Vanta

Now that the dust has settled, we're proud to reflect on our involvement in the Startup World Cup, culminating in a fantastic event in San Francisco this past week. As a Regional Winner, we had the amazing opportunity to present Vanta to thought leaders and industry veterans across a myriad of industries alongside a host of other cutting-edge businesses. Getting to the Grand Finals wasn't easy, qualifying through one of nearly 100 independent global competitions and beating out some stellar companies. Our CEO Patrick Cronin took to the stage, speaking about our journey and our desire to continue to elevate the future of esports, building up the next generation of rising stars. We're honored to be named one of the top startups in the world and will continue to drive our business forward, creating opportunities for gamers across the US and beyond.

We're proud to be joining forces with these fantastic partners for the Scholastic Esports Awards! This is an amazing opportunity to highlight all the incredible achievements in the k-12 space, and all the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to help build the future of scholastic esports!

We're thrilled to reveal that we're teaming up with high school partners Vanta, Generation Esports, and the Interstate Scholastic Esports Alliance for the Scholastic Esports Awards! The inclusion of the K-12 community furthers our mission to recognize a diverse group of key industry game-changers. Read more about how these organizations will contribute to the upcoming Scholastic Esports Awards:

Vanta is pleased to announce the formation of the New York State Esports League! In partnership with ELITE Gaming Arena and in collaboration with Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, and the Long Island Gaming League, we are growing the future of scholastic esports in New York. The league will commence on September 30th, kicking off a dedicated league for New York high schools and middle schools. Full Release: https://lnkd.in/etBYY9Zy Registration: https://lnkd.in/eQdUihKd

❗ Exciting News ❗ Vanta is thrilled to support Games for Change with the brand new Verizon Innovative Learning Esports League! This fall, our expert coaches will guide schools, educators, and students, diving into competitive esports, opening doors to future opportunities like college scholarships and industry awareness - all free! 🚀 🎮 https://lnkd.in/eZ3z9RMy Interest form signup here: https://lnkd.in/eZE9xTUU #scholasticesports #education #gamesforchange #verizon

Now that the dust is settling, let's look back at an amazing season of Scholastic Esports competition, starting in Hawaii! We want to give a massive thanks to our partners Zippy's FCH Enterprises, Inc., Hawaiian Telcom, Tetris, Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union, Hawaii Pacific University, PC Gamerz Hawaii, Olelo Community Media, Mobile IT Force, and more! We look forward to more competition next season as we continue to bring the best of youth esports to Hawaii!

Vanta is pleased to announce its partnership with Baylor University! Baylor will be joining us as the Presenting Partner for the Texas Esports League, helping us grow the foundation of scholastic esports in the state of Texas! Baylor will join us, alongside our other amazing partners, at the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) Texas May Madness event on May 4th and 5th. We are so excited to be back once again at CECC, North America's largest celebration of all things collegiate esports. EsportsU will host 84 teams from 19 collegiate conferences, battling it out for the Commissioner's Cup. Vanta will be hosting the scholastic component as the official esports partner of the UIL through the Texas Esports League. Our partnership with Baylor will extend into the Fall 2024 Season, featuring a one-of-a-kind esports event later this year at the brand-new Mark & Paula Hurd Welcome Center in Waco, TX. Read the Full Release Here: https://lnkd.in/dTWRd26N Event Info: https://lnkd.in/dmxNFKXm  

We are extremely pleased to announce that Vanta has won the Hawaii Regionals for the Startup World Cup Pitch Competition! We pitched against some fantastic companies and secured our spot at the Grand Finale later this year in San Francisco! We want to say a big thank you to the Startup World Cup team for hosting such a great event. Vanta is no stranger to competition 😉 and we're excited to pitch against so many other awesome startups! Learn more about the Startup World Cup here: https://lnkd.in/gUPc6mf

When we look at the impact of scholastic esports, it's easy to only look at the numbers. We know that students who participate in these programs see a real, tangible improvement, not only in their academic performance but also in their connection to their classmates and their sense of achievement at school. The numbers don't begin to tell the whole story. Last year, we sat down with students, teachers, and coaches at the Texas Esports League Finals to hear what competing with Vanta means to them and the impact it's made both in school and at home.

Another year and it’s already shaping up to be one of the best for Scholastic esports. 2023 saw the scene garner more attention than ever, highlighting the power of grassroots initiatives and showing that the demand for in-person events is higher than ever. With more middle and high schools taking the plunge and starting esports clubs and varsity programs, we’re seeing more and more demand for places to compete and opportunities for students to showcase their skills. For educators, esports is fast becoming a way to connect with a demographic of students who previously didn’t engage in extracurricular activities. Of students competing on the Vanta platform, 50% had never participated in an extracurricular before competing in our leagues. For students who don’t have an interest in traditional sports, music or theater—esports is offering an outlet to make meaningful connections at school. When asked about his experience competing in the finals of the Fall Season for the Texas Esports League, Treylon, a player from Stafford High School had this to say: “I don’t play sports at home or at school. I’m not on any team sports except for esports. So that experience of being on a team and being able to compete at a higher level than what you normally do has pushed me to become better.” This drive to improve has shown to be a strong motivator for students, increasing attendance, grades, and overall school participation. Knowing that there is a potential for pursuing their passion at the collegiate level has only strengthened that drive. Events like the Hawai’i Esports Invitational, showcasing both high school and collegiate talent, demonstrate that the pipeline is alive and well, and the hunt for skilled players is only growing fiercer. While grades will always be the primary determining factor in admission, esports has become a very real path forward for students seeking post-secondary education, with dozens of schools nationwide offering esports scholarship programs.  More than ever scholastic leagues are filling a void in existing after school programs, and bringing a whole new generation of students into the thrill of competition.