Virtual reality gaming startup StatusPro raised $20 million from investors to bring immersive experiences to sports fans.
Led by Google Ventures, the series A funding is one of the largest in the VR gaming space. Miami-based StatusPro will use the capital to develop new sports titles and improve its technology.
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Founded by Troy Jones and former NFL wide receiver Andrew "Hawk" Hawkins, the startup is behind the first-ever National Football League and NFL Player Association-licensed VR simulation gaming franchise NFL PRO ERA. The immersive simulation uses virtual reality to provide users with a first-person view of what it's like to be be on the field as a professional football player. Users can engage in head-to-head multiplayer games to interact and compete against other players in the virtual world.
"Our vision at StatusPro is to define first-person sports and deliver experiences that truly embody the emotion, competition and sense of community that comes with being a professional athlete," co-founder and CEO Jones said in a statement.
Other investors in the series A round include India-based sports tech conglomerate Dream Sports and Wise Ventures, an investment firm led by Minnesota Vikings co-owners Mark and Zygi Wilf. In 2021 the startup closed a $5.2 million seed round supported by TitleTownTech, a partnership between the NFL's Green Bay Packers and Microsoft Corp. that builds and funds early-stage tech businesses.
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StatusPro reports NFL PRO ERA has gained more than one million users since its launch, with players on average spending 41 minutes in the game – two times longer than VR industry averages. The game is available on PlayStation, Pico, the Steam store and Meta Quest VR headset.
While the introduction of VR and mixed-reality headsets like the Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro is bringing the technology to more users, fewer than 20% of U.S. households currently own one. However, that's expected to increase with time. Market researchers report the VR gaming market could be worth more than $100 billion by the end of the decade.
"This is just the beginning for StatusPro and paves the way for us to enter additional sectors of sports VR, opening doors for us to explore other professional sports avenues and teams," co-founder Hawkins said in a statement.
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