A father of three sons, Mike Zweigbaum has spent a lot of time observing gaming habits in his own home and became fascinated by the way his kids created friendships through online gaming. “I knew there had to be something there,” says the former metal recycling executive. “And who doesn’t dream of having a job your kids think is cool?” Zweigbaum partnered with T.J. McLeod and, later, Ian Anderson to create a media company that specializes in content creation, tournament organization, design, and strategic brand activation related to the burgeoning world of esports and gaming. Wisdom Gaming wants to establish itself as the Midwest hub for the industry, and that mission will come to life at Mall of America, where the startup plans to open an in-person broadcast studio and esports venue this spring. “It’s been an incredible boom,” Anderson says. “We’re excited to even be counted as a part of it.”

Insight

The esports market is on track to approach $2 billion in revenue in 2022, according to market research firm Newzoo.

Back to 2022 Tech 20 main page