QLASH

QLASH is a media and esports organization founded in 2017 by two former professional poker players, Luca Pagano and Eugene Katchalov. The founders leveraged their experience as brand ambassadors for Pokerstars to build the QLASH brand, initially by signing multiple esports teams to quickly gain recognition. Headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, the company has established a significant presence in Italy, Spain, and has expanded its operations into Latin America and the MENA region. A key milestone was the creation of the QLASH House in Treviso, one of Europe's largest gaming facilities, which houses many of its professional players.

The company's business model is diversified, focusing on three core pillars: managing professional esports teams, creating content with a network of influencers, and organizing events for its community. QLASH manages competitive teams across a wide array of games, including FIFA, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Fortnite, and various sim racing titles. These teams have achieved notable success, including winning the "Best Italian Team" award at the Italian Esports Awards in 2021. Revenue is generated through sponsorships, brand partnerships, and providing esports presences for traditional sports clubs like AC Milan and Villarreal CF. Notable partners have included Skrill, JD, HyperX, and KELME.

A central component of QLASH's strategy is its proprietary digital platform, the QLASH Community app. This application serves as a hub for the gaming community, allowing users to participate in daily and weekly tournaments, complete challenges, and connect with other players. The platform supports numerous games, features leaderboards, and enables sponsors to create branded tournaments, functioning as a key tool for community engagement and a vehicle for brand visibility. The development and expansion of this platform have been a primary focus for the company, supported by several funding rounds. QLASH has raised a total of $3.89M over three seed rounds, with the latest in July 2022 raising €2.6 million to fuel the platform's growth and market expansion. This funding round attracted angel investors from the sports and entertainment worlds, including UFC fighter Marvin Vettori and professional poker players.

Keywords: esports organization, gaming community, professional esports teams, mobile esports, tournament platform, esports events, influencer marketing, brand partnerships, QLASH Community app, Luca Pagano, Eugene Katchalov, sim racing, FIFA, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Italian esports, European esports, LATAM esports, gaming house, sponsorship activation