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Xanada Pitch Contest Closes with $50K Winner, Public Choice Winner, 100+ Startups involved, and Global Founder Momentum
At this year’s NEXT Summit in Valletta, the Xanada Pitch Contest — one of the most talked-about investment events in the industry — reached its finale.
Organized by Xanada Investments, the contest brought together startups, investors, and business leaders for a high-stakes pitch competition that reflects the fund’s mission: to support bold founders building the future.
The finalists — Sweepium, Jurnii, MoneyPools, BetRaze, and StatsDrone — delivered top-tier performances during a high-stakes pitch battle on May 8 in Valetta. Each had undergone an in-depth selection process and an on-stage rehearsal that resulted in one of the highest-quality showcases the industry has seen, judged by:
- Vladimir Malakchi (CEO & Managing Partner at Xanada Investments)
- Pierre Lindh (Co-founder & Managing Director at NEXT.io)
- Dmitry Belianin (CEO & Founder at Belianin)
- Justin Paul Anastasi (CEO at VentureMax)
For many, the contest’s impact extended beyond the stage:
“The Xanada pitch contest provided our start-up with a platform to not only showcase our business to the four judges, but to the whole industry. Our pitch led to a number of concrete opportunities from investors, advisors and potential clients. It was a huge and rare opportunity to stand side by side on the biggest stage with the best of the industry”.
Fraser Dunk, CEO at Jurnii
“The Xanada Pitch Contest did everything we hoped for and more when it comes to getting investor intros. Not only did we get the attention, the interest from investors is stronger than without. Even for investors knowing we were pitching has opened doors. This event will be a pivotal moment in our growth and journey of our company. We are forever grateful to Xanada Investments and Vladimir Malakchi for putting this together to make our lives easier”.
John Wright, CEO & Co-Founder at StatsDrone
“I was really impressed with the great organisation of the event and the kindness of the team. It is important to give start-ups the stage to present their ideas and get feedback, no matter the stage. That’s exactly what we’ve received. I made so many valuable connections at the event and was contacted by interesting people afterwards. I really loved the experience, and I’m looking for more contests from Xanada Investments.”
Idir Alane, CEO at MoneyPools
The Winners
The Xanada Pitch Contest ended with two standout winners — each recognized for different strengths.
The Grand Winner was selected by a panel of expert judges, who scored each finalist across five key criteria: Idea, Business Model, Team, Market Potential, and Progress & Traction.
Meanwhile, the Public Choice Award was determined by a two-week online vote, drawing over 500 unique submissions from supporters and community members.
Sweepium, a B2B platform and game aggregator aiming to transform the sweepstakes space, took the top spot — earning the $50,000 equity investment and securing a strategic partnership with Xanada Investments.
Jurnii, a UX-focused agency powered by proprietary AI tools that deliver automated insights and design recommendations, won over the public and claimed the Public Choice Award. As part of the prize, they gained access to exclusive partner offerings from NEXT.io, Lilith PR Agency, 15M Mastery, and AffPapa — support designed to help propel their next stage of growth.
“We built Xanada Investments to be the kind of fund we wished existed when we were founders,” said Vladimir Malakchi, CEO & Managing Partner at Xanada Investments.
“This contest is just the beginning. We’re actively looking to back exceptional founders across the iGaming space — and provide them with the resources, network, and capital they need to reach their full potential. If you’ve got a product with traction, a strong team, and a scalable vision — we want to hear from you.”
Xanada Is Looking for What’s Next
The contest may be over — but opportunities with Xanada Investments are wide open. The fund continues to review early-stage startups for investment and long-term partnership.
If you’re building or scaling in iGaming, you can still pitch your ventures directly — beyond the contest — by reaching out at [email protected].
Under Xanada’s model, startups get more than just funding — they get active partners, access to a trusted network, and a fast-moving approach to growth.
The post Xanada Pitch Contest Closes with $50K Winner, Public Choice Winner, 100+ Startups involved, and Global Founder Momentum appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The iconic Jewish delicatessen Siegel’s Bagelmania has announced the comedic line up that will leave guests “laughing their bagels off” at the next Bagelmania Backroom Comedy night on Thursday, Feb. 26.
Hosted monthly by Las Vegas-based and nationally touring comedian couple Noah Gardenswartz and Ester Steinberg, the event Thursday night will welcome Chris Clarke as the headliner along with acclaimed comics Kristeen Von Hagen, Gabe Quire and Lauren Rochelle.
Clarke, known as a high-energy and imaginative comedian, now tours the country with veteran comedian Rob Schneider. He also has amassed more than 40 million views on his popular YouTube channel “Csnacks,” where he tastes food and snacks from the front seat of his car. His hilarious and unique way of describing different flavors led to national commercials for Checkers and Rally’s, a one-hour special on the Cooking Channel titled Baby Got Snack, and an appearance as a food critic judge on Beat Bobby Flay.
