Global segment ranking · Media, entertainment & gaming › Gaming
The world’s most valuable esports startups
Companies whose main business is competitive gaming: esports teams and clubs, tournament and league organisers, competition platforms for players and schools, official esports data and odds providers, and coaching and stats tools for competitive players. Ranked worldwide by AI-estimated valuation, with listed pure players shown in grey at their market value for reference. The market sets the value; AI models estimate it.
Key metrics for this segment: key milestone. Figures as published by each company or the press, dated, not recalculated. The AIs weigh them alongside funding history and comparables.
Not in this segment. Listed, so not ranked: OverActive Media (shown in grey), and NIP Group (Ninjas in Pyjamas), GameSquare (FaZe Clan), Allied Gaming & Entertainment and Enthusiast Gaming. Bought or controlled outright: ESL FACEIT Group (Savvy Games Group), Vindex, NRG (DarkZero), Evil Geniuses (PEAK6), Complexity, Astralis (Fusion Esports Group), MAD Lions and Movistar KOI (OverActive Media), Rogue, Dignitas, Gamers Club (Immortals), Blitz, Galaxy Racer, The Chiefs, Natus Vincere (owned by its main shareholder). Created by a group: BLAST (Egmont), T1, KT Rolster, JD Gaming, Bilibili Gaming, Weibo Gaming, Top Esports, Yalla Esports, Wolves Esports. Insolvent or closed: Bayes Esports, G-Loot (Stryda), Guild Esports, Esportal, ORDER. No outside equity round found: Team Falcons, Twisted Minds, LGD, RNG, Team Secret, FURIA, LOUD, paiN, MOUZ, BIG, FlyQuest, Team BDS, S8UL, GodLike, RRQ, ONIC. In other segments: game studios and publishers under PC & console studios and Mobile studios; live-streaming platforms under Video; real-money skill gaming (MPL, Skillz) outside this segment. A company appears in one segment only. Method
The segment at a glance
30companies ranked
4companies on the radar
14countries in the ranking
5listed benchmarks
Sources: Company announcements, Forbes, The Esports Advocate, Esports Insider, Dexerto, Sports Business Journal, The Esports Observer, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Reuters, Inc42, The Economic Times, 36Kr, Caixin, Nikkei, and market data for listed companies. Intention counters will be shown above a threshold of amount and number of Backers.
Rankings by region
Filter the ranking and the Radar. Ranks stay worldwide. Regional pages: Asia · Europe · North America.Global ranking · Esports
Snapshot20 Oct 2026A snapshot taken on 20 Oct 2026
This ranking shows the startups as they stood on 20 Oct 2026. Funding rounds, valuations and other events announced after that date are not included yet. They will be taken into account in the next edition, scheduled for 17 Feb 2027.
Spotted a more recent round? Tell us →First edition: no movements yet.
This ranking shows the startups as they stood on 20 Oct 2026. Funding rounds, valuations and other events announced after that date are not included yet. They will be taken into account in the next edition, scheduled for 17 Feb 2027.
Spotted a more recent round? Tell us →First edition: no movements yet.
World · 30 ranked companies
| # | Company | Last round · Key metrics | Estimated valuation (AI) · range | Pool of InterestsInterest: a free, non-binding declaration on a company, or on a sector within an area, made during the free phase of a pool. Pool: all the Interests declared on the same target. This column shows the number of Backers and the combined amount of their tickets, to validated members only. Terms for Backers → | BackBacking a startup on Uback (pronounced “you back”) can be done in two ways: Interest · free: a non-binding declaration that signals your demand for a company or a sector. You can move or withdraw it at any time, with up to 5 at once. Intention · coming soon: a paid, confirmed declaration, still non-binding. Once its pool reaches critical mass, it is presented to a company by a partner desk. Neither is an order nor a commitment to invest. Terms for Backers → |
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| 1 | Hero Esports (formerly VSPO)Shanghai-based esports company that organises and produces professional leagues and tournaments for game publishers, runs esports venues across Asia and the Middle East, and sells sponsorship and event services. | Series C (strategic) · USD 265M · Feb 2023Revenue of RMB 1.3bn (about USD 189M) in the first nine months of 2021, +144% yoy · Sep 2021 | Last known equity round: Series C (strategic) · USD 265M · Feb 2023 (Savvy Games Group; Tencent, HongShan (formerly Sequoia China), Susquehanna, Morgan Stanley); Valuation not disclosedMethod | Not open to BackersCompanies based in mainland China are ranked like any other startup, but Uback does not open pools on them: capital controls and offshore (VIE) structures make minority deals impractical for our Backers. You can still declare an interest in this segment → |
