Lightspeed, GamesBeat, and Nasdaq have announced the return of Game Changers, an annual list that celebrates and accelerates 25 exceptional startups in the gaming and interactive media industry. The second year of this program will be unveiled during GamesBeat Summit 2024 at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Los Angeles.
The panel, titled Lightspeed x GamesBeat Game Changers — Innovations in gaming & interactive media, will feature industry experts Moritz Baier-Lentz, Sophia Xing, Chris Bell, Jani Penttinen, and GamesBeat lead writer Dean Takahashi. Submissions for this year’s list will open in June, providing startups with the opportunity to showcase their innovations and achievements.
Last year’s winners included companies like Beamable, Dreamhaven, Gardens, and StatusPro, showcasing the diverse range of talent in the gaming industry. The Game Changers program focuses on five key categories: game studios, gaming platforms, interactive technology, extended reality, and blockchain & Web3. Startups must have been in business for no more than five years and have no more than 50 full-time employees to be eligible for nomination.
The selection process involves a rigorous evaluation by a panel of judges comprising C-level gaming executives and operators from top companies like Activision Blizzard, Amazon, Disney, Epic Games, Google, Microsoft, and more. The aim is to recognize companies that not only demonstrate vision and execution but also uphold principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability.
With the gaming industry constantly evolving, the Game Changers program serves as a platform to showcase the most innovative and promising startups, driving the future of gaming and interactive media forward. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting initiative at GamesBeat Summit 2024.