ABOUT
The Clutch was born at ESI London 2019 and is a live pitch investment competition founded with the aim of helping esports-related start-up companies in need of funding and/or mentorship. For 2023 onwards, we are expanding the remit of The Clutch into the wider video games and adjacent creator economy spaces, to best serve the future of esports and gaming.
Over 60 companies have applied to The Clutch so far, and amongst the winners and losers, there have been many standout companies. In 2022, we introduced our first prize pool of $25,000 courtesy of Overwolf, as well as partnerships with the likes of Bird & Bird, Wembley Park & more!
THE CLUTCH 2023
After an incredible The Clutch @ ESI London and ESI Singapore in 2022, where Mouseskins and E1 Championship were crowned winners, The Clutch will be back with another bang in 2023 at ESI London 2023 on the 19-20th October. This years edition will presented by HSBC UK & EXCEL ESPORTS, providing their insight into business development as well as the esports, video games and the creator economy industries to help select a winner as well as providing them with the support to grow their business.
The winner will walk away with £3000 cash, the coveted trophy for The Clutch winner as well as invaluable business support from The Clutch sector partners.
Applications for 2023 are now open, please submit your application here by October 2nd to be considered for the final shortlist.
We’re busy working behind the scenes with our partners to help build the future of esports & video games (and the adjacent creator economy) with more prize-pools, mentorship opportunities and real business connections. Stay tuned for further announcements.
THE CLUTCH PARTNERS
PAST WINNERS
MOUSESKINS
2022 | ESI London
An independent peripherals brand created to offer a tailored service to all players seeking to define their mice and stand out from the crowd.
E1 CHAMPIONSHIP
2022 | ESI Singapore
The premier SEA sim-racing championship, focussing on making motorsports accessible for all.
TEAMS.GG
2020 | ESI Digital Summit
A social network focused on helping players find teammates to queue with, both casually and competitively.
ANZU
2020 | ESI Digital Summer
An up and coming firm offering sophisticated and seamless in-game advertising.
G-SCIENCE
2019 | ESI London
A provider of market leading sports science and data analytics to develop healthier, happier and more successful gamers.
ITERO GAMING
2021 | ESI Digital Summer
A revolutionary data analysis tool designed to give pro teams and the average player the edge at a very early stage of development.
THE CLUTCH JUDGES
The Clutch Judges have been selected to use their expertise in business development as well as insight into the esports, video games and the creator economy to listen to the short-listed pitches from the finalist, ask the necessary questions and decide who will win The Clutch.
Lisa Hau serves as COO/Executive Director of Bidstack, a technology platform that brings together the lucrative advertising and gaming industries. Since joining in 2020, the company has scaled rapidly across the UK, Latvia and the US. Her role spans commercial, people, fundraising and corporate development. She previously led investor relations at WPP a global agency holding group and was an equity analyst at US investment bank Jefferies, covering the media and technology sectors. Lisa graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney in 2006 and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
THE CLUTCH ADVISORY BOARD
The Clutch Advisory Board is a handpicked collective of esteemed individuals, from investors to sector / industry specialists, who will be on hand to offer their expertise and insight to those start ups who come through the ranks of The Clutch.
Joanie Kraut is the CEO of Women in Games International (WIGI), a nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate resources to advance economic equality and diversity in the global games industry.
For over fifteen years, Joanie has operated in the tech and gaming space within different verticals throughout her career, and she has served as an advisor and consultant for smaller studios, startups, and nonprofits in the gaming space. Her expertise resides in business development, financial strategy and monetization, and DEI initiatives.
Prior to SeventySix Capital, Dan Bravato founded Pitch 15 Sports Group, an esports agency focused on connecting the esports world with the rest of the sports world. Having worked on projects such as Major League Soccer’s eMLS, the Call of Duty League’s first ever event and Overwatch League sponsorships, Dan was ready to bring his expertise to the SeventySix Capital team. Dan also worked in sponsorships for Manchester City and NASCAR/ISC, managed sports marketing initiatives for Rocket Mortgage and Fathead, and sold and strategized for Van Wagner Sports Group. Dan is a graduate of New York University.
Shahar Sorek is the Chief Marketing Officer at Overwolf, the guild for in-game creators. Built for creators by creators, Overwolf is the all-in-one platform that enables creators to build, distribute, and monetize in-game apps and mods. With over 12 years of experience in the games and technology industry, Shahar has founded and managed leading startups including 7 Elements Studios, a game studio specializing in massive-multiplayer-online strategy games. Prior to joining Overwolf, he was CMO at Spacemesh, where he led branding efforts, go-to-market strategies, and product marketing execution. Shahar has also held advisory positions at GK8, Flytrex and Treebute.io, where he shaped the narrative and strategy of the venture with a focus on the go-to-market audience and the companies’ investors. In his past, Shahar worked as a creative producer and actor in Hollywood and Israel and is a former five-time Israeli national champion in Taekwondo.
Kesem Fine is a Business Development Manager at Overwolf, the all-in-one platform that enables creators to build, distribute, and monetize in-game apps and mods. Kesem’s focus is on building strategic partnerships, expanding Overwolf’s app ecosystem, and supporting creators to turn their passion into a profession. Prior to joining Overwolf, Kesem was an Investment Analyst at AnD Ventures, investing in early stage Israeli startups. Born in NYC & raised in Israel, homeschooled & professionally grown through apprenticeships, Kesem is passionate about working with early stage founders and helping them scale into global businesses.
PREVIOUS PARTNERS
WANT TO GET INVOLVED?
If you’ve any questions about involving your brand in The Clutch, or any ideas or opportunities to discuss please reach out via [email protected], or directly to any team members.
You can also see the sponsorship and partnership deck and options here.