Beat The Bomb, the world’s first interactive social video game company, announced it has raised a $15M Series B from New York and Paris-based Otium Capital, along with New York-based Conversion Venture Capital (CVC2). The Brooklyn company, which added locations in Atlanta and Washington D.C. in the past 12 months, will use the funds to expand across the United States, starting with Philadelphia in summer 2024. Additional openings are expected thereafter for Charlotte, Denver, Houston, and more.
“Beat The Bomb is using real-world video games to reimagine the future of social entertainment,” said CEO and founder Alex Patterson. “Since 2017, we have turned hi-tech digital rooms, multiplayer games, and incredible special effects endings into one of the most memorable group activities in the world. Over 500,000 friends, families, students, and co-workers have now visited our locations, which have been featured on NBC’s Today Show, ABC, FOX5, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta. This fundraising will allow us to expand to an additional 7 cities by mid-2025, on our way to bringing Beat The Bomb to 100 cities and millions of people a year globally by 2030.”
“We are very much looking forward to the next development phase of Beat The Bomb and the opportunity to contribute to achieving Beat The Bomb’s ambitions, both in the U.S. and internationally,” said Aurélie Pasquet Bessiere, Partner at Otium Capital. “We invest several tens of millions each year in retail, e-commerce, and omnichannel brands in the U.S. and Europe. We look for the next generation of brands and experiences with ambitious long-term visions and we believe Beat The Bomb to be such a key player for the future.”
As inspiration for Beat The Bomb, Patterson looked to mix the best elements of video games, escape rooms, party games, TV game shows, and action movies in an experience that would resonate in real life. “Most video games isolate a person in front of a screen,” said Patterson, a graduate of Harvard College and UVA Law School and an early executive at Tough Mudder. “Beat The Bomb is using video game technology to create social gaming experiences that bring people together, creating shared memories and building stronger relationships.”
During the 1-hour Beat The Bomb Game, teams of 4-6 players choose from a Paint Bomb Mission or Foam Bomb Mission, put on hazmat suits, and step into a series of interactive video game rooms to earn time on a “Bomb Clock.” Each room tests a different skill, with game names like Hack Attack, Sequencer, Crypto Laser, Echo Chamber, and Cyberbot, and requires the active participation of all players on the team. In the fifth and final room, teams attempt to disarm The Bomb before their timer runs out. Failure means getting blasted in an epic explosion of paint or foam, after which the Bomb Room becomes a photo/video booth. 10% of teams win and earn Pro League Status and access to tournaments with money prizes. