Vyking Ventures Backs Animo Studios Expansion

Vyking Ventures has expanded its investment portfolio by backing Animo Studios, providing support for the gaming technology and content supplier as it prepares to introduce its live gaming platform to the market.

The investment reflects Vyking Ventures' focus on companies developing products where gaming, technology and player engagement intersect. After completing an extended period of research, development and testing, Animo Studios is moving toward commercial launch while establishing operator, distribution and content partnerships.

Platform Targets Customised Live Gaming

Animo Studios has developed technology that combines live entertainment, gaming, performance art and real-time processing to create new live gaming formats. Its platform enables human dealers to appear as different characters in real time while continuing to operate physical gaming equipment, preserving game integrity and player trust.

The technology supports a range of live gaming formats, including traditional card games, game shows and original concepts. Operators can also develop exclusive live products based on their own brands, intellectual property, themes or ambassadors instead of selecting from a standard catalogue.

According to the company, each deployment can function as a permanent branded venue, supporting marketing campaigns, promotional activity, events and shareable content while helping operators distinguish their offerings in competitive markets.

Animo Studios was founded by Harley Fresh, Australia's most-followed Twitch streamer, whose combined social media audience exceeds 20 million. His background includes live entertainment, esports, content creation and marketing for global brands, providing experience in audience engagement and interactive entertainment.

Investment Supports Commercial Rollout

Vyking Ventures said the partnership complements its background in iGaming, platform engineering, game aggregation and player-focused entertainment. The company expects the investment to support Animo Studios as it transitions from research and development into commercial operations and international expansion.

Franz Gerhart, CEO of Vyking, said: “Live gaming has become crowded with experiences that often look, feel and play in very similar ways. Animo is approaching the category from a completely different direction. Its technology gives operators the ability to transform their own brands, IP and ambassadors into exclusive live entertainment while retaining the trust, integrity and human energy of real dealers and physical equipment.

Harley and the team combine a deep understanding of content, community and digital entertainment with a genuinely differentiated technology platform. That combination makes Animo exactly the kind of ambitious, category-shaping company Vyking Ventures wants to support as it moves from R&D into commercial launch and international growth.”

Harley Fresh, founder of Animo Studios, added: “Across live suppliers today, too many products blur into one. The tables look the same, the games play the same, and even dedicated and branded tables are often identical outside of interchangeable logos.

Operators are left fighting to stand out through huge marketing spend, promotions and sponsorships built on top of games their users can play everywhere. We are not here to recreate live games. Animo enables them to become genuine entertainment-first products the industry has never seen, allowing each operator to bring exclusive, identifiable experiences to life in ways their competitors cannot replicate.”

Vyking Ventures said it will assist Animo Studios as it builds additional operator and distribution partnerships and expands its entertainment-focused live gaming platform into international markets.

Source:

“Animo Studios Joins the Vyking Ventures Portfolio”, vyking.com, Jul 20, 2026