game publishers and develop community-driven programs to increase engagement on the GameCentric platform. But for now, the founder has his sights set on achieving the goals he and his team have planned for the coming years. “GameCentric's journey continues in 2024 as we aim to further differentiate ourselves. Our product roadmap will soon allow gamers to participate in platform-specific loyalty and subscription programs, and create efficiencies for the gamer community. There will be a wide selection of digital products and services, with a wide selection of digital products and services,” said Khan. “And, of course, as I mentioned earlier, this platform will undergo a transformation by early 2025, ultimately becoming his blockchain-based Web3.0 platform, with gamers using his tokens as part of the product.” “We plan to offer a unique gamer value proposition, including digital and digital assets.” ”
Related: “We've raised money!” UAE-based Silk House raises undisclosed multi-million dollar pre-Series A round to double expansion plans