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Zibra AI raises $500,000 funding from successful a16z Speedrun

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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.

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Record-breaking volumes at the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, powered by OpenBet technology

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OpenBet, a global leader in betting and gaming technology, powered record-breaking volumes for World Sports Betting (WSB) during the 2026 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, processing more than three times WSB’s typical daily activity with zero downtime.

The Cape Town Met is one of South Africa’s premier horseracing events, drawing intense traffic that tests platform performance. Less than a year after migrating to OpenBet’s unified technology stack, WSB demonstrated the resilience and scalability of its platform under extreme demand.

OpenBet’s Player Account Management (PAM) technology and sportsbook solution — phased in with PAM going live in February 2025 and the sportsbook in October 2025 — now underpin WSB’s enterprise-grade wagering infrastructure across both digital and retail channels. The integrated system delivers streamlined KYC, a unified wallet, accurate reporting and a robust compliance framework designed for South Africa’s regulatory environment.

Enhanced features available to WSB customers include 50-leg accumulators, partially redeemable free bets, advanced Telebet telephone betting and integrated pools betting for sports and racing through OpenBet’s advanced trading system.

“With the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, we processed more than three times the usual volume with zero downtime, showcasing the strength and scalability of our technology,” said Runa Walia Desai, Chief Customer Experience Officer at OpenBet. “This milestone also extends our footprint into Africa, reinforcing our position across six continents.”

Warren Tannous, CEO of World Sports Betting, added that OpenBet’s modular solution gives the operator the confidence to expand its sportsbook offering and support increased user engagement while maintaining performance and compliance.

The post Record-breaking volumes at the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met, powered by OpenBet technology appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Choice Gaming Launches Evra Crash in Exclusive Collaboration with Patrice Evra

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Choice Gaming has officially launched Evra Crash, a new multiplayer crash game developed in exclusive collaboration with football legend Patrice Evra.

The title blends high-energy crash mechanics with football culture, delivering a synchronized, shared-table experience designed to boost player engagement and social interaction.

A Football Icon Powers the Gameplay

At the center of Evra Crash is Patrice Evra, one of football’s most recognizable personalities. His presence adds authenticity and competitive intensity to the gameplay, reinforcing the game’s energetic, community-driven concept. The partnership between Choice Gaming and Evra aims to merge competitive spirit with immersive entertainment in the fast-growing crash gaming segment.

Multiplayer Crash Experience

Unlike traditional single-session crash games, Evra Crash is built around real-time shared rounds:

  • All players join the same round simultaneously
  • Fully networked multiplayer participation
  • Visible, synchronized gameplay across users

This structure creates a social crash environment where anticipation builds collectively, increasing engagement and enhancing the thrill of each round.

Game Features & Performance Metrics

Evra Crash offers a balanced gameplay structure designed for broad player appeal:

  • RTP: 95%
  • Maximum Multiplier: 10,000x
  • Volatility: Low

The low-volatility model provides consistent entertainment while maintaining the potential for high multipliers, positioning Evra Crash as an accessible yet exciting crash title in the iGaming market.

Cross-Platform Optimization

Built for seamless performance across environments, Evra Crash is:

  • Fully mobile-optimized
  • Compatible with land-based gaming solutions
  • Designed for consistent cross-platform gameplay

Whether accessed online or in physical gaming venues, players experience uninterrupted performance and smooth gameplay integration.

The post Choice Gaming Launches Evra Crash in Exclusive Collaboration with Patrice Evra appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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EARN YOUR PLACE AMONG THE BEST AS POKERSTARS REVEALS SCHEDULE FOR PRESTIGIOUS SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP OF ONLINE POKER

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More than $45 million guaranteed across 400 tournament opportunities for all players to earn their greatness

The full schedule for poker’s first major online series of the year, PokerStars prestigious Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), has been unveiled featuring 136 events and more than $45 million guaranteed.

From March 1 to 25, players have the chance to earn their greatness once more and battle for an acclaimed SCOOP title across three weeks of elite online poker action. The 136-event schedule (with a total of 400 tournaments) offers low, medium, and high buy-in levels from $5.50 to $15,000, and a wide range of formats including No-Limit Hold’em, PLO, 8-Game, Mystery Bounties, Turbo, and Deep Stack events, making SCOOP accessible for everyone.

KEY SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

The flagship Main Events will be a schedule highlight and will award a total of $5.5 million across the NLHE Main Events on March 22, and $550,000 across the PLO Main Events on March 23.

  • $109 SCOOP NLHE Main Event Low – $1.5 million guaranteed
  • $1,050 SCOOP NLHE Main Event Med – $2 million guaranteed
  • $5,200 SCOOP NLHE Main Event High – $2 million guaranteed
  • 109 SCOOP PLO Main Event Low – $100,000 guaranteed
  • $1,050 SCOOP PLO Main Event Med – $200,000 guaranteed
  • $5,200 SCOOP PLO Main Event High – $250,000 guaranteed

Other highlights of the 18th edition of SCOOP include:

  • March 1 – $215 Sunday Million PKO – $1 million guaranteed
  • March 8 – $22 Mystery Sunday Special, $300,000 guaranteed – All-in Shoot Out for United Kingdom & Ireland players to award an Emerald Pass to the Irish Open on March 10 at 7am GMT
  • March 8 – $109 Sunday Million PKO – $1 million guaranteed
  • March 15 – $55 Mini Sunday Million PKO – $500,000 guaranteed – All-in Shoot Out for United Kingdom & Ireland players to award an Emerald Pass to the Irish Open on March 17 at 7am GMT
  • March 15 – $530 Sunday Million – $1 million guaranteed

As well as the huge prizes and trophies on offer, players can also compete in the SCOOP Leaderboards where an additional $100,000 in cash prizes will be awarded across the Low, Medium and High Player of the Series Leaderboards.

As ever, there are a number of qualification routes giving players the chance to qualify into SCOOP events for a fraction of the buy-in. Routes include satellites from just $0.55, the SCOOP Lucky Dip where $500,000 in SCOOP tickets are up for grabs and the $55 Power Path Express SCOOP Edition, on March 1st,where more than $200,000 in SCOOP Power Passes and Main Event tickets will be awarded to boost players’ grind to greatness. Finally, all players are still in time to crack open a SCOOP Prize Vault and earn a SCOOP ticket worth up to $1,050 upon opt-in.

“SCOOP is where greatness isn’t given, it’s earned. Every title represents weeks of preparation, relentless competition and beating the toughest fields in online poker. That’s what makes a SCOOP win so special,” said Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Poker Operations at PokerStars. “With a huge schedule and accessible buy-ins and formats, SCOOP remains the title every online player wants on their record.”

For 17 years, SCOOP has been appointment poker of the highest order and winning a SCOOP title has been a bucket list dream for poker players all over the world. More than $1.4 billion in prize pools have been awarded to players since SCOOP started in 2009, with some of the world’s best players earning coveted SCOOP trophies.

Sweden’s Simon “C. Darwin” Mattsson is the greatest player in SCOOP history having earned 14 titles, followed by fellow Swede Niklas “Lena900” Astedt and the UK’s Benny “RunGodlike” Glaser who both have 11 titles, with Benny being the most decorated player in COOP history also having a record-leading 16 WCOOP titles.

For more information about SCOOP head to the PokerStars website or PokerStars Blog.

 

The post EARN YOUR PLACE AMONG THE BEST AS POKERSTARS REVEALS SCHEDULE FOR PRESTIGIOUS SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP OF ONLINE POKER appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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