DENVER - DECEMBER 5, 2024 - BITKRAFT Ventures today announced a passive minority investment from a fund managed by Blue Owl’s GP Strategic Capital platform. This investment enables BITKRAFT to further build out its operating capabilities and expand its investment platform, which includes more than $1 billion in assets under management with six funds covering Early-Stage Venture, Growth-Stage Venture, and Web3/Crypto. Blue Owl’s GP Strategic Capital platform provides minority equity and financing solutions to private capital managers.
BITKRAFT strategically invests in companies that they believe are redefining interactive entertainment while pioneering frontier technologies such as AI and Web3. Global video games revenue is one of the fastest growing entertainment and media segments and is projected to top $300 billion USD in 2028 according to PwC. The investment enables BITKRAFT to take a greater role in seeking to lead the future of investing in gaming and related technologies.
“The investment from Blue Owl’s GP Strategic Capital platform empowers us to operate on an even greater scale and support greater returns to our current and future investors,” said BITKRAFT Founding General Partner, Jens Hilgers. “Our firm’s vision is built around ‘Synthetic Reality’—the principle that sophisticated simulation software and concurrency infrastructure captures more of people’s time and manifests their digital selves. Our mission is to capture the intrinsic value behind this thesis, and the investment enables us to accelerate the build out of our BITKRAFT platform to best achieve that goal.”
“There are unprecedented economic possibilities as gaming technologies extend beyond video games, creating exciting investment opportunities into areas not well understood by traditional generalist venture investors,” said BITKRAFT Co-Founding General Partner, Scott Rupp. “The investment validates our strategy to keep pushing boundaries with the companies and sectors we support.”
“We are pleased to support BITKRAFT’s continued growth into a globally-recognized investment platform for gaming, Web3, and AI,” said Michael Rees, Co-President and Head of Blue Owl’s GP Strategic Capital platform. “These are complex markets, but BITKRAFT’s expansive portfolio demonstrates a thoughtful, diversified approach to investment that we want to support.”
BITKRAFT Ventures’ investment portfolio reaches over 130 companies around the world, including promising startups . BITKRAFT is a top lead investor at the seed stage, with global teams that span the US, Europe, Africa, India, and East Asia. BITKRAFT’s Founding General Partner Jens Hilgers was recently granted a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2024 Esports Awards for his contributions to gaming and esports entrepreneurship.
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ABOUT BITKRAFT VENTURES
BITKRAFT Ventures is a global early-stage investment platform for gaming, Web3, and immersive technology, with assets under management totaling over $1 billion. With a focus on Seed, Series A, and Series B investments across the spectrum of interactive media, BITKRAFT is at the forefront of the Synthetic Reality™ tech revolution, where physical and digital worlds converge. For a full list of public investments made to date, view BITKRAFT’s portfolio here.
About Blue Owl
Blue Owl (NYSE: OWL) is a leading asset manager that is redefining alternatives.
With $235 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2024, we invest across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit, GP Strategic Capital, and Real Estate. Anchored by a strong permanent capital base, we provide businesses with private capital solutions to drive long-term growth and offer institutional investors, individual investors, and insurance companies differentiated alternative investment opportunities that aim to deliver strong performance, risk-adjusted returns, and capital preservation.
Together with over 1,050 experienced professionals, Blue Owl brings the vision and discipline to create the exceptional. To learn more, visit www.blueowl.com.
BITKRAFT
TriplePoint on behalf of BITRKAFT Ventures
bitkraft@triplepointpr.com
Blue Owl
Nick Theccanat
Principal, Corporate Communications & Government Affairs
Nick.Theccanat@blueowl.com
Disclaimers
Specific investments described herein do not represent all investment decisions made by BITKRAFT Ventures and Blue Owl Capital. The reader should not assume that investment decisions identified and discussed were or will be profitable. Specific investment advice references provided herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily representative of investments that will be made in the future.
Not an offer: This document does not constitute advice or a recommendation or offer to sell or a solicitation to deal in any security or financial product. It is provided for information purposes only and on the understanding that the recipient has sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to understand and make their own evaluation of the proposals and services described herein, any risks associated therewith and any related legal, tax, accounting or other material considerations. To the extent that the reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to their specific portfolio or situation, prospective investors are encouraged to contact or consult with the professional advisor of their choosing.
Forward-looking statements: Certain information contained herein constitutes “forward-looking statements,” which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue,” or “believe,” or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual events, results or actual performance may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Nothing contained herein may be relied upon as a guarantee, promise, assurance or a representation as to the future.
Third-party information: Certain information contained herein has been obtained from third party sources and such information has not been independently verified by BITKRAFT Ventures and Blue Owl Capital. No representation, warranty, or undertaking, expressed or implied, is given to the accuracy or completeness of such information by PwC or any other person. While such sources are believed to be reliable, BITKRAFT Ventures and Blue Owl Capital do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. PwC does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein as of any future date.
Past Performance: There is no guarantee that the investment objectives will be achieved. Moreover, the past performance is not a guarantee or indicator of future results.
