May marked a defining month for Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, one where months of behind-the-scenes work culminated in public momentum, industry recognition, and strategic clarity. This update covers our first investment cohort announcement, the Strategic Report release, progress on hiring, and how AGV is laying the groundwork for a high-execution second half of 2025.
Coverage of AGV’s First Investment Cohort Announcement
On May 8,the announcement of AGV’s $10M first investment cohort made waves across the Web3 gaming ecosystem, drawing coverage from leading outlets and signaling Arbitrum’s arrival as a serious capital partner in the space. Through our PR efforts, we secured 22 earned media stories, as well as numerous newsletter inclusions, resulting in an earned audience reach of 93.78 million UMV (Unique Monthly Visitors). Here are a few highlights:
“With new frameworks like Arbitrum Orbit, strong developer incentives, and strategic venture backing, Arbitrum is positioning itself as a top destination for next-gen blockchain games and infrastructure,” wrote GAM3S.GG.
“This is the first major investment round conducted under the Arbitrum Gaming Ventures programme… representing a shift from grant-based support to direct capital deployment and a more targeted approach to ecosystem development,” noted NFT Plazas.
“Arbitrum’s financial engagement is poised to impact the blockchain gaming sector, promoting growth and innovation,” wrote CoinLineup.
The signal is clear: Arbitrum isn’t just participating in the Web3 gaming race; we’re playing to win!
AGV Progress: From Signal to Strategy
This month marked a key turning point for the program, not only in terms of visibility, but in formalizing the foundation we’ve been building toward since launch. AGV is no longer just an investment initiative in formation; it is now an active and credible capital partner for Web3 gaming teams around the world.
That evolution came into view with the publication of the AGV Strategic Report, a comprehensive overview of how we think about venture investing, portfolio construction, return pathways, and long-term DAO alignment. As AGV’s work becomes more visible, the report offers delegates and the broader community a clearer lens into our investment model and decision-making framework.
Deal Pipeline: Maintaining Steady Momentum
The current investment pipeline remains strong and selective. The team continues to prioritize high-quality projects and strategic alignment, ensuring that AGV support goes to studios and infrastructure that are best positioned to drive long-term ecosystem value.
Investment Pipeline Overview:
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30 – Initial Screening
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20 – In Discussions / Pitching
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12 – Diligence Started
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5 – Ready for Investment Committee (IC) Review
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2 – IC Approved
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2 – Final Due Diligence
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2 – Invested
AGV Thought Leadership
This month we ramped up our thought leadership and content creation efforts, standing up an Arbitrum Gaming Ventures publication on Medium and publishing multiple articles. We’ll share our insights here in these monthly updates, but you can also follow our Medium publication to stay up to date! Here are the topics we covered in May:
Arbitrum Gaming Ventures Reveals $10M First Investment Cohort
Asia’s Edge in Arbitrum’s Gaming Rise
Distribution or Die - The Future of Web3 Gaming Hinges on a Breakthrough Moment
Hiring: Building the Next Layer of the Team
May also saw meaningful progress in expanding the AGV team across several core functions. We’ve onboarded a Content and Communications Lead and a Venture Associate, both of whom have enabled us to go deeper, move faster, and elevate the team’s ability to execute across investments, ecosystem support, and storytelling.
Three strong candidates are currently being interviewed for the Grants Lead role, which will be key to managing the growing pipeline of builder support. In Operations and Legal, two finalists in each category are undergoing final evaluation, with offers expected to follow shortly. This group represents leadership categories spanning venture, gaming, and business operations, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the role and AGV’s bold ambitions heading into H2 2025.
These hires will be instrumental in strengthening AGV’s operational capacity as activity accelerates heading into H2, ensuring we can scale responsibly, execute with discipline, and support the ecosystem at a higher velocity.
Focus for the Month Ahead
Transparency Report Preparation
Work has begun on AGV’s first Transparency Report, which will consolidate key activities, investment rationale, and strategic updates for the DAO. The goal is to provide a clear and accessible overview of how AGV is operating, where capital is being allocated, and how outcomes are being measured. Early coordination is underway across the team to define scope, gather data, and align on messaging.
Ecosystem Development
The team continues to engage with high-potential games, studios, and infrastructure teams evaluating Arbitrum. Outreach efforts are expanding to include new geographies and partner networks, with the goal of broadening the inbound pipeline and surfacing more strategic opportunities.
Team Expansion
Hiring efforts remain a top priority as final interviews and evaluations take place across grants, legal, and operations. The General Manager / Managing Partner search is progressing through its next stage, with four finalists moving forward. These additions will be critical to sustaining execution as AGV enters a more active operational phase.
We look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks. As always, we remain available to discuss progress, strategy, or feedback—feel free to reach out to @ArbitrumGaming @Insomniac, @Atomist, @RickJohanson, or @Djinn.