Video game industry job platform Hitmarker launches second equity crowdfunding
Hitmarker, the home of esports and video game industry jobs, today announces the launch of its second equity crowdfunding campaign to the public.
Hitmarker is the home of gaming and esports jobs and now the world’s largest video game industry job platform.
Hitmarker provides candidates with a curated feed of constantly-updated listings and hiring companies with access to an unrivalled pool of talent that loves video gaming.
Hitmarker’s mission is to make the hiring process as smooth and personable as possible for job hunters and employers alike. Hitmarker LTD was incorporated in February 2018 and has since grown into a 10-person, multi-award-winning operation based out of Newcastle upon Tyne in the north of England
According to video game research company Newzoo, there are now 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, 5.3% more than in 2019, and the video game industry is now set to generate $175Bn in 2020, a 19.6% annual growth.
This figure is forecast to reach $200Bn by 2022, a milestone that has been brought forward from 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Newzoo has reported that “all game segments (meaning PC, console, and mobile games) saw an increase in engagement and revenues as a result of global COVID-19 measures”.
The company will use all capital raised to roll out localised hiring platforms in new territories within Latin America, Europe, and Asia as well as greatly expanding its feature set.
Having reached 207% of its £80,000 funding target in just seven days during its pre-seed round last November, Newcastle-based Hitmarker returns to equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to raise a minimum of £200,000 in return for 4% equity. This values Hitmarker at £4.8M pre-money, 2.5x more than the £1.9M valuation it raised at 12 months ago. The company has already had £166,050 pledged from its existing investors, platform users, and the esports/video game community. The campaign is now open to the wider public.
The £166,050 of capital raised in that pre-seed round was used to double Hitmarker’s headcount from five to 10 full-time staff, which enabled the company to expand its service from being esports-specific to covering the wider video game industry as well. Since then, Hitmarker has signed 18 new partners, experienced explosive growth across all key metrics, won two further awards, and grown its revenue quarter-on-quarter.
The capital raised in this seed round will be used to hire at least an additional 10 staff over the next two years. This will accelerate further expansion of Hitmarker’s services through the roll-out of fully localised hiring platforms for the Brazilian, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese markets. The company will also greatly expand its feature set as it seeks to create the first truly global professional network for the esports and video game industry.
Individuals are able to invest as little as £11 to own a piece of the company, provided that they are 18+, in possession of a debit or credit card, and legal residents of any country except for Canada, Japan, and the USA (due to strict securities laws in these locations).
All shares in Hitmarker are available on an ordinary basis under Crowdcube’s nominee structure and come with voting rights, pre-emption rights, and equal economic rights. All investors also receive exclusive access to an investor community, where they are able to engage with other shareholders and Hitmarker staff to help shape the future of the brand.
“Last November, hundreds of members of the public alongside Hitmarker users and the esports community empowered us to double our staff team and expand our platform’s coverage to the wider video game industry.
commented Rich Huggan, Managing Director of Hitmarker
We’ve since grown our revenue quarter-on-quarter and increased the number of jobs available on Hitmarker by more than 1,000%, to over 12,000, making it possible for even more people to work in the industry they love.
Now, we’re asking our 380 existing investors, one million users, the global esports and video game community, and members of the wider public to empower us to expand our coverage even further.
added Philip Huggan, Hitmarker’s Founder.
We’re going to create localised platforms for Brazil, Spain, Japan, and China as we begin building the first truly global professional network dedicated to the video game industry. This will make it easier than ever for candidates to find jobs and companies to hire great talent.
You can learn more about the opportunity to invest in Hitmarker here. Investments of this nature carry risks to your capital, so please invest aware.