Siegel’s Bagelmania will offer a special Backroom Comedy menu of its signature delicatessen cuisine as well as a full bar so guests can enjoy great comedy, dinner, and drinks in a unique, relaxed setting.
The Bagelmania Backroom is open to attendees 18 and older. Doors open for drinks and dinner at 7 p.m. Show time is 8 p.m. Tickets for Bagelmania Backroom are on sale for $20 online at https://siegelsbagelmania.com/backroomcomedy/ and will be sold at the door while supply lasts.
The post Bagelmania Backroom Comedy night lineup announced for Thursday, Feb. 26 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
ACR Poker has officially announced the return of its flagship Online Super Series (OSS) XL, running from March 1 to March 23, 2026, with a massive $50 million in guaranteed prize pools.
Following the success of its recent Dual Venom tournaments, which paid out more than $11 million, ACR Poker is once again delivering high-value online tournament action designed for players of all skill levels and bankroll sizes.
Three Main Events With $5 Million Guaranteed
The headline events of OSS XL include three major Main Events launching March 15:
- $2,650 buy-in – $2 million guaranteed
- $1,050 buy-in – $2 million guaranteed
- $215 buy-in – $1 million guaranteed
These marquee tournaments anchor the series, offering players high-stakes competition alongside accessible mid- and low-stakes opportunities.
Phil’s Thrill XXL and Multi-Flight Action
Kicking off the series on March 1 is Phil’s Thrill XXL, featuring a $1.5 million guarantee and a $10,300 buy-in. Players can qualify for as little as $95 through ACR’s Road to the Big One promotion.
The schedule also includes a $630 buy-in Multi-Flight Event with $1.5 million guaranteed, with Day 1 flights beginning March 1 and Day 2 set for March 23.
For bounty hunters, OSS XL offers five Mystery Bounty Multi-Flight tournaments, including:
- Three $500,000 guaranteed events ($109 buy-in)
- A $150,000 guaranteed event ($33 buy-in)
- A $100,000 guaranteed event ($5.50 buy-in)
These tournaments provide dynamic prize opportunities and strong value across all buy-in tiers.
$65,000 Leaderboard Contest
To enhance engagement, ACR Poker’s Leaderboard Contest returns with $65,000 in cash and tournament tickets across three buy-in tiers:
- High Stakes: $15,000 top prize
- Mid Stakes: $7,500 top prize
- Low Stakes: $4,000 top prize
According to ACR Pro Chris Moneymaker, OSS XL stands out for its inclusive structure, substantial guarantees and daily leaderboard incentives that reward consistent participation.
With $50 million guaranteed and a broad mix of Main Events, Mystery Bounties and multi-flight tournaments, OSS XL reinforces ACR Poker’s position as a major force in the global online poker tournament landscape.
The post ACR Poker OSS XL Returns With $50M GTD appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming media and affiliate platform, has announced a new strategic partnership with Alanbase, a cloud-based SaaS “constructor” built to power advanced affiliate programme development.
The collaboration strengthens Gamblers Connect’s B2B Providers section, a curated hub designed to connect iGaming professionals with trusted, high-performance industry solutions. By integrating Alanbase into its ecosystem, Gamblers Connect enhances access to cutting-edge affiliate management technology tailored to competitive iGaming markets.
A Customizable SaaS Solution for iGaming Affiliates
Alanbase differentiates itself through its fully customizable SaaS architecture. Unlike traditional affiliate software, Alanbase allows operators to build dashboards, performance indicators and statistical tables using their own formulas. This “constructor” model ensures the platform adapts to each business workflow — not the other way around.
The cloud-based system also delivers high-speed data refresh capabilities, enabling operators to monitor player activity in near real time. This performance advantage provides deeper analytical insight and supports faster decision-making in fast-moving iGaming environments.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, highlighted that the partnership aligns with the platform’s mission to feature transparent, value-driven B2B providers. By adding Alanbase to its verified partner network, Gamblers Connect reinforces its commitment to showcasing tools that improve affiliate program scalability, operational efficiency and measurable growth.
Expanding the iGaming B2B Ecosystem
The partnership reflects growing demand for flexible affiliate SaaS platforms that prioritize customization, automation and performance tracking. As competition intensifies across global iGaming markets, data-driven affiliate management solutions are becoming a critical component of operator success.
With Alanbase now featured within Gamblers Connect’s B2B Providers hub, industry professionals gain streamlined access to enterprise-grade affiliate infrastructure designed for scalability and precision.
The post Alanbase and Gamblers Connect announce new partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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