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| 2 | NODWIN GamingEsports and gaming entertainment company that organises tournaments and IPs, produces and broadcasts esports content, and runs gaming marketing for brands and publishers across India, South Asia and MENA. | Internal round (existing shareholders) · USD 10M · Jul 2025FY26 revenue of INR 658 crore (about USD 77M), +25% yoy; EBITDA positive · Mar 2026 | Last known equity round: Internal round (existing shareholders) · USD 10M · Jul 2025; Round subscribed by existing shareholders Published valuation: USD 410M (Nov 2024)Method |
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| 3 | Cloud9Esports organisation competing in major titles such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike and Valorant, monetised through sponsorships, merchandise, content and league revenue. | Series B · USD 50M · Nov 2018Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series B · USD 50M · Nov 2018 (Valor Equity Partners; TrueBridge Capital Partners)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 4 | PlayVSPlatform organising scholastic esports leagues for high schools and colleges in the United States, providing scheduling, rankings and official competitions with game publishers. | Series C · USD 50M · Jul 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series C · USD 50M · Jul 2019 (New Enterprise Associates; Battery Ventures)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 5 | Gen.G EsportsEsports organisation operating professional teams in League of Legends, Valorant and other titles from Los Angeles and Seoul, with revenue from sponsorship, leagues, content and an education programme. | Series A · USD 46M · May 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 46M · May 2019 (Battery Ventures, NEA, Canaan Partners, Conductive Ventures; Dreamers Fund)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 6 | Team Liquid#44 in the NetherlandsEsports organisation fielding professional teams in more than a dozen competitive games, earning revenue from sponsorships, merchandise, prize money, content and league revenue sharing. · Controlled by aXiomatic Gaming | Growth round · USD 35M · May 2022Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 35M · May 2022 (Ares Management; Revolution Growth); Raised by parent aXiomatic GamingMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 7 | Immortals Gaming ClubEsports group owning Brazilian competition platform Gamers Club and the MIBR team, running online tournaments, matchmaking and teams for Latin American players. | Series B · USD 30M · May 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series B · USD 30M · May 2019Method | Be the first | Back |
| 8 | MetafyOnline marketplace connecting gamers with professional and high-ranked players who sell paid coaching sessions, video guides and lessons across competitive titles. | Series A · USD 25M · Feb 2022Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 25M · Feb 2022 (Tiger Global; Seven Seven Six)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 9 | GIANTXEsports club formed from the merger of Excel and Giants Gaming that fields League of Legends and Valorant teams from offices in London and Malaga. · Controlled by JRJ Group | Growth round · USD 23.4M · Jul 2021Acquired AI start-up iTero Gaming in a multi-million dollar deal in Jul 2024 · Jul 2024 | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 23.4M · Jul 2021 (JRJ Group; Toms Capital, Michael Spencer, Alan Howard); Raised by Excel Esports before its Dec 2023 merger into GIANTXMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 10 | Team VitalityParis esports organisation fielding teams in Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Valorant and other games, earning revenue from sponsorships, merchandise and its V.Hive venue. | Growth round · USD 22.8M · Nov 2018Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 22.8M · Nov 2018 (Tej Kohli); EUR 20MMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 11 | DRXSeoul-based esports organisation fielding professional teams in League of Legends, Valorant and other titles, earning revenue from sponsorship, league revenue sharing, merchandise and content. · Controlled by ATU Partners | Funding round · USD 22.5M · Jul 2020FY2025 revenue of about USD 8.6M, break-even for a second year · Dec 2025 | Last known equity round: Funding round · USD 22.5M · Jul 2020 (ATU Partners; Seoul Investment Partners, Quantum Venture Korea, Shinhan Capital); About USD 31M raised in totalMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 12 | 100 ThievesLos Angeles esports organisation and lifestyle brand combining professional teams, gaming content creators and streetwear apparel sold to young gaming fans. | Series C · USD 60M · Dec 2021Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series C · USD 60M · Dec 2021 (Green Bay Ventures; Breyer Capital)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 13 | OpTic GamingDallas esports organisation fielding Call of Duty, Halo and other teams, operating a large fan brand with content, merchandise and venue activities. | Growth round · USD 20M · Jan 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 20M · Jan 2019Method | Be the first | Back |
