New Incubator mLabs to Support Next Gen iGaming Startups

The latest wave in startup support for iGaming is here.

Startup Incubator

With the launch of incubator mLabs by Irish betting exchange operator Matchbook, a precedent of programming support for startups is being set.

The accelerator program for online gaming startups is targeting new companies for evaluation. Those subsequently selected for support by Matchbook will see their ideas and concepts developed through the mLab program all the way through to product launch and distribution.

Matchbook research head and mLab leader David Mills describes his company's community-oriented approach, characterizing mLabs as “a community where like-minded people can share their ideas, help each other, improve, grow, collaborate and see their ideas evolve together.” We can see in mLabs the integration of the freeware concept into iGaming, with Matchbook embracing embracing the most idealistic principles of the internet as a place where any good ideas can and should have a chance to flourish.

Collaborative Ideals

While freeware and incubator support is not new to the internet, it is an idealistic twist on what is often an overly-stigmatized or distrusted industry. The internet clearly represents a way to prove the integrity and effectiveness of iGaming to the public, and mLabs can certainly encourage more start-up collaboration that meshes complementary support effectively among investors and great product strategies.

Matchbook is actively seeking to handpick and mentor promising ideas in order to jump start new ventures and lead those entrepreneurs through the process of getting their iGaming businesses out of the gate.

Mills emphasized the collaborative nature of the process in characterizing the mLabs approach as “two-way.”

Leadership Management

In implementing the program, Matchbook and mLabs are following their own credo of choosing businesses according to the quality of the skills, vision and belief of the management team.

Matchbook and mLabs are relying on social media to match the candidate pool to the larger iGaming tech world in which the startups are looking to make a splash.

Utilizing social networks to build collaboration is the key to the current program, and the ability of more incubators to provide similar support.