Latest News
Zibra AI raises $500,000 funding from successful a16z Speedrun
Zibra AI, a Ukrainian deep-tech company specializing in AI-generated 3D assets for games and virtual environments, announces it has successfully participated in the first-ever Andreessen Horowitz (“a16z”) Speedrun accelerator, receiving USD $500,000 to kickstart its current seed investment round and bringing its total investment to-date to USD $2.5 million.
Founded in 2021, Zibra AI aims to use the funding to expand its team and fuel the growth of its innovative generative AI technology. The company’s flagship product, Zibra Effects, is a Unity Verified Solution that can be utilized across PC and Mac, iOS and Android, consoles and VR/AR, with use cases in industries like gaming, metaverse and professional training simulations. By automating the creation of high-quality 3D assets and visual effects, the technology helps streamline production for developers.
Zibra AI was one of just 32 companies out of 1,600 applicants accepted into a16z’s inaugural Speedrun, which provides funding and coaching for the most promising pre-seed startups at the intersection of games and tech. Each of the companies accepted into the program received an initial investment of $500,000 and pitched to investors at the Speedrun Demo Day held in Los Angeles in June 2023. Following the success of the first Speedrun, a16z has announced Speedrun 2024 and committed to invest up to $75m in other promising startups in the space.
55% of the Speedrun companies were located in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Zibra AI the sole representative from Eastern Europe. Based in Kyiv, Ukraine, Zibra AI has continued to successfully raise capital alongside the hottest startups in the world despite the exceptional challenges of its wartime reality, and currently has an open seed round. The company raised a pre-seed round of $1.2 million in November 2022 from investors including Gismart, SID Venture Partners and angels including The Sandbox’s Sebastian Borget and Phil Libin from Evernote. Zibra AI was also a recipient of an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games in December 2022.
Alex Petrenko, CEO and co-founder at Zibra AI, commented: “It was an honor for Zibra AI to have been shortlisted in the very first a16z Speedrun this year. It’s the latest investment proofpoint which demonstrates clear investor confidence in our technology roadmap and vision for the next two years and beyond. Our generative AI tools address the two major challenges faced by developers – creating interactive VFX and generating 3D assets and characters. With this new investment, we can accelerate our plans to develop our tech and further support and streamline development for games and all virtual experiences across industries.”
Troy Kirwin, Investment Partner at a16z, said: “We were immediately impressed with the Zibra AI team’s ability to solve some of the most challenging technical problems in computer graphics. We’re thrilled to be a part of their journey to build an end-to-end 3D content creation platform.”
Zibra AI’s generative AI technology is already being used by a community of more than 85,000 developers. Interested companies can see the tech in action by trying it for free for a limited period, or visit the Zibra AI website to find out more.
David Reynolds Director of Games Strategy & Partner Management at Games Global
Games Global and Slingshot Studios expand Cashingo™ series with Eruption Blaze Cashingo™
Title pairs advanced Cashingo
experience with ULTRA Link&Win
enhancements
Games Global, together with its exclusive studio partner, Slingshot Studios, has released Eruption Blaze Cashingo
, bolstering the popular series with a feature-rich release, where jackpots up to 5,000x chart a path to 13,283x win potential.
Set against the backdrop of a lava-spewing volcano, every cash and jackpot coin that lands is added to the mirrored Cashingo
grid, with the value of all prizes paid out when a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row is completed.
Adding further variety to the action is the integrated ULTRA Link&Win
feature, which can be activated by landing six or more coins. The feature begins with three respins on a 5×5 reel set, with three extra rows initially locked. Keys can unlock additional rows, expanding the reels and increasing win potential.
Special Boosters can appear during the round, including Doublers that increase the value of up to four cash prize coins and Collectors that gather all visible cash coin values at once. Persistent versions of these boosters remain active, while Extra Life coins award an extra spin once the initial respins are exhausted.
Free Spins offer a change of pace and greater depth, with a Power Stacks
feature enhancing wild and coin symbols to elevate potential.
Eruption Blaze Cashingo
showcases Slingshot Studios’ continued refinement of the Cashingo
franchise, delivering an engaging, well-paced gameplay experience.
