Being a startup entrepreneur in the gaming sector, you’ll undoubtedly experience both ups and downs.
Rising manufacturing costs, technological disruptions such as AI, and other factors all play a role and contribute to challenges; but despite this, gaming has been a relatively constant good bet for entrepreneurship since the days of Nintendo and Atari.
More recently, the global gaming industry saw a massive spike during the pandemic, with revenue jumping from $131 billion to $211 billion between 2017 and 2021, according to Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Since then, the industry’s double-digit growth rates have slowed a bit, according to the consultancy, but overall the market continues to grow steadily and is expected to hit $266 billion by 2028.
I spoke to two gaming entrepreneurs — who both work in the tangential gaming accessories space — about starting up their company, significant milestones on their journey, and challenges the gaming entrepreneurship space is facing.
Chris Sturmberg Mut & Roman Jakob (article’s featured photo) are the co-founders of nerdytech, a company focused on improving comfort for gamers and computer users with ergonomic products that enhance the immersive experience of gaming.
The below interview has been edited for clarity and brevity:
Q: Can you tell us about your background?
Chris Mut: I’m a passionate gamer and have been a fan of the gaming world ever since I was a child. I took apart my first computer, a 286 PC, and my first gaming console, an Atari 2600, when I was just 12. I wanted to understand how they worked and whether I could rebuild and upgrade them myself.
Roman Jakob: I’ve been playing videogames since I was a child and it has been my passion my whole life. I started with a Nintendo NES and around 1996 I dived into the awesome world of PC gaming which in the end is also one of Chris and mine common fascinations.
Q: How did the idea for nerdytec come together?
Chris Mut: nerdytec was founded in 2011, and started out as a small project in my garage. At the time, my friend Roman and I were constantly tinkering with our gaming set up, with the goal of building the ultimate gaming room. Our vision was to improve the gaming experience by increasing the feeling of immersion and improving comfort.
Q: What are the company’s core products and features?
Chris Mut: One of our main projects was to make gaming peripherals more comfortable while sitting on a couch or bed, which led to the creation of the first ever version of the Couchmaster.
Roman: We love the Couchmaster for the sense of immersion it provides, thanks to its ergonomic design and spacious layout. We’re always working on evolving the gaming experience, and our passion continues to grow with each new release.
Q: Have you faced any challenges in the industry recently? If so, how did you overcome them?
Chris Mut: There have been many challenges since nerdytec was founded, including choosing the right name. But since we define ourselves as computer-savvy nerds who love technology, nerdytec made sense in the end.
Another major challenge was meeting the high standards set by our CTO, Roman, especially when we decided to expand into high-end keyboards. We had many discussions about the essential features, and ultimately chose to use the latest Gateron switches, even though this delayed final production and release. In the end, the trade press, including Forbes, validated our choice and praised our CYKEY keyboard, so everything worked out for the best.
Q: How have nerdytec’s products evolved over time?
Roman Jakob: The Couchmaster began as a simple wooden board with two cushions, and has since evolved into a high-tech, illuminated desk with ports and power for various devices including keyboards, headsets, gaming pads, tablets and phones. It also comes in different sizes to suit different body types, and offers space for gaming tools, drinks and more. Today it’s a versatile, all-in-one solution for comfortable on-couch gaming.
Q: What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones?
Chris Mut: The first, of course, was the founding of the Couchmaster family with all of its siblings, developed for laptop users, gaming pad users and keyboard-and-mouse enthusiasts. Securing our own patent after many years of waiting was another major milestone for all of us at nerdytec. And when we finally managed to expand to gamers and computer uses around the world, we felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Today, we can proudly say that we supply the entire world with our solutions; from the USA to the rest of the globe.
Q: Can you share any specific customer success stories?
Chris Mut: One of the most moving customer experiences took place at a trade fair where we were presenting our first Couchmaster product.
At some point during the day, a friendly gamer approached our stand in his wheelchair and told us, with tears in his eyes, how happy he was that someone had finally developed a product that would free him from his painful desk. I felt extremely moved by this personal account, and burst into tears of joy. Everyone around us started to clap. It was truly a special moment, where I realised just how much this product could help our customers.
Q: What differentiates nerdytec’s products from the competition?
Roman Jakob: Our passion for gaming allows us to develop products that we enjoy using ourselves. This results in user-friendly products customized for gamers just like us, and our customers notice the difference immediately. We’ve also made it our mission to maintain direct contact with fans, and over the years, we’ve implemented many of their ideas and feedback into our designs. Customer proximity has always been very important to us.
Q: What are some of nerdytec’s biggest goals?
Chris Mut: Our goal is to become a trusted and loved brand that supports gamers and home office users around the world with better comfort and usability. We want to be able to offer a full range of peripheral devices and ergonomic solutions that help people maintain good posture and feel comfortable while gaming or working on either a computer or console.
