Former Stats Perform and DAZN execs secure £2.6m social gaming platform funding

Stats Perform and DAZN co-founder Oliver Slipper has secured £2.6m in seed funding from a number of high-profile angel investors for a new social gaming platform, PickGuru. Investors included UK and Ireland sports betting personality Paddy Power, video production platform Grabyo founder Will Neale, Global Cycling Network founder and chairman Simon Wear and Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, founders of “unicorn” car insurance firm Marshmallow. The PickGuru business, which is currently valued at £6m, aims to “revolutionise the interaction between real-money wagering and live sport” and will launch in early 2022. Seed funding secured as part of this investment drive will be used to launch and scale the PickGuru business. In tandem with this, PickGuru is currently looking to recruit 10 individuals across its development, compliance and marketing functions, with a view to adding 20 more staff over the coming year. Led by Slipper, PickGuru’s executive team includes ex-Stats Perform director of financial planning and analysis Paul Watkins, who will serve as PickGuru’s chief operating officer. Ex-Matulo Software founder and PickGuru co-founder Paul Cobley will serve as the group’s first chief technology officer and head of product while former Paddy Power brand director Adam Perrin has been tapped to serve as PickGuru’s first chief marketing officer. Rounding out the PickGuru executive team are sports marketing agency Pitch International founders Jon Owen and Jon Youell. The real-time data feed powered social gaming platform includes several prediction games where players can compete for cash prizes against friends in both nationwide or mini-leagues. The app began as a manual spreadsheet-based social tipping competition shared during golf’s 2020 Masters tournament before going viral, prompting the drive to expand and launch further. Addressing the app’s roots, PickGuru co-founder and chairman Slipper cited the “massive popularity” of the initial spreadsheet game as a key factor. “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,” he added.