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§ Private Profile · Seattle, WA, USA
Taunt is a technology company.
Taunt develops an interactive social gaming platform for esports enthusiasts. Its core product enhances the live viewing experience by enabling users to predict game outcomes and compete against friends or a global audience. The platform transforms traditional esports spectatorship into a dynamic, participatory activity, fostering deeper immersion within its fan community.
Ben Gilbert co-founded Taunt and served as CEO, launching the venture from Pioneer Square Labs, where he is also a co-founder. The foundational insight was to evolve passive esports viewership into an active, competitive, and social experience. Gilbert, with a computer science and engineering background, aimed to create a novel engagement layer atop the expanding esports ecosystem.
The platform targets avid esports fans seeking to test their knowledge and predictive skills during live events. Taunt empowers these users to challenge peers and participate in a competitive global environment. The company envisions a future where esports consumption is inherently interactive and community-driven, continually enriching the fan experience beyond conventional broadcasts.
Taunt has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Taunt has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Taunt has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Taunt's investors include Foundry Group, Techstars, Will Herman, CRCM Ventures, PSL Ventures, Vulcan Capital, Geoff Entress, Greg Gottesman, Mike Galgon.
Taunt has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in June 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2018 | $3M Seed | Foundry Group | Techstars, Will Herman, CRCM Ventures, PSL Ventures, Vulcan Capital | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2017 | $2M Seed | Foundry Group | Techstars, Will Herman, Geoff Entress, Greg Gottesman, Mike Galgon, Vulcan Capital | Announced |
# Taunt: High-Level Overview
Taunt is a gaming and esports platform founded in 2017 that enables users to watch and compete in video games.[2] The company provides a competitive gaming experience where players can challenge friends or compete against a global audience during live gameplay sessions.[5] Based in Seattle, Washington, Taunt operates in the software, online gaming, PC gaming, and esports markets.[3]
The platform addresses the intersection of gaming entertainment and competitive play—allowing viewers to engage not just as spectators but as active participants. Rather than passively watching esports content, Taunt's model integrates gameplay with social competition, creating a more interactive experience in the growing esports ecosystem.
# Origin Story
Taunt was founded in 2017 as a response to the expanding esports and gaming entertainment market.[2] The company emerged during a period of rapid growth in competitive gaming viewership and online gaming communities. While specific details about the founders and early pivotal moments are limited in available sources, the company's founding coincided with the mainstream acceleration of esports as both a spectator sport and competitive activity.
The company has secured funding to support its operations, indicating early investor confidence in its market positioning.[3] Taunt's location in Seattle—a major tech and gaming hub—positioned it within an ecosystem of established gaming companies and esports infrastructure.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Taunt operates within the rapidly expanding esports and gaming entertainment sector, which has seen explosive growth in viewership, sponsorship, and investment. The company rides the trend of gamification and interactive entertainment—where passive consumption is increasingly replaced by participatory experiences. The timing is significant: as esports viewership matured, platforms that could blend entertainment with active competition gained traction.
The broader market forces supporting Taunt include the normalization of gaming as mainstream entertainment, the rise of competitive gaming communities, and increasing demand for interactive content. Taunt's model reflects a shift in how audiences engage with gaming—moving from spectator-only experiences toward platforms that blur the line between watching and playing.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
Taunt's future depends on its ability to scale its competitive gaming platform in an increasingly crowded esports market. The company will likely need to expand its user base, improve content offerings, and potentially develop partnerships with game publishers or esports organizations to maintain relevance. As the esports industry continues to professionalize and consolidate, platforms that offer unique engagement models—like Taunt's interactive competition framework—may find opportunities in niche communities or as acquisition targets for larger gaming companies.
The broader trend favoring interactive and participatory entertainment suggests Taunt's core concept aligns with market direction, though execution and market penetration will ultimately determine its trajectory in a competitive landscape.