Every great company hits a pivotal moment when it needs to define what it stands for and why the world should care. As Skillz turned ten this year, this inflection point became imminent as we continue building our future as an industry leader and pioneer in our space.

When Skillz was founded in 2012, we were motivated by the fact that gamers could not compete in the same way that athletes do in physical sports, despite the growing popularity of video games. Back then, the term “esports” was virtually unknown – but we were ready to take on the challenge to bring competitive gaming to everyone. 

Our passion for leveling the playing field also extends to mobile game developers. Since our inception, we have empowered developers to create thriving businesses, while in return providing players everywhere with access to fair, fun, and meaningful competition.

To grow our business within mobile gaming and beyond, we needed to unearth further meaning in competition and why it matters. 

As human beings, we are all wired to compete. It’s how we survive and thrive on Earth.
You could say we are called the human race for a reason – from the Olympics to the World Cup, from the race to the moon to the race to Mars. The reason we have vaccines, electric cars, and even better burgers has been, in one way or another, a product of competition. It’s a vital and healthy part of our ecosystem. Without it, we have no context of where we stand and how far we can go.

While competition is so innate to human progress, the concept of competition is filled with tension. For many, competition means rivalry – a zero sum game where there is only one winner. But if we dig deeper into the original meaning of competition (in Latin, “competere”) it actually means to “strive together.” This energy exchange we obtain from competition is a critical part of our society – in business, fashion, music, sports, education, healthcare, and gaming.

This led us to an untapped, yet powerful insight: 

Competition is not a game of win or lose. It’s the force that ignites what’s possible in all of us.

We at Skillz believe that everyone has winning skills, regardless of age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other identity. Our player base is a reflection of this truth. Our role in the world is to create the home of competition, where everyone deserves to achieve an epic win – something that only a few of us may get to experience in the physical world. For that reason, mobile gaming is so much more than a form of entertainment – rather, it is a force of ACHIEVEMENT.

This belief inspired our new, evolved mission:

“Bring out the best in everyone through competition.”

With our mission, we are energized by maximizing human achievement across four pillars of commitment:

• Build Community:
  Grow inclusive, engaged communities that inspire self-expression and connection 
• Drive Commerce:
  Unlock economic opportunity for developers and premium experiences for players
• Nurture Champions:
  Guide, educate, and inspire to help players and developers level up 
• Power Change:
  Help transform lives through fair, inclusive practices

Our new logo and brand identity is a visual expression of our mission. Our colors champion “blue” vs. “red” as timeless elements of head-to-head competition. Our symbol expresses two equal sides coming together in fair competition to achieve something new, while our logo has been updated to be more inclusive of our growing community.

We’re on a journey to build the home of competition for all, and we’re incredibly excited about our path forward. Together, we’ll enable game developers to share their art with the world, empower players to unleash their inner champion, and ultimately, help everyone achieve their potential. 

Join us.