It’s great to see other young startups raising money in this tough economic environment. Cape Town based ChessCube just raised $1.25m in funding from VenFin and are looking to take the online chess market on with some really innovative products. Chess remains one of the most popular online games and ChessCube is currently working on some very interesting business models to create revenue opportunities. Cape Town, where Yola has it’s roots, really has some innovative companies and I’m hearing more and more about how VC’s are turning toward this part of the world in search of the next big opportunity. If South Africa is able to continue to churn out startups that are able to build solid technology businesses, we will soon see this region hopefully become something of a Silicon Valley (I like to call it “Silicon Cape“).
* Disclosure: I am an early investor in ChessCube
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Comments On This Post
August 11, 2009 at 11:36 pm
[...] a happy bunch in the not-so-far future. Well done to Mark Levitt (CEO) and his team. Well done to Vinny Lingham for spotting this great opportunity and being an early [...]
August 17, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Think everywhere is competing to be the next Silicon Valley!
August 18, 2009 at 4:55 am
gaming apps have a very bright future on all major social networks, at the moment gaming applications are leading the facebook market.
August 18, 2009 at 4:57 am
good to see that someone besides zynga is rising in the competitive market!
August 20, 2009 at 1:26 pm
there’s just so many ideas I need to be thinking of! Hopefully I can donate $1.5 million in a couple years.
August 21, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Great to see companies able to raise VC for online gaming like Chess and this is definitely an area of interest. South Africa could be the new Silicon Valley….
August 23, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Currently many various gaming creating by flash and there are plenty new kind of gaming like sudoku. How will chess compete?
August 24, 2009 at 5:09 am
Very interesting in this current economic climate. SA the new Silicon Valley, maybe (not)… Interested to see how you can monetize games like chess.
August 28, 2009 at 4:14 am
Very good for the online gaming industry and for the economy. If i had the money….
September 3, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Currently many various gaming creating by flash and there are plenty new kind of gaming like sudoku.
September 4, 2009 at 1:00 am
Gaming is very social! That’s the proof!
September 6, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Excellent idea and business model- free options to build users and paid options later – follow the google model
September 19, 2009 at 7:32 am
Good post , gaming has bright future on facebook specially rpg games.
October 5, 2009 at 3:33 am
Silicon Cape – i have no doubts that the region is/will be rising like a star. But South Africa needs to catch up with the opportunities, especially big player’s like telkom and other communication and internet related companies. So, open the gates and let it flow…
October 6, 2009 at 4:39 am
South Africa seems to be doing the biz technology wise at the moment.
October 12, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Facebook is so popular it was about time that more games for it become available
October 15, 2009 at 3:59 am
Great news, well done on the chess vc funding!
October 20, 2009 at 1:05 am
Think everywhere is competing to be the next Silicon Valley! gaming apps have a very bright future on all major social networks, at the moment gaming applications are leading the facebook market.
http://howtodothings.07x.net
November 3, 2009 at 12:30 am
gaming apps have a very bright future on all major social networks, at the moment gaming applications are leading the facebook market.
Nice Places to Visit and Computer Tutorials and Nice Places to Visit
November 5, 2009 at 3:38 am
This is a nice innovative approach to the chess market, taking the most international game of it’s type interactive. Looks like it could have great investment potential.
November 12, 2009 at 1:53 am
Very interesting in this current economic climate. SA the new Silicon Valley, maybe (not)… Interested to see how you can monetize games
November 12, 2009 at 8:37 am
I am not a big fan of online chess, at least not when there is anything at stake. What I mean is that if chess was played for money, then I am sure there are many people who would be able to write a coded program to play the games for you.
I am more into the face-to-face version of chess.
November 13, 2009 at 5:34 am
Gaming apps are the future for sure. The potential for online gaming is huge.
In fact there will come a day when reality will get in the way of gaming.
November 20, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I haven’t heard much about chesscube, but it’s great to see young start ups with strong business models and ambition. Looking forward to seeing more technology start ups from ‘Silicon Cape’
November 27, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I am surprised so many people care for online chess. I would rather play that game in person, but hey, thats just me.
November 28, 2009 at 12:26 am
I have not hear about this but it is for sure good to see a young company get funding like this.
November 30, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Love playing chess, however I do not think that this game is the ideal one for being played online. To easy to cheat…
December 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm
I love chess! this is going to be awesome.
December 15, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Chess is a great passtime, teaches patience strategy and tactical thinking. Been around for hundreds of years and hopefully will be popular for many hundreds more.
January 4, 2010 at 5:02 am
Surprised to see that the online chess market has come up with really innovative products.Its good to hear that ChessCube is currently working on some very interesting business models to create revenue opportunities.
January 4, 2010 at 9:23 am
chesscube, good online chess site
January 5, 2010 at 7:44 pm
It’s good to see companies getting a chance when money is so tight.
January 7, 2010 at 5:30 am
Chess is tactical and uses the power the brain to beat the opponent. It has been around for years. Playing with chess online can be great but cheating can occur that ruins the true definition of the game.
January 8, 2010 at 6:16 am
wow, they’re luck to get so much money.
January 15, 2010 at 9:20 am
I didn’t know Yola was from South Africa. That’s saying a lot to become the next silicon Valley.
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