Delane Parnell is the 27-year-old chief executive officer who founded a software firm that has raked in a whopping $96 million in investment within 13 months.The company PlayVS was established in January 2018 to develop infrastructure for high school students to compete in authorized esports leagues. The company is located in downtown Santa Monica.In September of 2018, the company revealed that it generated $50 million from Series C funding, making its total investment for capital to $96 million.The business has a sole alliance with the National Federation of State High School Associations, which is similar to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).The company has claimed its fair share in what has become a billion-dollar esports industry. No wonder the company has attracted investors, including hip-hop magnate Sean “Diddy” Combs to Rich Dennis, the founder of Shea Moisture.Parnell talked about how it was difficult for him to start his business. He stated how he tried and failed to create an entry-point in the video gaming market for amateurs.Today, Parnell is now a Forbe’s 30 Under 30 black entrepreneur and has seen his company PlayVS grow from an employee strength of 16 to 41, though planning to double the figure by the end of the year.According to a news release by the startup, “Seasons” was the company’s first product, which was launched in October 2018 in five states, before it rapidly moves to eight in the spring of 2019.According to the Software Company, there are over 13,000 schools that are in queue to create an esports program through PlayVS. This figure is just a little shy of the 14,247 high schools in the United States that have a football program.The new season will start by October 21 and will run through January 2020. Schools are to register to be eligible to participate, assess players with a $64 participation fee for in-game features and a complete tournament pattern.According to PlayVS, Fifteen states, including Georgia, will face off for a championship in collaboration with their state associations, while states that are not supported by an association will compete regionally.
