Cosmic Lounge

🎮 As we kick off #GDC2025, I'm pumped to announce our partnership with Cosmic Lounge, one of the most exciting gaming studios in the industry. 🧩 They're building a proprietary AI powered game engine to redefine the way puzzle games are built. Link to a blog post below by Google's gaming team. 🔥 Can't wait to show what we've been working on Carolyn Entress Tejas Kulkarni Tomi Huttula 🔜 GDC Dhrupad Karwa Sami Marsch Jack Buser Macy Mills

Transcend Portfolio Spotlight: Cosmic Lounge 🪐 Mobile puzzle gaming veterans pioneering a new approach to the $42B category by leveraging proprietary AI tools and techniques to transform the way games are created and scaled 👨🚀 With decades of experience designing, developing, and operating top grossing and award winning puzzle games, Cosmic Lounge was founded by Tomi Huttula, Tommi Kiviniemi, Peter Tokoi, Simo Rajamäki, Mika Karkinen and Johannes Päivinen Paivinen 💫 Selected by an all-star industry panel from over 1300 nominees to be honored as one of The 25 Most Innovative Gaming and Media Startups for 2025 at the Game Changers 2024 Awards ◾ Oversubscribed 2023 Seed round led by Transcend. 📌 Learn More: ➤ Google App Summit 2024: https://lnkd.in/dJbB94Ww ➤ Forbes:  https://lnkd.in/dRZCjGXN ➤ Top Finnish Startups to Watch 2024: https://lnkd.in/dwPYVk25 #innovation #ai #startups #venturecapital

🐦 Starting the week with my trip to #RovioCon is already a high — but publishing my latest article on Forbes, celebrating the visionary leaders shaping mobile gaming growth, sends today into the stratosphere! 🚀 In “Game-Changing Approaches at the Fringe Accelerate Mobile Gaming Growth,” I explore how bold strategies and the 3Ds — Distribution, Diversification, and DTC (Direct-to-Consumer)—are driving success: ● #Distribution: Leveraging new platforms and approaches to reach and engage players. ● #Diversification: Exploring unconventional methods to deliver the right game to the right audience. ● #DTC: Building brand loyalty by fostering direct-to-consumer connections with players. Here's a sneak peek at the trailblazers featured in this piece: ✨ Gus Viegas, VP of Marketing at Cosmic Lounge, empowering studios to create crowd-pleasing games that align perfectly with what players see in ads—making the leap from ad inspiration to gameplay seamless. 🌍 Anurag Choudhary, CEO of Felicity, explains how starting with a diversified mindset allowed them to leverage Glance's lock screen platform, engage players instantly, and scale games that show real promise. 🎯 Chun-Kai (CK) Wang, CEO of Kooapps, is steering the company to become a true gaming brand. From launching a new comic series to building a multimedia ecosystem, Kooapps is enhancing player connection and extending brand value beyond games. 💡 John Hagel III, business strategist and author, sheds light on why the fringe—not the core — is where growth happens, offering fresh perspectives on how businesses can thrive in today's landscape. 📡 Deepak Venkatramani, VP of Business & Operations at Glance, highlights the power of frictionless distribution, leveraging the lock screen to engage millions of players directly and effectively. This article is packed with actionable insights and bold ideas to inspire mobile gaming marketers everywhere. Special thanks to these industry leaders for sharing their brilliance! 🙌 🔗 Curious about how these strategies are redefining mobile gaming? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eNJEP4_z 🤔 What's your take—are the fringe and the core worlds apart or closer than they seem? Let's discuss!

