Samsung NEXT Ventures, established in 2013, is a venture capital arm of Samsung Electronics, headquartered in Mountain View, California. It focuses on investing in early-stage companies within the artificial intelligence, fintech, blockchain, health technology, infrastructure, and media technology sectors. The firm typically invests a minimum of USD 1 million, supporting innovative startups that align with Samsung's strategic growth opportunities.
Principal, Seed to Series B Venture Capital Investments
Caroline Rehfuss
Investor
Past deals in Video Games
Ray Browser
Seed Round in 2024
Ray Browser is a specialized web browser tailored for gamers, aiming to redefine the gaming experience. It features advanced three-dimensional rendering and focuses on optimizing speed and reliability, which enhances gameplay and empowers developers to innovate. The browser facilitates multiplayer interactions, enabling players to connect with friends, discover emerging creators, and stream content while navigating the gaming landscape. By combining cutting-edge technology and user-centric design, Ray Browser is positioned to significantly influence the future of the gaming industry for both players and developers.
Irreverent Labs
Venture Round in 2023
Irreverent Labs is a game development company based in Dover, Delaware, focused on creating AI-powered games and entertainment. The company specializes in developing non-playable characters (NPCs) that utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning, allowing for engaging gameplay experiences that can evolve over time. Additionally, Irreverent Labs is expanding its capabilities to include innovative creator tools such as text-to-3D modeling and video prediction, aimed at transforming the landscape of entertainment production. Through its unique approach, Irreverent Labs aims to deliver games that offer depth and enjoyment for decades.
Return Entertainment
Venture Round in 2023
Return Entertainment is a developer of cloud-native games that cater to casual and mid-core gamers. The company focuses on creating innovative gaming experiences by designing games and mechanics specifically for the cloud, ensuring they are accessible and enjoyable on any device. By leveraging new types of gameplay and addressing technical constraints from the outset, Return Entertainment enables users to conceptualize, design, and implement high-quality in-game visual effects. Their approach aims to make entertainment instant, shareable, and inclusive, effectively breaking down barriers in gaming.
Gankster
Seed Round in 2022
Gankster is a competitive gaming platform that aims to enhance the entire competitive gaming ecosystem. It provides a comprehensive experience for teams and their networks, centralizing various activities beyond just matchmaking, such as recruiting, tournaments, practices, and match data. This platform facilitates connections among individuals, teams, publishers, and tournament organizers, allowing them to efficiently manage their daily operations and streamline the competitive gaming experience. By focusing on these key areas, Gankster serves as a vital resource for the gaming community, enhancing collaboration and coordination within the industry.
Shoelace Learning
Seed Round in 2022
Shoelace Learning develops an educational platform focused on enhancing reading comprehension through engaging, research-based video games. The platform is designed to motivate students by transforming learning into a fun experience, which fosters a love for reading. It offers multiplayer games that not only capture children's attention but also provide teachers with essential tools to assess student progress, identify skill gaps, and create tailored assignments. By combining adaptive learning techniques with interactive gameplay, Shoelace Learning aims to improve students' comprehension skills while supporting educators in delivering personalized education.
Hypersonic Laboratories
Pre Seed Round in 2022
Hypersonic Laboratories is focused on creating HELIX, an open-world sandbox game aimed at delivering an immersive gaming experience. The company is developing a metaverse application that allows users to engage in a dynamic ecosystem where they can easily sign up and start playing within minutes. Its platform includes a built-in marketplace where users can buy, sell, and rent virtual items and real estate, facilitating transactions with credit cards and eliminating the need for complex wallet setups. This approach aims to enhance user accessibility and enjoyment in the metaverse environment.
Players' Lounge
Series A in 2022
Players' Lounge Inc., operating as Players' Lounge Online, is a social gaming platform that allows casual gamers to compete for cash and prizes. Founded in 2016 and based in New Castle, Delaware, it provides an online environment where users can find opponents willing to engage in friendly wagers over popular video games or participate in organized tournaments. The platform caters to the vast majority of gamers who aspire to earn money through gaming, even if only a small fraction succeed in becoming professional players. By facilitating instant e-sports competitions, Players' Lounge aims to democratize the opportunity for all gamers to monetize their skills and enjoy competitive play.
Anykraft
Pre Seed Round in 2022
Anykraft is a company focused on enhancing gaming experiences through user-generated content and the creation of lasting intellectual property. The firm offers a comprehensive platform that equips developers with tools and services to create, test, publish, and monetize their games, all without requiring coding expertise. This approach allows creators to fully engage their creativity and concentrate on developing unique game content, thereby widening their audience reach. By emphasizing the importance of creativity in gaming, Anykraft aims to foster an environment where innovative game development thrives, ultimately enriching the gaming landscape.
KAP Games
Venture Round in 2022
KAP Games is a gaming community as well as a service provider for web3 gaming communities.
LIV
Series A in 2022
LIV Inc, established in 2013 and headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, specializes in developing virtual reality (VR) software for gaming and live streaming. The company, previously known as LIV Net Inc, empowers VR content creators to engage audiences in real-time, transforming passive viewers into active participants. LIV's platform, launched in 2018, has facilitated over 1.5 billion views, redefining live-streamed gaming content.
Sky Mavis
Series B in 2021
Sky Mavis is a technology company focused on developing decentralized applications and services, particularly within the realms of blockchain and video gaming. As a blockchain studio, it creates immersive virtual worlds featuring player-owned economies and marketplaces for trading digital assets. This innovative approach empowers gamers with economic freedom, allowing them to buy and sell collectibles, thereby enhancing their gaming experience and engagement. Sky Mavis aims to redefine the landscape of digital gaming through its commitment to creating practical applications that leverage blockchain technology.
