Black Ex-NFL Athletes Land Historic $20M Series A Funding From Google Ventures For Their VR Gaming Company
Black-owned StatusPRO has reached a historic milestone with a $20 million Series A funding round from Google Ventures (GV), making it one of the largest Series A of any VR gaming company.
StatusPRO
StatusPRO was founded by Andrew “Hawk” Hawkins and Troy Jones, who each had a unique journey that propelled them into the tech space as Black co-founders of a budding startup.
Leaning on their experiences as former athletes, the duo wanted to help others better understand what it takes to compete at the highest levels from an athlete’s first point of view.
Their vision manifested into developing Pre Game Prep, a training product for NFL club coaches and players.
From there, they applied similar technology to build new applications to provide the most immersive and entertaining first-person sports simulations for sports fans and to represent Black founders in gaming.
In 2022, StatusPRO launched the first-ever NFL and NFLPA-licensed virtual (VR) simulation gaming franchise, NFL PRO ERA.
This franchise allows players to experience what it feels like to be on the field playing as the quarterback of their favorite NFL team.
NFL PRO ERA is among the most successful Black-founded gaming franchises ever.
Since its launch, StatusPRO has gained over 1,000,000 users.
Players have spent an average of 41 minutes in the game, estimated to be two times longer than the VR industry averages.
The two have secured funding from celebrity investors, including LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, and Drake.
Making History
StatusPRO has announced $20 million in new funding, one of the largest Series A for any VR gaming company.
Google Ventures led the funding as it joined its investment portfolio.
According to a press release, StatusPRO will use the additional capital to expand development into new sports titles, enhance its modes and features, and improve its cutting-edge technology.
“No matter if it’s virtual reality or spatial computing, our vision at StatusPRO is to define first-person sports and deliver experiences that truly embody the emotion, competition, and sense of community that comes with being a professional athlete,” said Jones.
“The investment from GV, Dream, and all other syndicates in the round further validates the opportunity to leverage emerging technology to innovate the way fans interact with their favorite sports and define a new form of engagement that brings current and future fans closer to the game.”
The round included additional funding from Dream Sports, India’s renowned sports-tech giant, Minnesota Vikings Owners Mark and Zygi Wilf’s Wise Ventures, JDS Sports, and Alumni Ventures.
Existing investors, including James, Drake, Maverick Carter, Main Street Advisors, Haslam Sports Group, and others, participated.
