2023 Startups to Watch: KC Pioneers tap spirit of collaboration to game the middle of the map
December 14, 2022 | Channa Steinmetz
Editor’s note: Startland News selected 10 Kansas City scaling businesses to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. Now in its eighth year, this feature recognizes founders and startups that editors believe will make some of the biggest news in the coming 12 months. The following is one of 2023’s companies.
Click here to view the full list of Startups to Watch — presented in partnership with Social Apex, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and independently produced by Startland News.
The Kansas City Pioneers are among the fastest-growing esports organizations in North America, said Mark Josey, and the Pioneers are on a mission to include the entire Kansas City community in the excitement.
Elevator pitch: The Kansas City Pioneers is an entertainment, media and gaming organization. The Pioneers compete in top-tier esports at professional levels in Apex Legends, Rocket League, Splitgate and Madden NFL, with streamers in dozens of other esports.
- Founders: Sam Kulikov, Alex Laughlin, Jeremy Terman, Mark Josey, LJ Browne
- Founding year: 2019
- Current employee count: 33
- Amount raised to date: $1.4M
- Noteworthy investors: Undisclosed
“One of the things that I love about Kansas City is its spirit,” said Josey, who serves as the CEO of the Kansas City Pioneers. “It’s a spirit of tech and innovation, entertainment and community — and people here want to connect. People want to learn and help you. As more people have come to realize that gaming is the future, and it’s already here in Kansas City, they’ve responded really well.”
Since the Pioneers was founded in 2019, the organization has built various men’s and women’s teams across a variety of esports, climbed its way up the leaderboards and secured several national and local partnerships such as Price Chopper, Boy & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City and Guys Snacks. The Pioneers also collaborated on an activation with the Kansas City Royals.
“We have a lot of folks here who love gaming and happen to be traditional athletes,” Josey said, noting that three players of the Kansas City Chiefs have become brand ambassadors for the Pioneers. “What I think is really interesting with them is [using] gaming as a conduit to reach fans and do good in the community. We are of course happy to be a part of that.”
Click here to read more about the Kansas City Pioneers.
The Kansas City Pioneers currently operate the second largest women’s league in the world, as well as hold the fifth position for best Apex Legends team in the world. Through this success and inclusion, the Pioneers are able to build a strong fan-base and presence in the Midwest — which is attractive to publishers deciding where to host tournaments, Josey said.
“Similar to the World Cup, these esports championship tournaments are going to have a major impact on where they’re hosted,” he explained. “… In Kansas City, thousands of people coming here for a championship translates into eating at our great restaurants, going out in Power and Light, supporting local businesses and buying some merch. The Pioneers are a conduit to bringing that awareness.”
Kansas City hosted a bracket-style Halo tournament in 2022, which brought about $1.8 million in economic growth, Josey said, noting that Halo is not as big as other games in esports.
In 2023, Josey anticipates continuing to make Kansas City a hub for innovation and esports.
“We’re seeing esport organizations being a higher and faster evaluation than some traditional sports teams trajectory,” Josey said. “It’s all about — how do you reach the future? We’re doing it through building really good teams and engaging fans in different ways. That’s interesting to partners and sponsors. I’ve said this before, but we are Kansas City-founded, globally driven. We want to be at the forefront of this industry.”
Startups to Watch presented in partnership with Social Apex, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and independently produced by Startland News.
Social Apex connects you to the modern consumer.
As a digital marketing agency based in Kansas City, Missouri, we create customized marketing experiences to better connect to your customer.
Social Apex works with you hands on with strategic consulting and content geared to drive results and help reach long-term growth.
Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2023
[slide-anything id=”691097″]
Startups to Watch is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn
Featured Business
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
How an animal health leader’s $130M investment in KC will boost its fight against canine parovirus
ELWOOD, Kansas — A $130 million investment from global animal health leader Elanco is a testament to Kansas’ pro-business economy, said Laura Kelly, lauding this week’s expansion announcement and its plans to bring 70 new jobs to the region’s animal health corridor over the next two years. “Elanco’s expansion not only is creating new job…
Staying transaction-ready in uncertain market conditions
Editor’s note: The perspectives expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. The following is a paid thought leadership piece from The Ferguson Smith Cohen Group at Morgan Stanley. In the face of market uncertainty, one thing private companies can control is their “transaction-readiness” for an IPO or secondary offering. Discover three things a company…
Zee underscores artists’ need for positive venues; creative powerhouse opens pocket of support
Zahra Briggs developed her creative voice in Kansas City; now she’s setting the stage for fellow independent artists who struggle to find venues that match their vibe — and often have to pay to perform. She’s even creating a version of herself in the metaverse to open access further. A singer and songwriter herself, Briggs — who…
MyAnIML earns NSF funding, patent; now facing new phase of growth with industry validation
Thanks to a recent federal grant — along with a newly secured patent on its first-of-its-kind, proprietary facial recognition tech for cows — MyAnIML is proving its place as a leader within a herd of ag innovation, Shekhar Gupta said. The Overland Park startup received a 250,000 Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation…