Raising $7m to build "the Shopify for iGaming" w/ Val Makovetskii from Maincard

Ep.  233 features Val Makovetskii from Maincard, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, Maincard’s evolution into a full-stack platform for launching gaming brands, its recently announced $7 million oversubscribed seed round, and its vision to expand into banking solutions and gamified commerce.

Hear them discuss:

• Val’s entrepreneurial journey across logistics, electronics manufacturing, online education, combat sports, and iGaming.
• The four pivots that led to Maincard, including growing its fantasy sports app to 2.7 million players by the end of 2024.
• How Maincard enables entrepreneurs to launch casinos, sportsbooks, lotteries, prediction markets, and card-ripping platforms quickly and affordably.
• Why Val believes traditional white-label providers fall short on speed, flexibility, and responsiveness to operator needs.
• Maincard’s full-stack approach, combining technology, back-office support, revenue sharing, liquidity assistance, and partner resources.
• The challenges of launching an iGaming brand, including payment processing fees, customer acquisition costs, and the importance of distribution.
• Maincard’s expansion into the US through sweepstakes, prediction markets, card ripping, and partnerships with influencers and athletes.
• How Maincard.com addresses high-risk payment and banking challenges with global transfers, multi-currency support, and planned virtual debit cards.
• The company’s $7 million oversubscribed seed round, its investor network, and Val’s approach to fundraising through consistent progress updates.
• Val’s “gamify everything” vision, plans to expand into fashion and collectibles, and advice for founders to test ideas cheaply, stay lean, and prioritize speed of execution.

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