“SiGMA has been an absolute dream.”- SiGMA Americas first Pitch winner, John D. Williams
In this exclusive interview, SiGMA News sits down with John D. Williams, the Founder, Director, and CEO of Mobil Fund Inc, who took home the gold at the Americas Start-Up Pitch on Tuesday in Toronto
How does it feel to be the winner of the SiGMA Americas Start-up Pitch?
It’s absolutely fabulous. It’s been a long two years for us and we’ve been working really hard for this. Our whole team has been really dedicated and it’s an absolutely wonderful feeling for the whole Mobil Fund team.
What do you think was it that gave you that edge over other start up competitors?
Passion goes a long way, but we also have a great, simple product that serves a specific cause and charitable gaming is something that’s really important nowadays. It even became more so amplified when COVID hit because traditional fundraising events and other technologies were not as effective due to the pandemic. We’ve seen a paradigm shift now which sees the same level of giving but with an 80 to 90% increase in online or mobile giving so it’s just perfect timing.
The stars have aligned that we came up with this product before COVID. We were attending a show in London and two weeks later, the place that was hosting the shelter and into a hospital at 4,000 beds and COVID hit, and everything was shut down. Charities can still use this technology to raise money today and they need it now more than ever because there’s such a demand on the charities now and the government has started to position itself to be funding these things. So it’s, in their best interest to see these charities well-funded and to use our technology to do so.
What are you going to do with the investment fund? How do you plan to allocate those resources as a start up?
We already have some plans in place and the lion’s share is on sales and marketing to grow the market share. When it comes to the first few customers we’re going to focus on seeing those winds, but we know it’s going to snowball. We’re going to see big wins ongoing because it’s the simplest easiest, most convenient, and least expensive way for charity, large, medium, or small to raise money. So one of the best parts about it is it provides access to fundraisers for even the smallest charity that never had the ability to do before.
We can use our distinct advantages to really help them see some ways of accessing capital that they would have never seen before and the funds are going to very good causes in North America, the EU and globally Africa, the Southern hemisphere, and so on.
What advice would you give to other start ups entering next year or at other events with us?
The most important thing is to be determined and follow the advice of those that have been successful so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. Also, surround yourself with successful people. You have to build that team of amazing founders. Where for most businesses it’s location, location, location, with a startup, especially in the gaming business where a lot of people go in there blind, you have to build a network. Also, make sure you’ve got a very large sizable addressable market.
Another thing is that you have to have a product that’s in demand. You’ve got to prove to people that your product is in demand. You have to understand your distinct competencies and what you can do better than the next guy. What it’s all about is cost and improvement never get frustrated, persist, and you will always win.
How has your experience been here at SiGMA so far?
SiGMA has been an absolute dream, it’s been a wonderful show and everything is so well organized. Networking is the key to success and the networking opportunities here are absolutely amazing. It’s one of the best shows I have ever been at!
Join us in Belgrade, Serbia from the 22-25th August:
Renowned for its beautiful scenery, delicious cuisine, rich culture, and penchant for parties, the Balkans have been sought after by both tasteful tourists and entrepreneurs with an eye on the growing iGaming ecosystem calling the region home. As the home to the global Gambling community, the SiGMA Conference is known far and wide for its enlightening panels, inspiring speeches, ample opportunities to invest and network, and the ability to do it all while having the time of your life. Join us in Belgrade for the best the industry has to offer and for a window into the future of worldwide gambling. To learn more about sponsorship and speaking opportunities or to inquire about attending the event, please contact Sophie at [email protected].
