Kero takes home top prize at the inaugural SBC Summit Barcelona First Pitch competition

The provider of in-game betting and fan engagement solutions for the sports industry, Kero Gaming, was awarded the top prize at the inaugural SBC Summit Barcelona First Pitch competition.

Tomash Devenishek, CEO & Founder of Kero said: "It felt incredible to pitch to a room full of key industry executives and win. Our company is a micro betting white-label provider, which is a key growth sector in the industry, so being able to get in front of this room was key."

Six industry start-ups — Kero, Network Gaming, OSAI, Paradox, POW Gaming, and XRBET — battled it out for the prestigious prize fund of the start-up competition powered by Yolo Investments and sponsored by 7scale. 

The competition also rewarded the start-up that came second after pitching their product to the panel of judges. Paradox, a parimutuel betting protocol that leverages DeFi to reinvent peer-to-peer betting, walked away with the runner-up title and prize.

Zachary Panos, Co-founder of Paradox commented on his SBC First Pitch impressions: "It was such an incredible experience to be included in the competition and meet founders of such promising companies. Getting to meet the founders in person made the award mean more to me because I got to know not only the quality of entrepreneurs but the quality of people that were pitching."

An independent judging panel of industry professionals with expertise in venture capital investments decided the winner and the runner-up of the competition. The panel comprised Pontus Sjögren (Commercial Director and Partner, Yolo Investments), Jake Stagno Navarra (COO, Red Rhino), Tom Waterhouse (Chief Investment Officer, Waterhouse VC), and Alex Chalmers (Managing Partner, Stadia Ventures).

Pontus Sjögren, Commercial Director and Partner at Yolo Investments, said: "The inaugural SBC First Pitch Barcelona was a huge success and we're happy that we were able to be a part of the journey. All six finalists that got the chance to pitch their start-ups on the big stage did an amazing job, and it was definitely a great experience for them to have."

Jake Stagno Navarra, COO of Red Rhino, added: "It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the SBC first pitch panel which brought together six of the most promising start-ups in the industry as they were given the platform to showcase their products and businesses. I look forward to seeing the winner, Kero Gaming, undoubtedly grow into a renowned company within the iGaming sector."

The prize package (worth over €50,000)

• A trip to Tallinn for two days of workshops with Yolo Investments, valued at €25,000, with flights, hotel and other expenses paid.
• An SBC Media promotional package valued at €11,500, including six months of advertising on SBC News or CasinoBeats, newsletter advertising, and two featured editorials promoting their business.
• A 3x3m booth at the 2023 SBC Summit Barcelona, valued at €15,000, including a turnkey stand, a sponsorship mention, and four complimentary tickets.

"We are very excited for the winner, Kero Sports, and cannot wait to host them in Tallinn soon to get to know the team better. Winning comes down to who can execute under pressure, and I think Kero Sports definitely delivered," Sjorgen added. 

"We've seen incredible growth of late, and I am excited about how the prize package from Yolo and SBC will help us pour Kero(sine) on the fire," Devenishek said.

The runner-up, Paradox, will receive a promotional package valued at €11,500.

Panos commented on the success: "The only thing I felt in the moment was gratitude. The competition has given us a lot of momentum, and we are excited to keep building now that we're back home!"

The inaugural SBC Summit Barcelona First Pitch Competition took place on Thursday, 22 September, and was part of the conference agenda of the Emerging Tech, Blockchain, and Metaverse zone. 

The SBC First Pitch competition will return to SBC Summit Barcelona next year, as the event organiser plans to turn it into a staple of SBC’s flagship event.