Blockus, a web3 gaming tech stack and payments provider, has recently secured $4 million in pre-seed funding. This funding round was led by Maple VC, with participation from Altos Ventures and angel investors such as Zhuoxun Yin, Michael Ma, and Bryan Pelligrino. The company had previously participated in a16z Crypto’s Startup Accelerator, which helped connect them with advisors and investors.
Blockus’s technology platform is designed to assist game studios in onboarding players and incorporating on-chain features into their games. Their “wallet-as-a-service” model, white-label NFT marketplace, and payments processing capabilities for both fiat and crypto payments make it easier for game studios to focus on game development rather than blockchain infrastructure. They have already established partnerships with over 30 partners, including web3 game developers like Ambrus Studio, gaming layer chains like Polygon and Sui, and traditional gaming platforms like Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.
The company aims to capitalize on the growing trend of dApp activity and the potential of the web3 gaming market. In February 2024, there was a record high of 6.7 million daily unique active wallets, with nearly 2 million of them engaging with gaming dApps. It is projected that the web3 gaming market will reach over $600 billion by 2030, up from $8.9 billion in 2023. Blockus believes they can play a significant role in this growth by serving as a trusted partner for blockchain game developers.
Maple VC’s General Partner, Andre Charoo, believes that Blockus has the potential to usher in a new era of gaming based on decentralization and player ownership. The company’s deep understanding of both gaming and web3 technologies, combined with their track record, makes them an attractive investment opportunity.
With the new funding, Blockus plans to accelerate its growth, expand its team, strengthen sales operations, and invest in product development. To celebrate the funding announcement, Blockus is offering $20,000 in credits to potential clients for the next two weeks. They will also be making an appearance at the upcoming Game Developers Conference (GDC) and hosting an offsite event for web3 gaming fans.
Blockus’s success and the funding they have secured highlight the growing importance of web3 gaming and the potential it holds for the future. As the industry continues to evolve, companies like Blockus are at the forefront of innovation, paving the way for a more decentralized and player-centric gaming experience.