{"id":1709,"date":"2025-05-22T13:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/violethoward.com\/new\/enchant-launches-zero-equity-accelerator-for-gaming-and-ai-startups\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:00:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:00:31","slug":"enchant-launches-zero-equity-accelerator-for-gaming-and-ai-startups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/violethoward.com\/new\/enchant-launches-zero-equity-accelerator-for-gaming-and-ai-startups\/","title":{"rendered":"Enchant launches zero-equity accelerator for gaming and AI startups"},"content":{"rendered":" \r\n
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Enchant is launching a new zero-equity accelerator for gaming and AI startups, with applications now open for its three-month program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The accelerator is dedicated to early-stage teams at the crossroads of gaming and artificial intelligence. Founded by veterans of Sony, Supercell, EA, Ubisoft and Playrix, the fully remote program gives founders hands-on product sprints, weekly one-on-one sessions with industry leaders and direct access to a global investor network \u2014 while letting every startup keep 100 percent of its cap-table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enchant backs companies building games, gaming-industry tools, AI products and Web3 experiences. By stripping away office requirements and equity grabs, the accelerator concentrates on rapid product iteration, real-world traction and warm introductions to publishers, VCs and strategic partners, said Eugenii Unegovskiy, cofounder of Enchant, in an interview with GamesBeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rolling admission, personal start date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Enchant is taking applications for its zero-equity accelerator.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The program is an intensive 12-week track that begins the day a team is accepted. Founders apply whenever they\u2019re ready; there is no need to wait for fixed cohorts. From day one, each company follows a milestone roadmap that includes product deep-dives, go-to-market workshops and Demo-Day preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFounders shouldn\u2019t have to wait for a calendar slot,\u201d said Unegovskiy. \u201cAcceptance triggers day-one sprints, live play-tests and build reviews shoulder-to-shoulder with veterans from triple-A studios. It\u2019s real co-building, not classroom mentoring, and it means products hit the market in weeks, not months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cZero-equity is a strong benefit, with an even bigger advantage being a clean cap table that helps early gaming and AI teams close future rounds faster,\u201d added Aakash Parameswaran, CEO of Fable Fox, a former Game Designer at Electronic Arts and an expert in Enchant, in a statement. \u201cFrom refining core loops to designing live-service economies, we work in the trenches so founders stay player-first and ship games investors can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why zero-equity matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Enchant
Enchant is taking flat fees for its work.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Keeping the cap-table clean at the earliest stage helps founders retain control and stay more attractive for future Seed and Series A rounds, when dilution stakes are far larger. It also lets Enchant operate purely on the startup\u2019s success, aligning incentives around product wins and fundraising milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and accepted teams can start immediately. Unegovskiy said that while running demo days for game startups at Subscrible, he realized something crucial: most early-stage founders don\u2019t fail because the product is weak \u2014 they fail because the business around it isn\u2019t ready. No go-to-market, no monetization strategy, no clear idea how much money they need \u2014 or why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I teamed up with folks from Supercell, Ubisoft, Sony, EA, King, Xsolla, and Oracle \u2014 many of whom I\u2019m sure you know or have crossed paths with \u2014 along with the creators of Tetris, Angry Birds, and Cut the Rope, to launch Enchant, a new kind of accelerator for gaming and AI startups,\u201d Unegovskiy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without cohorts or equity, the company will provide focused support that helps founders move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe help with pitch training, fundraising prep, GTM and monetization strategy, grant and UA support, legal and marketing guidance \u2014 plus access to tools, credits, and partner services worth over $500,000 (cloud credits, analytics, dev tools, etc.),\u201d Unegovskiy said. \u201cIt\u2019s a simple model: small monthly fee + a success fee if we help a team raise or grow \u2014 no early dilution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team includes Tim Horton, an experienced gaming executive with 16+ years in leadership, business development, and partnerships within the global gaming industry. Horton helps optimize operations, drive growth, and deliver high-quality projects in mobile gaming, triple-A art, console porting, and game development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sutton Trout specializes in leadership\/strategic partnerships\/business development\/goal attainment and revenue. He is an action-oriented leader with 20 years of experiences in games and entertainment. He has worked at Supercell, Sony and WB Games. And he helped with complex projects and major launches like Hogwarts Legacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also on the team is Andrey Feinberg (Kuznetsov), former CIO at GDEV and Nexters. He has more than 10 years of experience in gaming, tech, and internet industries. He helped closed 40+ deals worth over $800 million, and he is now an independent advisor focused on fundraising, M&A, and strategy for gaming and interactive entertainment companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unegovskiy is one of the experts, as he is a six-time founder with experience in game development and AI. Other experts include Amir Shaked, Igor Diev, Jun Qian, Oded Lavie, Martin Hoszowski, Kevin Beardslee, Yosef Warburg, Wes Harris, Elvis Fernandes, Han Lee, Faisal Nazir, Tim Gerritsen, Hovav Shoshan, Igor Bazhanov, Cipto Adiguno, Casey Dickinson, Rosario Basilotta, Aakash Parameswaran, Mariam Japaridze and Eugene Volikov. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Enchant expert Aakash Parameswaran, CEO of Fable Fox.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By not taking a stake in the company, Unegovskiy said the company focuses on working side-by-side with founders to improve everything from pitch to revenue strategy. It takes a flat monthly fee, plus a success fee if it helps a team raise money or grow. The fee is typically 5% to 10% of the raised amount or a share of revenue growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also reserve the right to invest in future rounds on founder-friendly terms \u2014 aligned withlong-term support, not short-term ownership,\u201d said Unegovskiy. He also said mentors and advisserss are similiarly aligned to the startup\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The focus of games and AI at Enchant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The company just opened applications and are starting to see a diverse mix of early-stage founders \u2014 from game studios to AI-tool builders, across multiple regions. A significant share of interest is coming from projects working at the intersection of gaming and AI \u2014 blending creative ambition with scalable infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing strong indicators that the next wave of gaming startups will be deeply technical, globally minded, and looking for business-first support without early dilution,\u201d Unegovskiy said.<\/p>\n