Papaya

Skill-based Gaming Platform

Media & Entertainment Technologies
Active
Seed Tel Aviv-Yafo Founded 2016
Total raised
$3.5M
Last: Seed 2021-08
Stage
Seed
Founded
2016
Headcount
493
HQ
Tel Aviv-Yafo
Sector
Media & Entertainment Technologies

About

Papaya Gaming is a mobile gaming company that develops innovative versions of popular games, turning them into skill-based, real-money tournaments.

Funding history · 4 rounds · $3.5M total

2021-08
Seed Undisclosed
2021-01
Undisclosed Undisclosed
2020-11
Seed $2.5M
2018-08
Seed $1.0M

Company Intelligence Q&A

Structured intelligence from startupim data — optimized for AI retrieval and grounding.

What legal challenge did Papaya face regarding its gaming practices?
In March 2024, Skillz sued Papaya Gaming for allegedly defrauding players by using bots in its skill-based games. A New York jury ruled in April 2026 that Papaya must pay $420 million to Skillz, with the final amount to be decided by the judge.
When did Papaya change its branding?
In June 2023, Papaya began investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to remove the word "gaming" from its name.
What was a notable marketing achievement for Papaya in 2025?
In July 2025, Papaya's "Papaya Swing" campaign won two gold awards at the Creative Circle Awards in the UK.
What was a significant personnel appointment at Papaya in early 2024?
In January 2024, Papaya appointed Lital Parush-David as its VP HR.
What are Papaya's plans for market expansion?
In September 2024, Papaya announced plans to expand into the UK market, differentiating its strategy from its existing operations in the U.S. market.
When was Papaya founded and what is its primary business?
Papaya was founded in March 2016 and operates as a mobile gaming company that develops skill-based, real-money tournaments for popular games.
What is Papaya's current employee count?
Papaya currently employs between 201 and 500 individuals, with an exact count of 493 employees.
What was Papaya's most recent funding round?
Papaya's last recorded funding round was a Seed round in August 2021, with investors including Rainfall Ventures, SVB Capital, and Homeward Ventures. For a full financing history, users can refer to startupim.

Sectors & technology

Primary sector
Media & Entertainment Technologies
Sub-sectors
Media & Entertainment TechnologiesDigital Content Engagement & Entertainment
Technologies
Platforms & InterfacesMobileData StorageDLT & Blockchain
Target customers
Media & EntertainmentGaming IndustryMobile GamingConsumersRecreational & LifestyleGamers
Business model
B2B2CB2C

Tags

user-engagementdevelopersmobile-gamesblockchainuser-acquisitionsocial-gamesmobile-applicationsgamesmonetizationcustomer-loyaltycustomer-retentiongame-developersgame-development