Investors aimed at building long-term relationships with startups

Early 2019 we acquired a small team (~10 people) with the mobile game in farming & exploration genre.

Timeline:

• 2019 situation: Dead-end investment for the current investor, struggling to go beyond test launch 
• 2019 - 2020 actions: Team reorganization, Backend & BI development, Art redesign, CSR implementation (localization, CRM), extending Marketing & UA capabilities, introducing Liveops
• 2019 - 2022 operating results: Tripled ARPU , MAU grew up to 4M, ROAS-positive marketing spend at $0.5M/day 
• 2020:  Received and executed a buy-out offer for ~x150 return on investment to this item.

Year 2015 was a turning point in our careers. We launched a mobile start-up inside a big corporation. From the very beginning we wanted to have more independence, creativity and responsibility for the results, but less bureaucracy and inefficient management.

Timeline:

• 2015 situation: medium-size mobile studio with a large portfolio of products generating insufficient revenue to scale them
• 2015 - 2016 actions: game portfolio audit; "My Cafe" development; studio reorganisation; backend & BI creation; marketing and live-ops teams formation
• 2016: Break-even in 11 months after investment
• 2016 - 2019: MAU grew up to 4M; Gross revenue grew x30 times
• 2019: Received a buy-out offer for ~x50 return on investment

There is a famous quote from legendary management consultant, Peter Drucker: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. This does not mean that strategy is not important, rather that a strong and empowering culture is the best route to organizational success.

Below there are qualities of leadership team members we found to be very important:

• Caring about employees. Managers put their employees first because a successful business cannot run without specialists.
• Lack of obsession about personal status and titles. For best results, managers should have healthy ambitions without ego.
• Mutual support and understanding of interdependence between managers. This saves decision-makers a significant amount of energy, which is required for innovation.
• The ability to self-recover physiologically and emotionally.

Investing in mobile apps and games can be a rewarding opportunity for several reasons:

• Mobile apps and games have proven to be highly profitable ventures. With various monetization models such as in-app purchases, advertising, and subscriptions, developers can generate significant revenue streams.
• Mobile apps and games have a global reach, allowing developers to tap into a vast user base worldwide. Unlike traditional businesses with geographical limitations, the digital nature of mobile apps and games enables rapid scalability and the potential for international market penetration.

It is important to note that investing in mobile apps and games, like any investment, carries risks: 

• Fierce market competition; 
• super transparency due to a big number of analytical tools and services; 
• technological advancements can impact the success of individual apps or games. 

Conducting thorough research, analyzing market trends, and seeking expert advice can help mitigate risks and increase the chances of making successful investments in this dynamic sector.

Cyprus is widely recognized as a country with an open and efficient environment for international business, specifically in sectors such as IT, mobile apps and game development, publishing, and IP licensing. Over the past few decades, the nation has successfully established a well-defined and transparent tax system that incorporates European standards, complimented by the implementation of the IP Box regime.

There are multiple advantages offered by Cyprus to IT professionals and tech companies. The country boasts one of the lowest tax rates for business within the European Union. Additionally, individuals in the IT sector can benefit from personal income tax discounts.

The presence of a strong education system enhances the prospects of accessing both local and international universities, while the availability of quality medical care is an added advantage. The absence of language barriers, with English being widely spoken and used in governmental institutions, further facilitates seamless communication.

Moreover, Cyprus offers a pleasant climate, healthy food and a multitude of recreational activities. Lastly, the country provides excellent networking opportunities for professionals seeking to expand their business connections.

There is a connection between the physics of steam and investments in business. It lies in the historical significance and transformative impact of steam power on industries and economies.

Introducing steam engines played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution, which marked a significant shift from manual labor to mechanized production. This historical context highlights the importance of technological innovation and disruptive advancements that can propel businesses forward.

Steam power is based on the principles of thermodynamics, which deal with the conversion of heat energy into mechanical work. This concept is fundamental in understanding energy efficiency and optimization, which are crucial factors in assessing the viability and profitability of investments.

Such symbolism can help attract investors who appreciate the historical context and the potential for transformative growth.