Heyzap
Encyclopedia
Heyzap is a social discovery platform for mobile and online games and the largest social network for mobile gamers. Heyzap is based in San Francisco and was founded in 2009 by Jude Gomila
and Immad Akhund
. Heyzap provides users with a way to check-in to their favorite games, discover games and join a massive community of mobile gamers. Heyzap allows users to let other gamers know what they are playing, leave or browse tips for their favorite games, and earn badges. The website was launched in January 2009. Since then, Heyzap has received funding from a number of investors including Y Combinator
, angel investors Naval Ravikant and Chris Dixon, the founder of del.icio.us
, Joshua Schachter
and Union Square Ventures
.
In March and April 2010, Heyzap added social games and released its Arcade Bar. Shortly after raising $3 million in funding, Heyzap announced its new Heyzap Arcade service for powering website games sections and updated API support for HTML5 games.
In October 2009, Heyzap created the Balloon Boy Game in response to the balloon boy hoax involving six-year old Falcon Heene. This was built off of an update to its API supporting viral tools such as Facebook sharing for casual games.
In June 2009, Heyzap launched a virtual goods platform for flash games. This allows developers to insert micro-transaction systems into their games and enables the games to be monetized.
In May 2009, following the outbreak of swine flu
, Heyzap created the Swinefighter game. The game features a doctor who inoculates flying pigs with a giant syringe and amassed more than 3million plays in its first week. The game raises money for the Red Cross and includes tips from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
on how to stay healthy.
Jude Gomila
Jude Gomila is a British entrepreneur and one of the co-founders of the website Heyzap. Gomila grew up in Harrow, London and attended Nower Hill High School, Middlesex and Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, Buckinghamshire...
and Immad Akhund
Immad Akhund
Immad Akhund is a British entrepreneur who is best known as the CEO and co-founder of social gaming company, Heyzap. Akhund grew up in Harrow, London and attended Nower Hill High School, Middlesex and Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, Buckinghamshire...
. Heyzap provides users with a way to check-in to their favorite games, discover games and join a massive community of mobile gamers. Heyzap allows users to let other gamers know what they are playing, leave or browse tips for their favorite games, and earn badges. The website was launched in January 2009. Since then, Heyzap has received funding from a number of investors including Y Combinator
Y Combinator
Y Combinator is an American seed-stage startup funding firm, started in March 2005. Y Combinator provides seed money, advice, and connections at two 3-month programs per year...
, angel investors Naval Ravikant and Chris Dixon, the founder of del.icio.us
Del.icio.us
Delicious is a social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks. The site was founded by Joshua Schachter in 2003 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005, and by the end of 2008, the service claimed more than 5.3 million users and 180 million unique bookmarked URLs...
, Joshua Schachter
Joshua Schachter
Joshua Schachter is the creator of Delicious, creator of GeoURL, and co-creator of Memepool. He has a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh....
and Union Square Ventures
Union Square Ventures
Union Square Ventures is a venture capital firm based in New York City, New York, United States.The firm was founded by Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham in 2004...
.
In March and April 2010, Heyzap added social games and released its Arcade Bar. Shortly after raising $3 million in funding, Heyzap announced its new Heyzap Arcade service for powering website games sections and updated API support for HTML5 games.
In October 2009, Heyzap created the Balloon Boy Game in response to the balloon boy hoax involving six-year old Falcon Heene. This was built off of an update to its API supporting viral tools such as Facebook sharing for casual games.
In June 2009, Heyzap launched a virtual goods platform for flash games. This allows developers to insert micro-transaction systems into their games and enables the games to be monetized.
In May 2009, following the outbreak of swine flu
Swine flu
Swine influenza, also called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus or S-OIV is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs...
, Heyzap created the Swinefighter game. The game features a doctor who inoculates flying pigs with a giant syringe and amassed more than 3million plays in its first week. The game raises money for the Red Cross and includes tips from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
on how to stay healthy.