Dojo Madness, a Berlin-based startup that sells analytics and coaching tools to casual and professional online gamers, has raised $6 million in a new round of financing.
Setting aside the on-its-face absurdity that this is actually a thing (I am old and stopped understanding the world about two releases of World of Warcraft ago), e-sports is quickly turning into a business that our current president would characterize as “YUGE.”
The global audience for e-sports is expected to reach nearly 400 million this year (larger than the population of the U.S.), split between enthusiasts and casual viewers, and is expected to grow by 50 percent over the next three years, according to data Dojo Madness cited from the research firm Newzoo.
The latest round of financing for Dojo was led by Raine Ventures, the venture investment arm of the boutique investment banking shop, The Raine Group, and K Cube Ventures, the investment arm of Korean messaging platform Kakao.
Previous investors March Capital and DN Capital also participated in the funding, which brings the total funds that Dojo has raised to $12.75 million.
“Many popular esports titles exhibit a very steep learning curve. DOJO’s products improve the experience and engagement of players in their favorite games, and as such, are equally of great value to publishers. We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with such an experienced and passionate team,” said Blair Ford, a venture partner at Raine Ventures, in a statement.
Dojo Madness sells automated coaching tools for League of Legends, Overwatch and Dota 2, under the brands LOLSUMO, DOTASUMO and OVERSUMO. The company also acquired the coaching marketplace Leaguecoaching.gg to add interactive coaching with live training sessions to more professional gamers.
If those products aren’t compelling enough to warrant the company’s $12.75 million in funding, consider its data and analytics tools for teams and broadcasters involved in competitions for Global Offensive, League of Legends and Dota 2.
Dojo Madness was founded in 2014 by e-sports veteran and Esports League founder Jens Hilgers, Markus Fuhrmann, the co-founder of Delivery Hero, and Christian Gruber, a digital marketer who previously owned his own agency after a stint at Red Bull Media.