About

Our vision at Fantasy Chess is to elevate chess to the same level of engagement as other major global sports by creating a much more rewarding fan experience.

We aim to demystify chess and make it more accessible to everyone. Through our unique platform, we intend to bring an exciting combination of games, content, analysis, and more, to greatly increase the entertainment value of watching chess.

We have just raised a total of $3M from some of the world's most incredible investors such as Snö Ventures and Coatue, Jim Breyer, Yuri Milner, and Peter Thiel.

$3 Million raised in Pre-Seed Funding

→

Fantasy Chess was founded in April 2023 by 17x World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen, and was played as a beta at Norway Chess, one of the world's most renowned Chess Tournaments. In November 2023, Mats André Kristiansen joined as CEO, and the team has grown rapidly since. Mats André has previously co-founded Scandinavia’s biggest online grocery retailer, Oda, Norway's first-ever startup unicorn.

We are moving at a really fast pace and have lots of exciting plans for the future. We are now looking for top talent to join us on this mission of making chess a global spectator sport and are hiring for several positions. If you are an experienced CTO, CFO, or CPO - or simply want to develop, design, or bring content to life — we would love to hear from you!

Team in Norway, offices in Oslo and Stavanger, but with global ambitions!

Chess is widely regarded as one of the most universal games. It's essential for us to be accessible in multiple languages and time zones, catering to various demographics to serve the entire chess community. Currently, we have a small office in Oslo, but we are building a company with a culture that can hire and work with anyone, anywhere. Our team expands beyond Oslo to Stavanger, and we also have close partners and advisors in the US.

Who are we building Fantasy Chess for?

Nearly a billion people worldwide play chess, yet most chess products and content seem to target the more advanced players. This approach overlooks the largest demographic: those who may only have a basic understanding of the rules but are nonetheless intrigued and excited by the game. The appeal of chess comes from its players, the importance of each game, and the lasting interest in a game that, even with its 1,500-year history and basic set of 32 wooden pieces, is still exciting to play and watch.