She and 4 friends left their careers to launch a mobile game and secured $30 million in Series A funding from A16z.

In early October, Irem Sumer achieved a significant milestone: signing a term sheet that secured $30 million in Series A financing for her gaming enterprise, Talemonster Games, based in Istanbul.

Remarkably, less than a day later, Sumer found herself at another life-changing event: her marriage ceremony.

Reflecting on this period, Sumer described it as the 'most chaotic two weeks' of her life. At one point, she decided to let her fiancé handle the wedding details while she concentrated on making their marriage official.

This October event marked the culmination of two years spent developing 'Match Valley.' The major funding secured was directed by Arcadia Gaming Partners and Andreessen Horowitz, with additional contributions from Point72 Ventures and General Catalyst.

Prior to this, Talemonster Games had raised $7 million in seed funding in February, which enabled the cofounders to move forward with their game concept.

An Epic Departure and Unified Mission

Sumer, who originally pursued a career in civil engineering, had stints at both Pfizer and Google. In 2020, she joined Peak Games as a product specialist and eventually joined forces with colleagues there to start Talemonster Games.

Even with a strong passion for gaming, Sumer had not initially anticipated it becoming lucrative. In a single week, she and her four coworkers decided to walk away from their jobs to dedicate themselves entirely to creating 'Match Valley.'

The founders engaged in extensive market research by playing countless games in their first month. They worked tirelessly, often putting in 18-hour days to craft the game's levels.

Over three months, the team iterated numerous prototypes to settle on the concept for 'Match Valley,' which features familiar puzzle mechanics akin to 'Candy Crush,' combined with elements of tower defense and characters with special skills.

After the seed funding, they launched a version of the game with 200 levels in August, which became an immediate success. However, the swift completion by players required immediate development of more content. Sumer herself contributed to level designs and expanded the team size.

Serendipitous Networking

The company's growth from the original five founders to a 32-member team underscores its trajectory. Sumer reached out to investor Josh Lu from A16z Speedrun via a LinkedIn message prompted by a post he made.

Lu was impressed with their prototype, which he felt was exactly what he was seeking. His enthusiasm helped finalize the substantial funding deal.

In his announcement, Lu commended Sumer and her team for taking bold steps and crafting a distinct product that challenges industry norms.

The new funding is intended to not only scale 'Match Valley' further but also to develop another game set for release this year. The team remains committed to a compact, highly accountable work culture.

Advice for Aspiring Gaming Entrepreneurs

Sumer offered guidance for those wanting to break into the gaming startup scene, emphasizing bravery as an essential trait since there's little to lose in starting anew.

Choosing the right partners is integral, as everyone involved must share the same vision for the company. This process involves difficult decisions and a lot of rejections.

Finally, celebrating achievements is vital despite the constant pressures of running a startup. Taking time to acknowledge successes can help maintain team morale.