Venture capital fund Vereeni Investments has agreed a strategic partnership with investment and M&A brokerage RB Capital to acquire a 20 per cent equity share in casino and slots development studio Kalamba Games.
The deal is based on a seven-figure investment in return for 20 per cent of Kalamba. The strategic partnership will accelerate the introduction of innovative new promotional and social capabilities to Kalamba operators, as well as raising the bar in terms of operator differentiation, player entertainment and profitability.
It will also empower Kalamba to better address region-specific market demands at a time when the global gaming landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented.
Kalamba, which was founded in 2016, was selected for the investment after showing high growth potential. RB Capital has a strong track record of identifying up and coming companies within the gaming space.
The investment in Kalamba will complement the other innovative brands in which Vereeni has holdings, including companies from across the igaming, business intelligence, software development, crypto and blockchain verticals.
It will also give Vereeni and RB Capital the opportunity to work alongside several experienced industry names, such as Kalamba co-founders Steve Cutler and Alex Cohen.
The combined expertise of Vereeni, RB Capital and the Kalamba management team will help position the supplier as a serious contender within slots development over the coming years.
Tim Heath, founding partner at Vereeni Investments, said: “In less than two years, Kalamba Games has displayed the creativity and expertise required to make a major splash in slots development. By taking a significant equity share, we are confident that Vereeni Investments can help Kalamba Games reach the next level in its development.
“We are also thrilled to have struck this deal alongside RB Capital, which brings an unmatched level of experience across the igaming space. This investment is the latest exciting addition to Vereeni’s ‘Level Up’ investment fund, which is helping numerous innovative young companies scale competitively.
Steve Cutler, CEO and co-founder at Kalamba Games, said: “Alex Cohen and I, as well as the whole team at Kalamba, are very excited that we have joined forces with Vereeni and RB Capital, who bring the financial resources and strategic capital, that match our vision for being a tier one supplier in the casino games industry.
“The investment gives us the ability to scale up the development teams in Krakow, maintain our already aggressive velocity and build the Games Platform coupled with the engagement and retention tools, that the industry still desperately needs. We will also be setting up the new head office in Malta, where we will continue to strengthen the business development, marketing and finance teams.
“This fantastic deal is the next step on our journey to becoming the “greatest”. Working with Tim, Julian and their teams, will accelerate the vision we set ourselves two years ago when we saw the obvious gaps in the market. 2019 will be a very important year for us and we are looking forward to surpassing the ambitious goals we have, as well as firmly cementing our position as the next generation games powerhouse.”
