Carry1st, a Cape Town, South Africa-based game publisher and a provider of a digital commerce platform, received a strategic investment from Sony Innovation Fund.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed.
The company intends to use the funds to support the growth of its entertainment businesses.
Led by CEO Cordel Robbin-Coker, Carry1st is a publisher of games and digital content, which develops, licenses, and publishes games, and monetizes them effectively with Pay1st, a proprietary alternative payments platform and online marketplace for digital gaming goods. It has partnered with the likes of Activision, Supercell, and Riot Games to help scale games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Valorant and has launched games including Africa Glam (Nanobit), Mancala Adventures, SpongeBob Krusty Cook-Off, Ludo Blitz and Mine Rescue for gamers in Africa.
Carry1st has raised over $60M since being founded in 2018 and counts Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), BITKRAFT, Google, Riot Games, and Nas as investors.
Commenting on the news, Cordel Robbin-Coker said: “The relationship will help Carry1st to drive the future of gaming in Africa. At Carry1st, we believe that the African console market is a massively underestimated opportunity. Our distinct regional capabilities, paired with Sony’s expertise in gaming and entertainment, creates a powerful combination. Together, we hope to bring the best games in the world to players across Africa.”
FinSMEs
29/01/2024