We are excited to announce that Matchstick Ventures Fund III has completed an investment in Jawa. Jawa is a community-driven online marketplace for gamers, with an initial focus on custom gaming computers.

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As esports and PC gaming has grown in popularity in recent years, so has the interest in building custom computers that allow players to enjoy the games they love. For many users, these games and computers have become a major part of their lifestyles and a top hobby, both in playing games as well as building out the systems needed to enjoy them. This has led to a huge increase in demand for the components and parts necessary to construct a custom gaming PC.

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However, building out a custom PC can be a long, arduous process. Custom PCs require piecing together different parts with many choices for optimization, requiring users to learn about different options as well as how to install them. Once decisions have been made, it can be difficult for gamers to find the parts they need. The increased demand paired with supply chain shortages has led to stockouts at most traditional retail stores, driving gamers to non-specialized marketplaces where scamming and price-gouging are the norm. 

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Jawa is a dedicated marketplace for gamers to buy and sell their gear. By bringing the industry together in one, online space, Jawa makes it easier for buyers to find the best gear for their needs, and for sellers to turn their gaming passion into a side-hustle or fully fledged business. Their 8,000+ Discord community keeps users engaged and adds value to the buying and selling experience.

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Jawa allows sellers to list, sell, and ship their items through the platform, with an average of eight days between listing and sale. Buyers can quickly find the parts they are looking for and find content and tutorials covering how to install certain parts, what components are best, and trade-offs to help decision-making. 

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Jawa has already built a fanatic community recognized by gamers and influencers - one member got a Jawa logo tattoo! By building with and for the most avid gamers, Jawa is poised to capitalize beyond just PC gaming to the $70 billion gaming gear industry.. 

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We met the Jawa team through the Boulder startup ecosystem, and are excited to support innovation in this rapidly growing industry.

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