| 14 | G2 EsportsBerlin-founded esports organisation with teams in League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Valorant and other titles, monetised through sponsorships, merchandise, content and fan products. | Series A · USD 17.3M · Feb 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 17.3M · Feb 2019; A further Series B of undisclosed size closed in Mar 2025 (Wilf family, WISE Ventures, Tornante Company, Gary Vaynerchuk)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 15 | FnaticLondon esports organisation running professional teams across major titles and selling gaming peripherals and apparel under its own brand. | Growth round · USD 17M · May 2021Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 17M · May 2021 (Marubeni Corporation); EUR 13.9MMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 16 | EDward GamingGuangzhou-based esports club competing in China's League of Legends Pro League, Valorant and other titles, earning revenue from league shares, sponsorship, merchandise and fan content. | Pre-A · USD 15.7M · May 2018Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Pre-A · USD 15.7M · May 2018 (Yao Capital; China Idol Entertainment Industry Fund); Nearly RMB 100MMethod | Not open to BackersCompanies based in mainland China are ranked like any other startup, but Uback does not open pools on them: capital controls and offshore (VIE) structures make minority deals impractical for our Backers. You can still declare an interest in this segment → |
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| 17 | TSMEsports organisation and gaming company running professional teams and the Blitz in-game companion app, earning revenue from sponsorships, software and merchandise. | Series A · USD 37M · Jul 2018Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 37M · Jul 2018 (Bessemer Venture Partners; Stephen Curry)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 18 | EVOS EsportsJakarta-based esports organisation fielding Mobile Legends and other mobile esports teams in South-East Asia, earning revenue from sponsorship, league participation and creator content. | Series B · USD 12M · Oct 2020Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series B · USD 12M · Oct 2020 (Korea Investment Partners; Mirae Asset Ventures, Indogen Capital, Insignia Ventures Partners); Raised by its parent Attention HoldingsMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 19 | ChallengermodeStockholm software platform letting game publishers, brands and gaming communities organise online tournaments, leagues and ladders for competitive players of all levels. | Growth round · USD 12M · Aug 2020Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 12M · Aug 2020 (eWTP Innovation Fund; Telia Ventures)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 20 | MobalyticsLos Angeles gaming companion platform giving competitive players performance analytics, builds and coaching insights for games such as League of Legends and Valorant. | Series A · USD 11.2M · Jul 2020Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 11.2M · Jul 2020 (Almaz Capital)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 21 | Mineski GlobalSouth-East Asian esports company that runs leagues and tournaments, operates competitive mobile gaming platforms, and delivers esports marketing and gamification campaigns for brands and publishers. | Series A · USD 10.6M · Sep 2021Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 10.6M · Sep 2021 (Exacta Capital Partners; Endeavor Catalyst)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 22 | GRIDBerlin data platform collecting official in-game data from publishers and tournaments and distributing it to betting operators, media and teams. | Series A · USD 10M · Apr 2021Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 10M · Apr 2021 (Alinea Capital; Bumble Ventures)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 23 | Karmine CorpFrench esports organisation competing in League of Legends, Valorant and Rocket League, built around a large fan community and live events. | Capital increase · USD 4.7M · Oct 2023Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Capital increase · USD 4.7M · Oct 2023; EUR 4.4M to fund a league slot; in Feb 2026 Astralis took about 25% in exchange for new shares Published valuation: USD 38M (Feb 2026)Method |
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| 24 | REJECTTokyo-based esports organisation fielding professional teams in mobile and PC titles, also developing creators and opening a base in Abu Dhabi to expand in the Middle East. | Series B · USD 6.9M · Nov 2024Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series B · USD 6.9M · Nov 2024 (Gyrfalcon Holding; DBJ Capital, MUFG Capital, ORIX Capital); JPY 1.07bnMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 25 | PandaScoreParis company supplying real-time esports data, statistics and AI-generated odds to betting operators, media and game publishers through APIs and trading tools. | Growth round · USD 6M · Oct 2020Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Growth round · USD 6M · Oct 2020 (V13 Invest; Alven); EUR 5MMethod | Be the first | Back |
