Rivals secures its place at TigerLaunch 2026 after winning Kickstart Global's Princeton showcase
Kickstart Global's latest Founders Under 24 showcase, delivered in partnership with Princeton University's Entrepreneurship Club, has awarded Rivals the top spot and an automatic berth at TigerLaunch 2026. The outcome maintains Rivals' unbeaten run on the student-innovation circuit and underscores the strategic value of its rapidly expanding community.
Community first, product always
For this round, Founder & CEO Raj Sandhu reframed the narrative: rather than leading with instant-settlement infrastructure, he highlighted the passion of the gaming communities that fuel Rivals—and the Kickstart network that convened the finalists. The message resonated:
- Peer validation – Fellow founders such as Tanya Korotaeva, Andriy Kirilenko, Alramina Shvartsman, Daniel Wong (Gradstay), and Anjali Goyal (Treeva) cited Rivals as a "stand-out example of community-led traction".
Why TigerLaunch matters
- Global visibility – TigerLaunch attracts over 1,500 applications annually, with final rounds televised across Ivy League networks.
- Investor access – Last year's cohort raised a combined US $120 m within six months of the finals.
- Network effects – Princeton's Entrepreneurship Club activates an alumni base that includes founders of Databricks, MongoDB, and Duolingo.
About Rivals Gaming
Rivals Gaming transforms every match into a market. The platform pairs real-time wagering with automated compliance and instantaneous settlement, creating a secure, transparent arena where gamers can stake, compete, and earn. Explore the experience at rivalsapp.com.
This victory at Princeton showcases Rivals' community-driven approach and positions the platform for even greater success at TigerLaunch 2026.