In-game advertising platform Anzu has closed its $6.5 million (£5.3 million) Series A funding round.
The round was led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures, with participation from advertising and public relations company WPP and venture capital unit Axel Springer Digital Ventures.
Anzu works to bring digital advertising experience to games by integrating ads directly into the gameplay. It has been confirmed that the funding will be used to expand market offerings specifically targeting Triple AAA game franchises on PC and consoles. Additionally, to strengthen Anzu’s presence in European and North American markets.
Itamar Benedy, CEO and Co-founder of Anzu commented in a release: “I am thrilled to build a strategic partnership with BITKRAFT, WPP and Axel Springer Digital Ventures to further our mission to be at the forefront of ad tech innovation. We will continue to push the boundaries of the advertising world as we apply the time-tested ad tactics used in the physical world to the gaming and esports industries to transform them into a premium revenue engine while enabling marketers to tap into pop culture through games.”
Funding round leader BITKRAFT Esports Ventures has made several big investments this year including in mobile gaming company Tonk Tonk Games and Japanese esports events organiser PlayBrain.
Jens Hilgers, Founder and Managing Partner of BITKRAFT Esports Ventures added: “With 2.4B gamers around the world, gaming and the virtual worlds they take place in still remains the biggest untapped advertising market. We believe in Anzu’s vision to integrate with the biggest titles in online gaming and esports to run ad delivery through their technically advanced platform, unlocking a massive opportunity not just for publishers, but also for teams and streamers looking for additional revenue.”
Esports Insider says: It’s not surprising to see another funding round led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures but we’re interested to see how Anzu moves forward with the funding – especially considering the increasing prominence of in-game advertising in esports.