Yat Siu is an accomplished entrepreneur and angel investor whose career has spanned continents and industries. Although he was born and raised in Vienna Austria Siu embarked on a journey that would lead him to become a prominent figure in the tech world particularly in Hong Kong.
The Early Years: Atari and Lexicor
Siu’s expedition into the tech industry began in Germany where he landed his first job at Atari. This early experience set the stage for his future activities. Siu later joined Lexicor which is a graphic software company where he assumed the role of director and headed the U.S. East Coast division . These formative experiences honed his skills and laid the groundwork for his future ventures.
Setting Up Cybercity and Outblaze
In 1996 Siu made a life-changing move to Hong Kong and established Hong Kong Cybercity. This groundbreaking venture became the first free web page and email provider in Asia . Not one to rest on his achievements he went on to establish Outblaze in the late ’90s. Outblaze quickly gained recognition as a leading company in its field. In 2009 it caught the attention of tech giant IBM which acquired the company and integrated it into its LotusLive suite of services. The acquisition was a significant milestone in Siu’s career and further solidified his expertise in the tech industry.
Founding Animoca: A Venture into App Development
Siu’s entrepreneurial journey reached new heights when he founded Animoca in 2011. Animoca became a powerhouse in the world of app development and publishing . The company produced popular apps like Pretty Pet Salon that received acclaim and landed a spot among Apple’s top apps of 2011 . Animoca’s success attracted early investments from renowned venture capital firms including Intel Capital and IDG-Accel.
Taking Mobile Gaming to the Next Level
Building on Animoca’s accomplishments Siu founded Animoca Brands in 2014. This spinoff focused on leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence to develop and publish mobile products . The company’s notable projects include The Sandbox which is a popular mobile game and being the official distributor of CryptoKitties in China .
Surging Valuation and Strategic Investments
During the COVID 19 pandemic the gaming industry witnessed a rise in revenue. Animoca Brands profited from this trend and reached an impressive valuation of $ 2.2 billion in 2021 . Throughout the year the company secured over $ 300 million in funding with SoftBank leading to a $93 million investment in Animoca Brands’ highly promising project The Sandbox . This blockchain-based metaverse project quickly gained traction and contributed significantly to the company’s success which drove Animoca Brands’ digital assets to a value of $ 15.9 billion within just two months.
Expanding Portfolio and Acquisitions
Animoca Brands didn’t stop at The Sandbox . The company made strategic investments in other NFT and metaverse projects. It partnered with industry leaders such as Dapper Labs, the creators of NBA Top Shot, OpenSea and AlienWorlds. The company also launched several new products in 2021 including the “AAA” blockchain third-person shooter game Phantom Galaxies, the REVV token ecosystem and the Arc8 platform with its GAMEE utility token. In order to further its presence in the Asia-Pacific region Animoca Brands acquired Australian firms such as game developer Grease Monkey and digital marketing agency BeMedia in 2022.
Investing for the Future
Despite challenges the crypto market faced in 2022 Yat Siu remained confident in the Web3 movement. Animoca Brands continued its expansion efforts and investment strategy within the blockchain gaming and decentralized finance ecosystem . The company made notable investments in projects like Neptune Mutual, Balthazar, Metaplex Foundation, Burnt Finance, Ancient8, TRLab, Kyoko and Pixels among many others .
Maintaining Prominence and Strategic Partnerships
Yat Siu’s involvement in the crypto gaming industry went beyond Animoca Brands. In 2022 he became the most active venture capital investor. Siu invested in projects such as Deviants’ Factions, Engines of Fury, Galaxy Fight Club and Drunk Robots while strengthening The Sandbox’s partnerships within the NFT ecosystem to solidify its position as a leading NFT marketplace. Additionally Siu made strategic personal investments including Versus Systems which is a company specializing in engagement and rewards for live events, games, shows and apps.
Looking Ahead
With Yat Siu at the helm Animoca Brands continues to push the boundaries of the crypto gaming industry. Siu’s strategic investments, expansion into new markets and commitment to innovation highlight his relentless pursuit of growth and influence . As the world enthusiastically awaits the next chapter in Animoca Brands’ journey one thing is certain: Yat Siu and his company will play a central role in shaping the future of crypto gaming and NFTs.
