AI-driven mobile gaming company- Agave Games secures Series A funding to expand its hit game Find the Cat and develop new titles, leveraging Istanbul’s growing mobile gaming hub.
Agave Games, the Istanbul-based AI-driven mobile gaming studio behind the global hit Find the Cat, has raised $18M in a Series A funding round co-led by Balderton Capital and Felix Capital, with participation from E2VC. This latest investment brings the company’s total funding to $25M following a $7M seed round in 2022.
A playful revolution in AI-driven mobile puzzle games
After a long day, picture yourself unwinding with a delightful puzzle game where the mission is both straightforward and captivating—locating a playful cat concealed on your screen. This is the joy that Agave Games’ Find the Cat brings, propelling it to become one of 2024’s fastest-growing mobile games. The game has soared to the top of app store charts across the US, Europe, Japan, and other regions, achieving 10 million downloads in its first quarter alone.
This Series A funding will allow Agave Games to capitalise on Find the Cat’s success while bringing new titles to life.
“This investment allows us to double down on Find the Cat’s success while exploring new ideas that will redefine casual puzzle gaming. We’re excited to take our studio to the next level by expanding our team and portfolio with games that set new standards within established genres.”
— Alper Oner, CEO of Agave Games
Istanbul’s mobile gaming hub powers Agave’s AI-driven growth
Established in 2021 by high school friends Alper Oner, Ali Baran Terzioglu, Burak Kar, and Oguzhan Merdivenli, Agave Games seamlessly blends their industry expertise with a passion for casual puzzle games. Boasting an impressive record of over 2.5 billion downloads, and collaborating with prominent local studios like Vento Games on Find the Cat (led by Mustafa Dagli and Onur Aydinay), the team highlights Istanbul’s growing importance as a hub for AI-driven mobile gaming.
To meet the growing demand for its games, the studio plans to double its workforce in Istanbul over the next 18 months, focusing on expanding its product and growth teams to foster creativity and innovation in future projects.
“Agave Games has achieved something extraordinary with Find the Cat—creating a simple yet deeply engaging game that has captivated millions of players. We rarely see such growth and retention metrics and we are thrilled to double down on this very special team.”
— Julien Codorniou, Partner at Felix Capital.
Aiming for new heights in casual puzzle gaming
Agave’s vision extends beyond Find the Cat. The company is set to release at least two new games in 2025, focusing on innovative gameplay mechanics and community-driven social features. Agave’s unique approach blends in-app purchases (IAP) and ad-based monetisation (IAA) to deliver polished AI-driven mobile gaming experiences.
“Find the Cat is an overnight success two years in the making. Agave have put together an exceptional team and worked super hard to identify and optimise new genres and produce polished games. Find the Cat is just the start, I am excited to see more of their pipeline go live in 2025.”
— Rob Moffat, Partner at Balderton Capital
The funding will ensure Agave Games continues crafting puzzle games that not only entertain but also resonate with global audiences.
“We’re not just creating games; we’re crafting experiences that bring joy to millions of players every day.”
— Burak Kar, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer
Expanding horizons through creativity
With Find the Cat continuing its meteoric rise and new projects underway, Agave Games is poised to solidify its place in the competitive mobile gaming market. Istanbul’s thriving ecosystem provides the ideal foundation for Agave to push the boundaries of casual gaming.
“Our upcoming titles will push the boundaries of what players expect from casual games, introducing new concepts that we believe will resonate globally, just like Find the Cat did.”
— Baran Terzioglu, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer
Agave Games’ mission to deliver joyful, immersive gaming experiences is propelling the studio to new heights, as it builds on the success of Find the Cat and prepares to delight millions with its next wave of releases.
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