LAS VEGAS, February 25, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skillz Inc. (NYSE: SKLZ) ("Skillz" or the "Company") announced today the launch of the Skillz Developer Accelerator, a strategic initiative designed to grow the monetization of the mobile gaming ecosystem by empowering game developers with the financial resources necessary to bring skill-based games to market and succeed. This groundbreaking program plans to deploy up to $75 million over the next three years, offering developers the working capital and operational support needed to push the boundaries of innovation and drive the next generation of online and mobile gaming competition.
Skillz’s goal is to strategically support at least 25 high-potential games, though the Company remains flexible and open to more dynamic opportunities, should larger or smaller opportunities align with the Company’s vision. The Company is seeking to deploy its financial resources and operational expertise to support games that are easy to learn but have high competitive potential, strong retention, monetization, or live-ops strategies, and a working prototype or demo (preferred, but not required).
"Real-money, skill-based gaming is one of the fastest-growing mobile genres in terms of player lifetime value," Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise said. "The goal of the Skillz Developer Accelerator is to reinforce our commitment to driving value for developers and players while scaling the future of the skill-based gaming industry on the Skillz platform, creating long-term revenue opportunities for developers and the Company."
The Skillz Developer Accelerator provides developers with tools and resources needed to bring their games to life. In addition to working capital , developers selected by the Company will be provided with access to Skillz’s internal team of experts, a proprietary software development kit (SDK) and data tools, as well as user acquisition, technical and operational support.
To apply directly for the program, developers should visit Skillz.com/developeraccelerator. Developers will be asked to provide background on their team and project, a demo or pitch deck of their game(s), and a project plan for the game development as well as an ongoing plan for post-launch support.
About the Skillz Developer Accelerator
Pursuant to the Skillz Developer Accelerator program, Skillz intends to allocate up to $75 million of cash on hand to strategically support the development of new skill-based games over the next three years, as well as for the promotion and marketing of such games. Skillz management will exercise its discretion on a case-by-case basis in determining whether and to what extent to support particular games.
About Skillz Inc.
Skillz is a leading mobile games platform dedicated to bringing out the best in everyone through competition. The Skillz platform offers developers the potential to create multi-million dollar franchises by enabling social competition in their games. Leveraging its patented technology, Skillz hosts billions of casual eSports tournaments for millions of mobile players worldwide, with the goal of building the home of competition for all. Skillz has earned recognition as one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators, CNBC’s Disruptor 50, Forbes’ Next Billion-Dollar Startups, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and the number-one fastest-growing company in America on the Inc. 5000.
Please visit www.skillz.com to learn more about the Company.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events.
These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside of the Company’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the ability of Skillz to: effectively compete in the global entertainment and gaming industries; attract and retain successful relationships with the third party developers who develop and update the games hosted on Skillz’ platform; drive brand awareness with end users; invest in growth and development of employees; comply with laws, regulations and expectations applicable to its business, including with respect to cybersecurity and corporate governance matters; mitigate the commercial, reputational and regulatory risks to our business; remediate during fiscal year 2025 certain non- fully remediated material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting. Additional factors that may cause such differences include other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings, including those under "Risk Factors" therein, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will be made available in other filings that the Company makes from time to time with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable as of this date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
