This Week in Startups E1050: PlayVS CEO & Founder Delane Parnell shares his incredible journey from the projects to raising almost $100M to build the esports platform of the future, breaking through as an outsider in tech, using leverage & partnerships to create a moat, his top 5 entrepreneurs & more!
Apr 28, 2020
Delane Parnell, CEO and founder of PlayVS, shares his inspiring journey from the projects to securing nearly $100M for his esports platform. He discusses the unique business model behind PlayVS, partnerships that helped scale across U.S. high schools, and the importance of creating a safe environment for female gamers. Delane reflects on breaking into tech as an outsider, the significance of diversity in entrepreneurship, and his path from hustling in high school to building a company championing competitive gaming in education.
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Early Hustle
- Delane Parnell's family encouraged his entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, buying him business magazines and quizzing him on their contents.
- This led to Parnell working at a cell phone store at 13, owning stores in high school, and other hustles.
Launch Festival & Starter Talks
- A Launch Festival ticket gifted by John Treese changed Parnell's life, leading him to meet Thomas Court and consider working at AngelPad.
- Inspired by Jason Calacanis's interviews, Parnell started hosting his own events in Detroit, called Starter Talks, which later garnered support from Dan Gilbert.
Meeting Peter Pham
- A chance encounter with Peter Pham at SXSW led to discussions about esports and high schools.
- Pham's challenge and encouragement prompted Parnell to move to LA to start PlayVS.
