GameGround snags $4.1 million from Sequoia for gamer services

June 3, 2009 | Dean Takahashi | Comments | |

Several prominent Israelis have formed a new game company, GameGround, with $4.1 million in funding from Sequoia Capital.

The company was started in 2007 by Shaul Olmert, former MTV executive and the son of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert; Itzik Ben-Bassat, a former Blizzard Entertainment executive; and Guy Margolin, a former 888.com executive.

Olmert left MTV in late 2007 to return to Israel, while Ben-Bassat left Blizzard at the same time. They have been involved in starting a few Israeli startups such as Wix.com, SundaySky and some others still in stealth mode. Ben-Bassat, chairman, said GameGround is still in stealth but is focused on making a tool aimed at letting gamers take control of their gaming life.

The description is fairly vague, but it looks like a social network for gamers where you can receive instant feeds whenever your friends get high scores in games or when they get destroyed in a game. You can pick up tips and tricks for playing games and otherwise stay connected with any friends across the web.

In addition to a recent round from Sequoia, the company raised $2 million from angels and founders. Other executives include Sharon Kohen, co-founder and vice president of research and development; Yaron Buznach, vice president of technology (founder of Vollee), and Doug Vance, vice president of marketing and formerly of MTV. The Tel Aviv-based company has 17 employees and has opened a New York office.

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About the Author, Dean Takahashi

Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • Mark
    ummm it's been done - xfire, gamerdna, raptr, EA purchased rupture, xbox.com, as well as about a million other attempts at it.... what's new about this?