Frenzoo, a Cyberport incubatee alumnus, received US$1M seeding fund from international investors

Fri, May 11th 2012, 08:00 GMT

Frenzoo Raises $1 Million to Create 3D Lifestyle Mobile Games for Women

Major investors include Efficient Corporate, Siemer Ventures, K5 Ventures and Metaverse Services

Frenzoo (www.frenzoo.com) the pioneers of a new class of 3D lifestyle and fashion iOS and Android games for girls and women, today announced it has received US $1 million in new seed funding from investors based in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Investors include: Efficient Corporate, the investment vehicle of Hong Kong-based angel investor Tytus Michalski; Siemer Ventures, an early-stage, cross-border venture firm with offices in Los Angeles and Asia; K5 Ventures, a pan Europe- and Asia-based group focused on media and commerce; and Metaverse Services, a China-based leader in game content creation. They join existing investor Ambient Sound Investments, an early stage venture firm backed by the founding engineers of Skype.  

In addition, joining the Frenzoo board of directors is Doug Glen, a veteran gaming and entertainment executive whose previous roles include Chief Strategy Officer of Mattel; CEO of Imagi Studios; and Director at Harmonix, the creators of Dance Central and Rock Band. Also joining Frenzoo as an advisor is fashion stylist and blogger Jasmine Webster. Founder of the popular DressMe blog, Webster has been nominated as a “Marie Claire Fashion Blogger of the Year” and selected as the “Style Judge” of Fashion One TV’s soon-to-air “Correspondent Search.”

Frenzoo will use the funds to accelerate the launch of its Me Girl™ brand of free games (www.megirl.com) that offer lifestyle and fashion entertainment for all ages. Data from mobile analytics firm Flurry shows that women make up a majority of the mobile social gaming audience. The Me Girl™ titles aim to be the first 3D games crafted specifically for this market.

“We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to combine the best of mobile gaming with the world of fashion and lifestyle,” said Frenzoo CEO & Co-founder Simon Newstead. “Our goal with Me Girl™ is to dressup glamour and emotional appeal to create fun, accessible gaming experiences. With our innovative 3D platform, we can create interactive characters with natural movements and expressions that really bring the whole story to life.”

“In the mid-1990s, Mattel pioneered computer games for girls,” said Doug Glen, who currently serves as Entrepreneur in Residence at M-Lab, a technology incubator. “Games like Barbie Fashion Designer were hugely successful, in part because the market was so underserved. Fifteen years later, the girls’ and women’s market in mobile entertainment is now underserved, and Frenzoo is releasing wonderful games that have raised the bar to an exciting new level.”

Added Tytus Michalski of Efficient Corporate: “I believe that Frenzoo’s technology is the key to engaging with players on a more intimate level, and is truly a game changer.”

About Frenzoo

Frenzoo is a startup creating a new class of 3D lifestyle and fashion games for girls and women. The company’s offerings, including the popular Me Girl™ series of free fashion and lifestyle games, are based on its flexible and innovative avatar technology platform. Backed by Ambient Sound Investments, an early stage venture firm supported by the founding engineers of Skype, as well as Siemer Ventures, K5 Ventures, Metaverse Services and others, Frenzoo is based in Hong Kong, China, and San Francisco, California. For more information, visit www.megirl.com and www.frenzoo.com

* Flurry Blog: “Mobile Social Gamers: The New Mass-Market Powerhouse,” February, 2011, http://blog.flurry.com/bid/57219/Mobile-Social-Gamers-The-New-Mass-Market-Powerhouse

Hong Kong –Shenzhen Cyberport Creative Micro Fund Young Entrepreneur Programme

Wed, May 9th 2012, 08:00 GMT

HK-SZ joint hands for creative ICT businesses in China

The Hong Kong – Shenzhen Cyberport Creative Micro Fund Young Entrepreneur Programme aims to encourage innovative and creative ideas among young ICT talents in Hong Kong and China by seeding high potential start-up projects or business concepts. A grant of HK$100,000 in cash will be awarded to the successful applicants in a 6-month project period forproof of concepts and for developing prototype products.

If you are below 30 years of age, currently be enrolled in or have graduated within the past 3 years from a registered post-secondary educational institution in Hong Kong or Shenzhen at the time of the online registration deadline, you are eligible to apply. Don’t miss the chance to be the next successful ICT entrepreneur! Come to learn about cross-border cultures, enter into the China market, and gain practical start-up experience with us!

To apply, please register online at: http://ecentre.cyberport.hk

Online registration deadline : Tuesday, 29 May 2012 (5pm)

Cyberport Entrepreneurship Centre is inviting applications for its Incubation Programme

Thu, May 3rd 2012, 08:00 GMT

The application deadline is 20 June, 2012 (5:00PM) and the vetting is scheduled in July. The Centre will notify the applicants the vetting result on or before August.

The incubation period for current new intake will commence in September 2012 and end in August 2014. The incubation period is two years.

Hong Kong Cyberport News

Frenzoo, a Cyberport incubatee alumnus, received US$1M seeding fund from international investors

Hong Kong –Shenzhen Cyberport Creative Micro Fund Young Entrepreneur Programme

Cyberport Entrepreneurship Centre is inviting applications for its Incubation Programme