Richard Vermaak, Creative Director at Slingshot Studios, said: “Our goal with Eruption Blaze Cashingo
was to take what players enjoy about Cashingo
and give it more room to develop.
“The combination of the Cashingo
and Power Stacks
mechanics introduces a dynamic element to the base game, and the enhanced ULTRA Link&Win
feature adds clear progression as the grid expands. We are delighted with how the experience comes together.”
David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy & Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Eruption Blaze Cashingo
is a strong addition to our portfolio and a great evolution of the Cashingo
concept. Cash and jackpot coins open up new ways for the game to build, while the updates to the ULTRA Link&Win
feature bring more variety to each round.
“Slingshot Studios has continued to grow the series in a way that feels natural and engaging.”
The post Games Global and Slingshot Studios expand Cashingo™ series with Eruption Blaze Cashingo™ appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today submitting a letter to the government. The letter is signed by 13 gambling company executives and BOS’s secretary general. In the letter, the signatories urge the government not to support the gambling company ATG in their proposal to raise the general gambling tax in favour of a reduction in the tax on horse racing.
As a main argument, the signatories highlight the fact that the level of the gambling tax affects the proportion of consumers who choose to gamble on the legal licensed gambling market, and that too many consumers are already opting out of the safety of the licensed market with its extensive consumer protection.
“Horse betting has a channelisation rate of between 98-99 percent. Online casino, according to the most optimistic estimates, has a channelisation rate of between 72-82 percent. The higher the tax, the greater the risk that the consumer will choose unlicensed gambling, where neither gambling tax nor consumer protection exists. To then lower the gambling tax for horse betting, which already has a very strong channelisation, and raise it for online casino, which has a very weak channelisation, would be completely incomprehensible. At least for those who prioritize consumer protection,” says BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt.
You can read the full letter here: Letter to Government on ATG gambling duty
The post 13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
Momentum Series: A Crash Gaming collection crafted for emotions in your online casino
FBMDS proudly unveils the Momentum Series, a crash gaming collection built to deliver fast-paced thrills, immersive visuals, and strong retention for online casino operators worldwide with the Piñata Rush, Magical Garden and Arctic Jumper titles.
Designed “for emotions” and “born to captivate”, the Momentum Series includes three high-performing titles — Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper — that redefine the crash genre with dynamic gameplay, deep personalization, and stunning 3D environments.
The Momentum Series was created to give players more control, excitement, and emotional connection while providing operators with games designed for longer sessions and better retention metrics. Each title combines intuitive gameplay with high volatility, 97%+ RTP, and a responsive, mobile-first design, ensuring performance across devices and browsers. Players can personalize their experience with auto bets, double bets, and auto cashouts, adapting each round to their individual risk strategy.
Piñata Rush offers a colorful, multiplayer crash gaming experience set in lively Mexican-inspired streets. Players can track others’ progress in real time and enjoy a community-driven atmosphere that keeps engagement levels high. With 97.06% RTP and features such as Multiplayer, Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and a configurable Max Bet from 100x to 1000x, this crash game provides vibrant entertainment across Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows.
Magical Garden immerses players in a lush 3D fantasy world where serenity meets suspense. This single-player experience blends calm and thrill through Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out functions, allowing personalized strategies and a Max Bet configurable from 100x to 1000x. With 97% RTP, it offers operators a high-performing product with wide cross-platform compatibility.
Arctic Jumper brings adrenaline to the frozen north with a fully 3D single-player experience. Its immersive visuals and smooth performance are enhanced by Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and customizable betting options that match each player’s risk profile. Operating at 97% RTP, this title delivers consistent engagement and retention potential for competitive markets.
“The Momentum Series represents FBMDS’ evolution into crash gaming — a genre built on emotion, timing, and control,” said Renato Almeida, Director at FBMDS. “With Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper, we’re delivering fast, flexible, and emotionally charged experiences that empower both players and operators.”
FBMDS brings a winning portfolio of innovative iGaming solutions, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, reliable, and profitable gaming experiences for operators worldwide. With a focus on slots, table games, video bingo, and now crash games, FBMDS empowers partners to scale and succeed in competitive markets.
The post Momentum Series: A Crash Gaming collection crafted for emotions in your online casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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