SkinScanner.gg Raises £350,000 in Pre-Seed Funding
Liverpool-based SkinScanner.gg has successfully raised £350,000 in a pre-seed funding round. The platform, co-founded by Joshua Sinclair and Nathan Engolodoe, allows users to compare Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) skin prices across various marketplaces in real-time without the need for a login, aiming to help traders find the best deals.
Investment Details
The funding round was led by Graeme Ankers, co-founder and managing director of Firesprite, a Liverpool games studio acquired by Sony in 2021. Other notable investors include Craig Osborne, Jennifer Houghton MBE, and the Baltic Ventures Angel Syndicate.
Founders' Vision
Joshua Sinclair, a recent computer science graduate from Liverpool John Moores University, co-founded SkinScanner.gg with Nathan Engolodoe. The idea was conceived during Sinclair's studies, inspired by Liverpool's rich gaming history and his involvement with Baltic Ventures, an early-stage accelerator in the city.
"We wanted to create a tool that empowers gamers by providing them with the best options for buying and selling in-game assets," Sinclair explained.
Use of Funds
The newly secured funds are expected to be used for further development of the platform, enhancing its capabilities to aggregate live prices from an increasing number of CS2 marketplaces. The investment will also support efforts to grow the user base, which currently boasts over 23,000 Discord members.
Market Potential
SkinScanner.gg positions itself as a crucial tool for gamers and traders in the CS2 community, offering a streamlined solution for navigating the complex marketplace of in-game assets. By continuously updating its platform with new marketplace data, SkinScanner.gg aims to maintain its position as a go-to resource for price comparison.
The company's growth trajectory is closely watched by investors and the gaming community alike, as it continues to expand its reach and refine its services.