Zynga, Smule make it a double VatorSplash!

Bambi Francisco Roizen · December 16, 2009 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/c7e

Social gaming and iPhone app kingpins raise big bucks on the same day

 What a day. If you've not heard, or have been hiding under a rock, both Zynga and Smule on Wednesday announced that they've raised significant sums of financing.

It just so happens that the CEOs of both companies will be headlining our VatorSplash event this February 4, 2010.

Their momentum will be sure to make the event a Double Splash! 

Let's start with Zynga, which just raised a massive round of $180 million. Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies, which also invested in Facebook back in May is leading the round with Andreesen Horowitz and Tiger Global also participating. Zynga's raised $219 million to-date. And, according to some number crunchers found by the NYTimes, the social gaming phenom could be worth nearly $3 billion. Quite a stunning number and an impressive run for a company that just started in 2008.

CEO and founder Mark Pincus will be onstage for 25 minutes talking about how he built the biggest multi-billion social gaming company in just a couple years, and how he's attracted 230 million monthly active users playing its games from FarmVille, Café World, Zynga Poker, Mafia Wars, YoVille, FishVille and the recently announced PetVille.

Smule announced it's secured $8 million in additional financing. New investor, Shasta Ventures led the round. Existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners and Granite Ventures also participated in the round. This brings Smule's total funding to $13.5 million.

CEO and co-founder Jeff Smith will be onstage for 25 minutes talking about how he's building the best iPhone app publisher out there and reveal some secrets behind how he's created hit after hit products that are among the highest-grossing on the app store, like I am T-Pain and Ocarina, to name a few.

Both CEOs are serial entrepreneurs, and founders of companies that went public. Jeff founded and took email software company Tumbleweed public while Mark co-founded and brought SupportSoft public.

Be sure to make it to San Francisco to catch them onstage. In honor of this day, I'm giving out for 24 hours 35% discounted tickets to the event. Go to the event page and use "doublesplash" as the discount code. 

If you want to share the stage with them and be a presenting startup, be sure to join the Splash competition!

(Image source: cachet4.asset-cache.net)

Image Description

Bambi Francisco Roizen

Founder and CEO of Vator, a media and research firm for entrepreneurs and investors; Managing Director of Vator Health Fund; Co-Founder of Invent Health; Author and award-winning journalist.

All author posts

Support VatorNews by Donating

Read more from our "Trends and news" series

More episodes

Related Companies, Investors, and Entrepreneurs

Smule

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

Smule develops interactive sonic applications for the iPhone and other technology platforms.   Smule is developing the new sonic network, connecting users across the globe through expressive audio.  Smule's Ocarina, I Am T-Pain, and Leaf Trombone have set the standard for iPhone applications, combining innovative uses of the hardware with compelling social experiences. 

Zynga

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on

Zynga is the largest social gaming company with 8.5 million daily users and 45 million monthly users.  Zynga’s games are available on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, Friendster, Yahoo! and the iPhone, and include Texas Hold’Em Poker, Mafia Wars, YoVille, Vampires, Street Racing, Scramble and Word Twist.  The company is funded by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, IVP, Union Square Ventures, Foundry Group, Avalon Ventures, Pilot Group, Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel.  Zynga is headquartered at the Chip Factory in San Francisco.  For more information, please visit www.zynga.com.

10092

Jeffrey Smith

Joined Vator on

12951

Mark Pincus

Joined Vator on

Related News