Top 32 eSports Startups to Watch in 2026

Top 32 eSports Startups to Watch in 2026

The eSports sector attracts major investment and includes companies from around the world. This list covers startups in fantasy sports, competitive platforms, and merchandise.

Sports merchandise company Fanatics has secured $4.9 billion in funding. India’s Mobile Premier League has also raised $390.5 million for its skill-based gaming platform.

Below is our list of 32 eSports startups worth keeping an eye on.

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Underdog Fantasy Logo

Underdog Fantasy operates a daily fantasy sports platform focused on its popular Pick’em games and esports contests. The company gives sports fans a new way to play by competing in drafts and making projections on player performance.

HeadquartersBrooklyn, New York, United States
Year Founded2020
FoundersBrandon Stakenborg, Jeremy Levine
Funding Amount$115M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsBlackRock, Spark Capital, SV Angel, MANTIS Venture Capital, Palm Tree Crew

Mobile Premier League built a mobile eSports platform where users can compete in skill-based games to win real cash prizes. The company provides a diverse collection of games, enabling players to enter paid tournaments and monetize their gaming abilities.

HeadquartersBengaluru, Karnataka, India
Year Founded2018
FoundersSai Srinivas Kiran G, Shubh Malhotra, Shubham Malhotra
Funding Amount$390.5M
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsGaingels, Sequoia Capital, Peak XV Partners, RTP Global, Play Ventures
PlayVS Logo

PlayVS brings organized esports to the scholastic level, offering a platform for high school and college competitions. They provide the official infrastructure for schools to launch and manage their own varsity esports teams.

HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Year Founded2018
FoundersDelane Parnell
Funding Amount$106.2M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsSapphire Ventures, Battery Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Samsung NEXT, Coatue
Stan Logo

Stan builds a blockchain-based social gaming platform designed for gaming creators, publishers, and their communities. The platform enables fans to collect, play, and trade digital collectibles of their favorite esports athletes and streamers.

HeadquartersBangalore, Karnataka, India
Year Founded2022
FoundersNauman Mulla, Parth Chadha, Rahul Singh
Funding Amount$15.8M
Startup SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusSeries A
Top InvestorsGaingels, General Catalyst, GFR Fund, King River Capital, Better Capital
Fanatics Logo

Fanatics manufactures and sells a wide range of licensed fan gear, jerseys, and sports merchandise across numerous retail channels. They have established a major presence in the sports industry by managing e-commerce and merchandise for teams and leagues directly.

HeadquartersJacksonville, Florida, United States
Year Founded2002
FoundersAlan Trager, Jason Watkins, Josh Luber, Michael Rubin, Mitch Trager
Funding Amount$4.9B
Startup SizeEnterprise Organization (5,001+)
Last Funding StatusPrivate Equity
Top InvestorsAndreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton, Temasek Holdings, Insight Partners, BlackRock
FanCode Logo

FanCode brings a wide world of sports to fans through a single digital platform for live streams, content, and official merchandise. They specialize in broadcasting long-tail sports and offer integrated e-commerce so fans can buy gear while they watch.

HeadquartersMumbai, Maharashtra, India
Year Founded2019
FoundersPrasana Krishnan, Yannick Colaco
Funding Amount$50M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries A
Top InvestorsDream Sports Investments
FromSoftware Logo

FromSoftware develops critically acclaimed action role-playing games for consoles and PC. The Japanese studio is best known for creating the highly influential “Souls” series, which includes titles like Dark Souls and the award-winning Elden Ring.

HeadquartersTokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Year Founded1986
FoundersNaotoshi Zin
Funding Amount¥36.4B
Startup SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSecondary Market
Top InvestorsSony Interactive Entertainment, Sixjoy
Sleeper Logo

Sleeper develops a fantasy sports platform that integrates social messaging directly into leagues for football, basketball, and esports. Their product is designed to connect friends and make community interaction a central part of the gaming experience.

HeadquartersSan Mateo, California, United States
Year Founded2015
FoundersHenry Leung, Ken Wang, Nan Wang, Weixi Yen
Funding Amount$67.3M
Startup SizeFounding Team (1-10)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsAndreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Alumni Ventures, Titanium Ventures, Expa
Midnite Logo

Midnite operates a comprehensive betting platform that combines traditional sports wagering with casino games and a strong focus on eSports. They provide a modern interface for users to bet on a wide array of events, from major sports leagues to competitive video game tournaments.

HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom
Year Founded2015
FoundersDaniel Qu, Nicholas P. Wright
Funding Amount$126.1M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusDebt Financing
Top InvestorsPlay Ventures, The Raine Group, Makers Fund, PvX Partners, Venrex
Overwolf Logo

Overwolf builds an open platform for developers to create, distribute, and monetize in-game apps and mods. Their framework is used by creators to develop custom overlays and other utilities that enhance the experience of popular PC games.

HeadquartersRamat Gan, Tel Aviv, Israel
Year Founded2010
FoundersAlon Rabinovitz, Gil Or, Nir Finkelstein, Uri Marchand
Funding Amount$97.2M
Startup SizeMid-Size Team (51-250)
Last Funding StatusSeries D
Top InvestorsAndreessen Horowitz, Insight Partners, Ubisoft, Warner Music Group, Griffin Gaming Partners

22 Additional eSports Startups Worth Following

Those top picks only scratch the surface of the growing eSports scene. Dozens of other companies are also making moves, collectively raising over $200 million for their projects.

Many are building new gaming platforms or analytics tools, and they range from early-stage ventures to more established businesses. Here’s a look at the other startups helping to define the future of competitive gaming.



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