| 26 | Oddin.ggEsports betting-data and odds provider supplying sportsbooks with pre-match and live trading feeds, risk management services and front-end betting widgets. | Series A · USD 4.5M · Aug 2022Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Series A · USD 4.5M · Aug 2022 (Velo Partners; Genting Ventures)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 27 | SentinelsLos Angeles esports organisation best known for its Valorant team, earning revenue from sponsorships, merchandise, streaming content and participation in partnered leagues. | Equity investment · USD 3M · Oct 2023Revenue of USD 2.92M in 2023, up 20% · Dec 2023 | Last known equity round: Equity investment · USD 3M · Oct 2023 (JAG Future Ventures); Plus equity crowdfunding of USD 0.19M (2023)Method | Be the first | Back |
| 28 | StrafeEsports news and live-score app giving fans match schedules, results, statistics and predictions across competitive games such as Counter-Strike and League of Legends. | Seed · USD 3M · Jul 2019Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Seed · USD 3M · Jul 2019 (BITKRAFT Esports Ventures)Method | Be the first | Back |
| — | OverActive MediaListed · TSXV · OAM | USD 13MMarket cap · Aug 2026Listed company · not ranked | |||
| 29 | Talon EsportsHong Kong-based esports organisation fielding teams in League of Legends, Dota 2, Valorant and mobile titles across Asia-Pacific, funded by sponsorship, league revenue and brand partnerships. | Seed · USD 2M · Oct 2020Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Seed · USD 2M · Oct 2020Method | Be the first | Back |
| 30 | Revenant EsportsIndian esports organisation fielding mobile and PC teams such as BGMI and Valorant rosters, earning revenue from sponsorship, tournament winnings and gaming content. | Seed · USD 1M · May 2021Key metrics not disclosed | Last known equity round: Seed · USD 1M · May 2021 (Ventureland Asia)Method | Be the first | Back |
Back · Backing on Uback (pronounced “you back”) means declaring an Interest (free) or an Intention (coming soon). Backing does not mean that this company is raising funds or that a shareholder is selling shares, and it is not a commitment to invest. Any deal, through a funding round or a sale by an existing shareholder, is handled by a partner desk: the Fundraising Desk of the country for a round, the Secondary Sales Desk assigned to the company for a sale. · Terms
Corporate investor? Back the startups of your own segment
No ranked company in this region yet: see the Radar.
Ranking in descending order of AI-estimated valuation, based on public information, with no human intervention on the order. The valuations, ranges and brackets shown are editorial estimates produced by AI, purely indicative and imperfect by nature: neither a financial valuation, nor an offer, nor investment advice. Only the market sets a company’s value, through a funding round or a sale. Ranking established by Claude (Anthropic) from public information, following the published rules. A consensus of several AIs will apply from 1 December 2026. Eligibility: at least $1M raised in equity, non-listed company, main activity in this segment (esports). Country shown is the country of main operations. Request a correction
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How to read this ranking
Rank
Companies are ranked by AI-estimated valuation, highest first. The market sets the value; AI models estimate it.
Estimate
An AI-estimated valuation, its uncertainty range and its order of magnitude. Indicative, and imperfect by nature.
- Hundreds of k$
- Millions $
- Tens of M$
- Hundreds of M$
- Unicorn
- Decacorn
- Hectocorn
Challengers
A registered company raising funds that is not in the ranking will be able, for a fee, to appear in a separate list labelled “Challengers”, for a set period, with a memo available to verified Backers. The listing has no effect on the ranking. Not open yet.
Sponsored space · no Challenger listed yet
Radar · known eligible companies, not ranked
Sorted by date of last round, with no judgement and no AI call.
- Battlefy · Canada · North America2025 · USD 1.3MBack
- Team Heretics · Spain · Europe2025Back
- Heroic Group · Norway · Europe2025Back
- SK Gaming · Germany · EuropeJun 2021; Amounts never disclosed; Deutsche Telekom took 25% in Dec 2019Back
No company on the radar in this region yet.
Listed benchmarks
Not ranked: no intention is possible on a listed company.
- OverActive Media · CanadaTSXV · OAM · USD 13M (Aug 2026)
- NIP Group · ChinaNasdaq · NIPG
- GameSquare Holdings · United StatesNasdaq · GAME
- Allied Gaming & Entertainment · United StatesNasdaq · AGAE
- Enthusiast Gaming · CanadaTSX · EGLX
Sources and method for this segment
Calendar. Global segment rankings are published twice a year. Next edition: February 17, 2027.
Eligibility. At least $1M raised in equity, non-listed company, main activity in this segment (esports). A company appears in one segment only.
Sources. Company announcements, Forbes, The Esports Advocate, Esports Insider, Dexerto, Sports Business Journal, The Esports Observer, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Reuters, Inc42, The Economic Times, 36Kr, Caixin, Nikkei, and market data for listed companies.