Axie Infinity
Series A in 2021
Axie Infinity is a gaming platform that allows players to collect, raise, and battle fantasy creatures known as Axies, utilizing the Ethereum blockchain. Players can create teams of Axies to compete in battles and engage in a marketplace where they can buy, sell, and trade these digital creatures. The platform promotes a vibrant community centered on digital pet ownership, enabling users to earn in-game resources that can be exchanged for real money. By combining gaming with blockchain technology, Axie Infinity offers an engaging experience that merges entertainment with economic opportunities for its users.
Players' Lounge
Series A in 2021
Players' Lounge Inc., operating as Players' Lounge Online, is a social gaming platform that allows casual gamers to compete for cash and prizes. Founded in 2016 and based in New Castle, Delaware, it provides an online environment where users can find opponents willing to engage in friendly wagers over popular video games or participate in organized tournaments. The platform caters to the vast majority of gamers who aspire to earn money through gaming, even if only a small fraction succeed in becoming professional players. By facilitating instant e-sports competitions, Players' Lounge aims to democratize the opportunity for all gamers to monetize their skills and enjoy competitive play.
Survios
Funding Round in 2020
Survios, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based virtual reality company founded in 2012 that specializes in creating immersive gaming experiences. The company emerged from Project Holodeck, an interdisciplinary initiative at the University of Southern California’s Games program, founded by Nathan Burba, James Iliff, and Alexander Silkin. Survios focuses on developing interactive content that utilizes cutting-edge immersive technology to enhance user engagement. Its games are designed to offer a comprehensive sensory experience, incorporating visuals, sounds, and tactile elements to create a dynamic environment for players. Survios aims to push the boundaries of virtual reality gaming and redefine how users interact with digital content.
Spatial
Series A in 2020
Spatial Systems, Inc. offers an augmented workplace platform designed to enhance communication and collaboration among users. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York, the company enables users to conduct meetings with spatial audio and 3D telepresence, facilitating a more immersive experience. Additionally, Spatial's platform allows for the sharing and organization of various digital content, including 3D models, videos, documents, images, and websites. The focus of the company is to transform how people work by creating a collective computing environment that fosters creativity and productivity. Spatial has attracted investment from notable firms and individuals, positioning itself as a leader in the augmented reality and virtual reality space.
Spatial
Seed Round in 2018
Spatial Systems, Inc. offers an augmented workplace platform designed to enhance communication and collaboration among users. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York, the company enables users to conduct meetings with spatial audio and 3D telepresence, facilitating a more immersive experience. Additionally, Spatial's platform allows for the sharing and organization of various digital content, including 3D models, videos, documents, images, and websites. The focus of the company is to transform how people work by creating a collective computing environment that fosters creativity and productivity. Spatial has attracted investment from notable firms and individuals, positioning itself as a leader in the augmented reality and virtual reality space.
LiquidSky
Convertible Note in 2017
LiquidSky Software is an online platform that focuses on streaming interactive applications and experiences, primarily in the areas of cloud gaming and thin-client computing. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the company offers a gaming and content delivery network that allows users to access high-performance applications on low-end devices. LiquidSky's technology enhances various aspects of performance, including load balancing, storage, networking, scheduling, and streaming, which contributes to reduced latency and an improved user experience.
Spatial
Venture Round in 2017
Spatial Systems, Inc. offers an augmented workplace platform designed to enhance communication and collaboration among users. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York, the company enables users to conduct meetings with spatial audio and 3D telepresence, facilitating a more immersive experience. Additionally, Spatial's platform allows for the sharing and organization of various digital content, including 3D models, videos, documents, images, and websites. The focus of the company is to transform how people work by creating a collective computing environment that fosters creativity and productivity. Spatial has attracted investment from notable firms and individuals, positioning itself as a leader in the augmented reality and virtual reality space.
Gyroscope
Seed Round in 2017
Gyroscope Software offers developer-friendly tools designed to enhance user growth and retention, while improving overall user satisfaction and revenue for companies. Leveraging extensive expertise in large-scale data processing and predictive systems, Gyroscope has created intuitive tools that integrate advanced machine learning techniques with efficient systems programming. These tools empower developers to build applications that can learn from user behavior and respond accordingly, eliminating the need for specialized knowledge in data science or growth strategies. The company focuses on providing solutions that enable game developers to create adaptive and personalized gaming experiences, ultimately increasing engagement and enjoyment for players.
LiquidSky
Convertible Note in 2016
LiquidSky Software is an online platform that focuses on streaming interactive applications and experiences, primarily in the areas of cloud gaming and thin-client computing. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the company offers a gaming and content delivery network that allows users to access high-performance applications on low-end devices. LiquidSky's technology enhances various aspects of performance, including load balancing, storage, networking, scheduling, and streaming, which contributes to reduced latency and an improved user experience.
LiquidSky
Seed Round in 2016
LiquidSky Software is an online platform that focuses on streaming interactive applications and experiences, primarily in the areas of cloud gaming and thin-client computing. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, the company offers a gaming and content delivery network that allows users to access high-performance applications on low-end devices. LiquidSky's technology enhances various aspects of performance, including load balancing, storage, networking, scheduling, and streaming, which contributes to reduced latency and an improved user experience.
Survios
Series B in 2015
Survios, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based virtual reality company founded in 2012 that specializes in creating immersive gaming experiences. The company emerged from Project Holodeck, an interdisciplinary initiative at the University of Southern California’s Games program, founded by Nathan Burba, James Iliff, and Alexander Silkin. Survios focuses on developing interactive content that utilizes cutting-edge immersive technology to enhance user engagement. Its games are designed to offer a comprehensive sensory experience, incorporating visuals, sounds, and tactile elements to create a dynamic environment for players. Survios aims to push the boundaries of virtual reality gaming and redefine how users interact with digital content.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.