Mobile Games Heatmap for 2024 Here’s a detailed analysis of the genres' performance this year: 🟥 𝗥𝗣𝗚𝘀: $𝟭𝟱.𝟯𝗕 (-𝟭𝟮.𝟱%) ↳ Top apps of the genre: https://lnkd.in/eTZdHNNs • Action RPG/MMORPG: $6.0B (-15.3%) • Team Battlers: $4.8B (-14.6%) • Idle RPG: $2.1B (+16.3%) • Puzzle RPG: $1.2B (-21.9%) • Other RPGs: $1.2B (-15.6%) 🟩 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: $𝟵.𝟰𝗕 (+𝟯.𝟱%) ↳ Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eGrYsVai • 4X Strategy: $6.6B (+1.5%) • Real-Time Strategy (RTS): $1.3B (+7.4%) • Tactics: $905M (+23.4%) • Card Battler: $545M (-8.7%) 🟩 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗼: $𝟴.𝟴𝗕 (+𝟭𝟮%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eHWj_VBa • Slots: $3.6B (-6.2%) • Casual Casino: $2.8B (+82%) • Casino Card Games: $937M (+0%) • Bingo: $475M (-6.3%) • Other Casino: $900M (-3.5%) 🟩 𝗣𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲: $𝟴.𝟱𝗕 (+𝟭𝟮.𝟴%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eXuTZuc6 • Match-3: $5.3B (+4.6%) • Merge: $1.1B (+55.4%) • Match-2: $550M (+1.6%) • Other Puzzle Games: $863M (+14.7%) • 3D Match: $297M (+46%) 🟩 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: $𝟯.𝟴𝗕 (+𝟰.𝟯%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/ex_P_EsA • Sandbox: $1.4B (+19.9%) • Farming: $1.1B (-0.5%) • Life Sim: $192M (-12.0%) • Fashion: $186M (-13%) • Other Simulations: $912M (+2.4%) 🟩 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗹: $𝟯.𝟱𝗕 (+𝟭𝟬.𝟭%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/e7dNSJeV • MOBA: $2.6B (-6.8%) • Brawler: $832M (+131.8%) 🟥 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿: $𝟯.𝟰𝗕 (-𝟬.𝟴%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eqbtZpMZ • Tactical Shooter: $743M (-1.0%) • Battle Royale: $2.0B (-3.4%) • Vehicle Shooters: $283M (+2%) 🟥 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: $𝟮.𝟯𝗕 (-𝟭𝟮.𝟬%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eYx7HNcB • Simulation Sports: $1.4B (-3.7%) • Sports Manager: $632M (-26.4%) • Arcade Sports: $281M (-10.8%) 🟩 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀: $𝟭.𝟲𝗕 (+𝟭.𝟮%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/egWhmZ3B • Visual Novels: $615M (+48%) • Hidden Objects: $360M (-3.8%) • Survival: $354M (+8.6%) • Other Adventure: $240M (+0%) 🟥 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲: $𝟭.𝟲𝗕 (-𝟴.𝟵%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/e6R34MZF • Rhythm Games: $576M (-19.8%) • Clicker/Idle: $400M (+0.9%) • Fighting Games: $346M (-13%) • Other Arcade: $235M (+18%) 🟥 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗽: $𝟵𝟯𝟰𝗠 (-𝟴.𝟯%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/etzv2YPp • Card Games: $558M (-12.5%) • Board Games: $239M (-7.3%) • Other Tabletop Games: $137M (+53.8%) 🟩 𝗔𝗥 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀: $𝟭.𝟬𝗕 (-𝟬.𝟴%) Top apps: https://lnkd.in/eZmu_3Q8 Data Source: AppMagic

Finland’s startup ecosystem is buzzing, shifting towards deep tech and sustainability with robust support from academic and government initiatives. Here is a quick look at some of the most prominent startups in the country: ✅ Aircohol (2022) – Founders: Simo Hämäläinen | Overview: Creates crop-free, low-carbon alcohol by using CO₂ from fermentation, raising €2.4M for eco-friendly beverage production. ✅ Carbonaide (2022) – Founders: Tapio Vehmas, Jonne Hirvonen | Overview: Carbon-negative concrete producer, capturing CO₂ in precast concrete, with €1.8M in funding to expand. ✅ Hycamite (2020) – Founder: Laura Rahikka | Overview: Produces hydrogen and solid carbon through methane-splitting, raising €35M for efficient, eco-friendly energy solutions. ✅ Cosmic Lounge (2022) – Founders: Mika Karkinen, Johannes Päivinen, Simo Rajamäki, Peter Tokoi, Tommi Kiviniemi, Tomi Huttula | Overview: AI-enhanced puzzle game studio, backed by €4.5M for mobile game development. ✅ Inven (2022) – Founders: Niilo P., Tommi Kupiainen, Ekku Jokinen | Overview: Automates M&A research, reducing time for acquisitions, with €1.5M to expand team and clients. ✅ Huuva (2021) – Founders: Ville Leppälä, Ville Lehto | Overview: Builds neighborhood-based restaurant clusters, raised €4.9M to broaden local dining options. ✅ YAHAHA (2020) – Founders: Hao Min, Chris Zhu, Penfei Zhang | Overview: No-code platform for game creation, securing $121M to enhance features and expand its user base. ✅ Agileday (2022) – Founders: Mikko Virtanen, Jaakko Hartikainen | Overview: Streamlines operations for professional services, backed by €1.4M to build a stronger SaaS platform. ✅ Videobot (2022) – Founder: Matias Mäenpää | Overview: Enhances user engagement with interactive video technology, raising €2.2M for development. ✅ Woamy (2022) – Founder: Susanna Partanen | Overview: Produces bio-foam as a sustainable plastic alternative, securing over €1M to scale eco-friendly packaging. ✅ StyleDoubler (2019) – Founders: Roman Vasilkov, Eetu Raudas | Overview: Influencer-driven marketing platform, backed by €2.5M to expand creator monetization solutions. These startups highlight Finland's tech-driven sustainability push, solidifying its role as a leader in innovation. To dive deeper into each of these companies, read the full article on Startup Stash: https://lnkd.in/g7dYBMfx #startups #finland