- Portfolio News
- 05 December, 2024
The round was led by Balderton and Felix Capital, and will be used to fuel global expansion and innovative gaming development.
Agave Games, the mobile gaming studio that recently launched the global sensation Find the Cat, has raised $18 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Felix Capital and Balderton Capital with participation from E2VC. This investment follows a $7 million seed round in August 2022, bringing the total funding to $25 million. The seed round was led by Balderton Capital, with participation from Felix Capital, E2VC, and Akin Babayigit, co-founder of Tripledot Studios.
Find the Cat is an overnight success two years in the making. Agave have put together an exceptional team and worked super hard to identify and optimise new genres and produce polished games. Find the Cat is just the start, I am excited to see more of their pipeline go live in 2025.
Rob Moffat Partner, Balderton
Since its launch, Find the Cat has taken the mobile gaming world by storm, becoming one of the fastest growing games in 2024 and earning the top spots in app stores in the US, Japan, Europe and many other countries worldwide. Its entertaining gameplay and charming design have set a new benchmark in the casual puzzle genre, with the game surpassing 10 million downloads in its first quarter.
The funding will be used to continue investing in and developing Find the Cat, launch new games, and grow the team in Istanbul, which has become a hub for mobile gaming talent. Agave Games plans to expand its product and growth teams with unique talents, more than doubling its workforce in Istanbul over the next 18 months to meet the growing demand for its games.
This investment allows us to double down on Find the Cat’s success while exploring new ideas that will redefine casual puzzle gaming. We’re excited to take our studio to the next level by expanding our team and portfolio with games that set new standards within established genres.
Alper Oner CEO, Agave Games
Building on a strong foundation
Founded in 2021 by high school friends Alper Oner, Ali Baran Terzioglu, Burak Kar and Oguzhan Merdivenli, Agave Games brings together deep industry expertise with a passion for creating memorable gaming experiences. The founders’ collective track record includes developing some of the most successful casual puzzle games globally, with over 2.5 billion downloads.
Based in Istanbul, the studio is positioned at the heart of a thriving mobile gaming ecosystem. Turkey has become a major player in the global gaming industry, with Istanbul emerging as a hub for innovation and talent, enabling Agave to attract the best talent and collaborate with leading local studios, such as its partnership on Find the Cat with Vento Games, led by Mustafa Dagli and Onur Aydinay.
Looking ahead
With Find the Cat continuing to dominate global charts and new titles in development, Agave Games is set to expand its presence in the casual gaming market. The studio aims to launch at least two new games in the coming year, focusing on innovative gameplay mechanics and social features that foster community engagement. Agave will continue its dual monetization focus, leveraging expertise in both IAP and IAA monetization, enabling the team to create the best possible experiences for its community.
“We’re not just creating games; we’re crafting experiences that bring joy to millions of players every day,” said Burak Kar, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer. “Our upcoming titles will push the boundaries of what players expect from casual games, introducing new concepts that we believe will resonate globally, just like Find the Cat did.” added Baran Terzioglu, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer.
Agave Games’ mission is to create games that bring people together through joy and creativity, a vision that resonates deeply with its growing player base. With this new funding, the company is well-positioned to continue its trajectory of growth and innovation in the competitive mobile gaming landscape.