Metafy
Series ARaised Since FeaturedPro gaming coaches for everyone
An online marketplace connecting gamers with world-class professional coaches for personalized skill improvement.
About
Metafy is an online marketplace that connects amateur gamers with champion-level coaches across dozens of game titles. Founded in 2020 by Josh Fabian β a former Groupon Lead Designer turned top-0.01% competitive gamer β and Thomas McNiven, the platform was born when Fabian discovered that even PokΓ©mon World Champions were working warehouse jobs because there was no way to monetize elite gaming skills. Metafy takes a coach-first approach, providing tools for coaches to run their entire business on the platform while charging just a 5% fee per session. The platform expanded beyond 1-on-1 coaching to include group classes, guides, communities, events, and courses. In November 2021, Metafy acquired GamersRdy to expand its e-learning capabilities, and in September 2023 acquired talent agency S-Tier (rebranded as Sumo in 2024) to handle business opportunities for gaming content creators.
DailyDropout Take
Metafy stood out as a rare founder-market fit story in gaming β Josh Fabian lived the problem as a top competitive gamer who earned $40K coaching before realizing the entire ecosystem lacked infrastructure. The coach-first model with just a 5% take rate was counterintuitive but brilliant, creating organic growth as coaches marketed the platform themselves. With Tiger Global and Seven Seven Six leading a $25M Series A at a $105M valuation, the market validated what we saw early: that the $175B gaming industry desperately needed a proper marketplace for skill development.
Discovery signal: Founder with deep competitive gaming background, coach-first marketplace model with unusually low 5% take rate, rapid traction in underserved gaming coaching market
What Makes Them Unique
Metafy takes a coach-first approach β treating coaches as the primary customer and charging just 5% per session β while competitors extract higher commissions and prioritize consumers. This alignment prevents coaches from circumventing the platform and creates organic growth through coaches' own social channels.
36,000+
Coaching Sessions
$1.6M+
Revenue
$105M
Series A Valuation
$33.7M
Total Raised
Target Markets
Founders
Josh Fabian
Co-Founder & CEO
Former Lead Designer at Groupon who became a top-0.01% competitive gamer across 10 titles including Clash Royale and Hearthstone. Earned $40K in six months coaching before founding Metafy to give all elite gamers a way to monetize their skills.
Thomas McNiven
Co-Founder
Co-founded Metafy alongside Josh Fabian to build the infrastructure for professional gaming coaching.
Key People
Previously: Founder of S-Tier (acquired by Metafy)
Funding History
Lead: Forerunner Ventures
Lead: Seven Seven Six
Valuation: $105M
Lead: Tiger Global & Seven Seven Six