“BEFORE US, ESPORT CONTENT PROVIDERS OPERATED OUT OF COLLEGE DORM ROOMS,” SAYS GAMURS CEO

Esports, also known as competitive video gaming, is – in the words of GAMURS co-founder and CEO Riad Chikhani – a “ridiculously big industry… still in its infancy”. Worldwide, there are 191 million esports enthusiasts plus another 194 million occasional viewers… and it’s forecast that by 2020, this combined audience will have risen 53% .  

Still, when Chikhani and his four co-founders first sought capital for their Sydney-based esports multi-media startup, many investors simply couldn’t wrap their heads around the size of the industry, let alone the prize money being made by professional gamers. With a little bit of education, however, investors ‘caught on’ and now, 18 months on from launch, GAMURS is a global leader in its industry.

In conversation with Dynamic Business, Chikhani revealed how GAMURS pivoted its way to success, the debt he and his co-founders owe to a trio of Slingshot mentors, the company’s next moves and what keeps him up at night.

DB: Can you provide an overview of GAMURS?

Chikhani: GAMURS is an esports media company and network that launched in February 2016. We’re growing an esports community, where competitive gamers and fans alike receive updates on their favourite videogames and otherwise enjoy an enhanced experience. Read more

James Harkness - Dynamic Business - 10 Aug 2017