Heyzap

Heyzap
Headquarters San Francisco, California
Key people
Employees 20
Website heyzap.com
Type of site Social discovery platform for games
Available in English
Launched January 2009

Heyzap is a social discovery and monetization platform for mobile games and apps. Heyzap is based in San Francisco and was founded in 2009 by Jude Gomila and Immad Akhund.[1][2][3] Since then, Heyzap has raised funding from a number of investors including Y Combinator, angel investors Naval Ravikant and Chris Dixon, the founder of del.icio.us, Joshua Schachter [4] and Union Square Ventures.[5][6][7] Heyzap's platform recommends mobile ads based on Heyzap's social platform data[8] using machine-learning algorithms.[9] Heyzap was sold in 2015 to RTNS Media for $45M.[10]

History

In January 2009, Heyzap launched a widget service for embedding flash games on the web.[11] Heyzap later launched a virtual goods platform for flash games allowing developers to insert micro-transaction systems into their games and enables the games to be monetized.[12][13]

In March and April 2010, Heyzap added social games[14] and released its Arcade Bar.[15] Shortly after raising $3 million in funding,[16] Heyzap announced its new Heyzap Arcade [17] service for powering website games sections and updated API support for HTML5 games.

In March 2011, Heyzap launched a social discovery app for mobile gamers.[18] The Heyzap app provided users with a way to check into their favorite games, discover games and join a massive community of mobile gamers. Heyzap allowed users to compete on leaderboards,[19] challenge friends,[20][21] and earn achievements and badges.[22]

In March 2013, Heyzap announced the launch of its mobile-game focused advertising network,[23][24][25] quickly growing to a majority of Heyzap's revenue and the primary business focus of the company.[26] Heyzap offers multiple ad formats including interstitial, video, and cross-promotion.[27] Additionally, Heyzap became the first mobile ad network to offer payments via the digital currency bitcoin.[28]

As of April 2014, Heyzap claims to have been integrated into 5,000 mobile games and apps and to have a profitable business with a revenue run rate of more than $13 million.[29]

In December, 2015, Heyzap was sold to RNTS Media for $45M.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "CrunchBase Profile for Heyzap". CrunchBase.
  2. ↑ Takahasi, Dean. "Heyzap scores 4.6M users in two months for mobile game check-ins". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
  3. ↑ Empson, Rip. "HeyZap Goes After Social Discovery, Launches Check-in For Mobile Games". Techcrunch. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
  4. ↑ Kincaid, Jason. "Heyzap closes seed funding round for its flash gaming widget". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  5. ↑ "Union Square Ventures - Portfolio".
  6. ↑ "Angel investors: UK v Silicon Valley". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  7. ↑ "Heyzap at Union Square Ventures".
  8. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Heyzap Says Its Mobile Ad Network Has Grown To 800 Games (And Makes Up The Majority Of Its Revenue)". Retrieved 14 Jun 2013.
  9. ↑ Love, Dylan. "What The Heck Is Machine Learning?". Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Yeung, Ken. "RNTS Media buys mobile ad network Heyzap for $45M". VentureBeat. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  11. ↑ Kincaid, Jason. "Heyzap Vies To Become A 'YouTube For Flash Games'". Techcrunch. Retrieved 15 Jan 2009.
  12. ↑ Takashi, Dean. "Heyzap introduces virtual goods system for Flash web games". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  13. ↑ Kincaid, Jason. "Flash Gaming Payments Heat Up: Heyzap Launches Microtransaction Platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  14. ↑ "Heyzap Now Lets Social Games Expand Beyond Facebook".
  15. ↑ "Heyzap Launches a Meebo Bar for Social Games".
  16. ↑ "Heyzap Lands Another $3 Million in Funding".
  17. ↑ "Heyzap Arcade Allows Publishers to Easily Add an Interactive Gaming Portal".
  18. ↑ Parr, Ben. "Heyzap Launches Android App for Discovering & Checking In to Games". Retrieved 26 Mar 2011.
  19. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Heyzap Expands Its Mobile Gaming Platform With Leaderboards, Where You Can Challenge Other Players". Retrieved 28 Nov 2012.
  20. ↑ Dean, Takahasi. "Heyzap launches a ‘play with friends’ feature for multiplayer mobile games". Retrieved 11 Oct 2012.
  21. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Heyzap’s ‘Play With Friends’ Feature Connects You With Other Players In Any Mobile Multiplayer Game". Retrieved 11 Oct 2012.
  22. ↑ Takahashi, Dean. "Time to brag: Heyzap adds achievements to its mobile gaming platform". Retrieved 13 Dec 2013.
  23. ↑ Yeung, Ken. "Mobile game network Heyzap releases its Ads SDK allowing its 4,200 developers to monetize their apps". The Next Web. Retrieved 22 Mar 2013.
  24. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Heyzap Introduces Ads To Its Mobile Gaming Network". Techcrunch. Retrieved 22 Mar 2013.
  25. ↑ Grubb, Jeffrey. "Heyzap hopes its new in-game ad tool makes gamers happy and developers money". VentureBeat. Retrieved 22 Mar 2013.
  26. ↑ Ha, Anthony. "Heyzap Says Its Mobile Ad Network Has Grown To 800 Games (And Makes Up The Majority Of Its Revenue)". Retrieved 14 Jun 2013.
  27. ↑ Grub, Jeffrey. "Heyzap is bringing HD video ads to mobile games". Retrieved 31 Jan 2014.
  28. ↑ Tweney, Dylan. "Heyzap adds option to pay game developers with Bitcoin". Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  29. ↑ Dean, Takahashi. "Heyzap finds a profitable business in showing targeted advertising to mobile social gamers". VentureBeat. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  30. ↑ Yeung, Ken. "RNTS Media buys mobile ad network Heyzap for $45M". VentureBeat. Retrieved 23 December 2015.

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