From Scrappy to Success: Strategies for Gaming Founders

What does it take to stand out and succeed as a games industry entrepreneur these days? And how does smart venture capital best identify and build around these best founders? To help answer these questions, host Aaron Bush is joined by David Kaye, serial entrepreneur and general partner of F4 Fund.

We discuss why David believes 99% of games studios aren’t fit for venture capital, and what makes that 1% so special. We also cover how early-stage teams, especially in a post-cheap money era, can get scrappy, think about distribution cleverly, and unlock early forms of competitive advantage. Alongside discussing the state of gaming venture capital at large, we also dig into what David sees as underrated and how that’s reflected in the way F4 builds its portfolio. Buckle in for a thought-provoking conversation.

If you’re interested in learning more from David, make sure to subscribe to his newsletter: https://blog.davidkaye.co/

00:00 – Start
01:53 – Introductions
03:00 – David’s background
08:29 – Lessons learned
17:05 – Reflections on gaming VC
29:40 – How founders can build advantages
33:30 – AI in start ups
40:45 – Distribution advantages
52:05 – What’s underhyped
55:40 – Portfolio construction
01:03:00 -Wrapping up

We’d also like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you’re a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.

And as always, if you enjoyed the episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a like or comment! Also, feel free to drop a note in our mailbag at [email protected].

Who’s On:
Guest – David Kaye, General Partner, F4 Fund: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkaye/
Host – Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Gavin Mc Cabe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-mc-cabe-557339227/