StatusPro Secures $20M for VR Sports from Google Fund

StatusPro, a pioneering virtual-reality sports startup, has announced a successful $20 million Series A funding round, spearheaded by Alphabet’s GV venture-capital unit. The funding marks a significant milestone for StatusPro, with additional investments coming from high-profile figures such as NBA legend LeBron James and Grammy-winning musician Drake.

The company, founded by Andrew “Hawk” Hawkins and CEO Troy Jones, has made waves with its first title, NFL Pro Era. This groundbreaking game offers players an immersive experience as an NFL quarterback, complete with multiplayer competitions and social interactions like playing catch in an NFL stadium. NFL Pro Era, which launched in 2022, is available on Meta’s Quest headsets and Steam’s store, boasting licenses from both the NFL and the NFL Players Association.

Hawkins expressed the company’s vision: “We wanted to democratize what it could be to be an elite athlete. You have to know football, but we try our best to make it inviting for any and all fans to enjoy.”

The recent funding will fuel the expansion of StatusPro’s football game, including the ability to play other positions such as receiver and defensive players. Moreover, it will enable the company to venture into immersive experiences for other major sports. Jones emphasized that the funds will support expanded engineering, marketing efforts, and other strategic initiatives.

Initially designed to help real quarterbacks prepare for game-day experiences, NFL Pro Era has evolved into a widely accessible platform. Jones noted that “a few clubs” still use the app for training and play repetitions.

Both Hawkins and Jones have backgrounds in football, with Hawkins having played in the NFL as a receiver and Jones being a college quarterback before transitioning to game development.

Jones described the game’s approach: “We try to extract the fun part, capture the emotion and capture the control. You have physically throw the ball. We handhold, so you know who your receiver is. Then, the higher you go, the less assistance you get.”

M.G. Siegler, GV Venture Partner, praised StatusPro’s innovative approach, stating, “StatusPRO is building the next generation of sports and gaming entertainment through cutting-edge virtual reality. The company’s unique technology-driven approach and meaningful partnerships have resulted in strong early growth and product traction.”

Looking ahead, StatusPro envisions multiplayer NFL Pro Era games with up to seven players per side. The company is also considering expansion into basketball, baseball, and tennis.

Hawkins highlighted their ambition: “We want to be the go-to studio where our fans go who want to play these sports. We also want to provide the emotional elements of the atmosphere of games, all the things that give our users the appetite to play.”

With notable investors like tennis star Naomi Osaka, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Drake, Lamar Jackson, and Paul Wachter, StatusPro is poised to become a powerhouse in the VR gaming industry. Investment groups backing StatusPro include Greycroft, Verizon Ventures, Haslam Sports Group, 49ers Enterprises KB Partners, SCSC Holdings, Wise Ventures (from Minnesota Vikings owners Mark & Zygi Wilf), and the Microsoft/Green Bay Packers fund TitletownTech.

A diverse group of athletes and entertainers also participated in the funding round, including Myles Garrett, David Grutman, Bobby Wagner, Jeff Stibel, Peter Delgrosso, Cameron Jordan, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Crystal Hayslett, Devale Ellis, as well as investment groups Dream Sports, JDS Sports, Alumni Ventures, Black Angel Group, Life Line Family Heritage Fund, and Sun Tech.

StatusPro’s latest funding round reflects the growing excitement around immersive sports experiences and signals a promising future for the company as it continues to innovate in the VR gaming space.