Led · Series A · Oct 2019

Nerd Street Gamers operates a digital platform that offers competitive experiences including tournaments, camps, coaching, a Twitch channel for live-broadcasting tournaments, and Localhosts—esports and gaming centers. The company is led by founder and CEO John Fazio. It raised $11.5m in additional funding in a round led by Founders Fund, bringing total funding to approximately $25m. Localhosts were closed for the majority of the past year due to the pandemic, though Nerd Street continued opening new Localhosts in Austin, Philadelphia and St. Louis in 2020. Over the next year the company plans to open 20,000+ square-foot regional Localhost facilities in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. It is also rolling out several Localhosts in collaboration with teen- and tween-focused retailer Five Below. Nerd Street Gamers builds and operates Localhost venues that host leagues, training camps, tournaments and showcases on professional-grade equipment. Its Localhost spaces provide in-person esports experiences that connect the gaming community through live events and pro-level hardware. The company completed a $12M Series A led by Five Below with participation from Comcast, SeventySix Capital, Elevate Capital and angel investor George Miller and is using the funding to expand its physical footprint. As part of the Five Below partnership, 3,000-square-foot Localhost spaces will be piloted inside select Five Below stores beginning in 2020, with potential expansion to 70 or more locations based on pilot learnings. Nerd Street Gamers also plans to build 50 larger regional and university-based facilities and has recently opened Localhost Huntington Beach (32,000 sq ft), Localhost Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, and announced Localhost Rowan University. Led by founder and CEO John Fazio, the company positions itself as a national network to promote esports talent development and broaden access to the esports industry. N3rd Street Gamers operates Localhost, a dedicated esports arena in Philadelphia and provides arena facilities, production studios, gaming equipment, administration and broadcast services. The company produces both small- and large-scale esports events for titles such as CS:GO, StarCraft II, Hearthstone and the official Madden Challenger. It also hosts an annual summer championship that brings in more than 2,500 casual and professional gamers from around the world. Founded in 2009 and led by entrepreneurs John Fazio and Rob Hilsky, NSG positions itself as an operator and community hub for esports. The company raised an undisclosed funding round led by SeventySix Capital, with participation from George Miller. NSG intends to use the proceeds to expand its Localhost arena in Philadelphia, open additional locations across the United States, and partner with major brands and athletes.