Believer: A Next-Generation Gaming Studio

A Revolutionary Approach To Game Development

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Alumni Ventures portfolio company Believer is reimagining how games and interactive experiences are made using frontier technologies including AI, machine learning, and cloud computing.

Gaming is a burgeoning $365 billion industry spanning the globe. No longer limited to playing together on a couch, users can instantly connect and play with users from around the world in impeccably rendered virtual worlds on their smartphones, laptops, PCs, and home media devices. In four short decades, video games have grown from primitive consoles connected to tube televisions to completely immersive, interconnected experiences.

Alumni Ventures portfolio company Believer assembled a dream team of designers, programmers, artists, and technologists from Riot Games and beyond to craft the next generation of interactive experiences, powered by the latest advances across a wide range of technologies. The studio’s potential attracted the support of several well-established VCs with deep experience in the gaming space, including Andreessen Horowitz, Bitkraft Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Reimaging Virtual Experiences

Games like Fortnite unite an entire generation of players across the world to not only play together but engage in interactive experiences ranging from musical performances to the remembrance of historical figures. Distinct video game hardware generations marked fundamental shifts in not only the graphical horsepower of games but their interconnectedness. What started as playing Pong on the couch has culminated in a worldwide pastime.

Believer’s team is poised to realize a generational leap in the games industry by leveraging frontier technologies to accelerate and enhance game development, including AI, cloud computing, and ML-augmented production. The company aims to develop cross-media gaming experiences, integrating into TV, film, music, sports, and other media. The team views their model as well-positioned to maximize both user growth and revenue generation, given that their operating model favors accelerated and efficient production.

What We Like About Believer

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    A Repeat Success

    Believer’s CEO, Michael Chow founded and exited two companies that were acquired by two giants in the games industry: Zynga and Riot Games. The leadership team possesses an impressive track record of producing genre-defining titles commanding loyal followings numbering in the millions.
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    Experienced Gaming Investors

    Believer has earned the backing of VCs with deep experience investing in gaming startups. The firms include lead investor Lightspeed Venture Partners as well as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Bitkraft Ventures, Riot Games, and 1Up Ventures.
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    Vast Addressable Market

    Games have broken out of an obscure hobby played by a few into the mainstream, creating a $365 billion industry with 3.24 billion gamers across the world. By 2030, the industry is projected to reach $583.7 billion.
How We Are Involved

Green D Ventures (for the Dartmouth community) sponsored our investment in Believer’s $55 million Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Bitkraft Ventures, Riot Games, and Tornante Company led by former Disney CEO, Michael Esiner. Sibling fund Congress Avenue Ventures (for the University of Texas community) also participated in the round alongside AV’s Total Access Fund and Syndication investors.

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Contact [email protected] for additional information. To see additional risk factors and investment considerations, visit av-funds.com/disclosures.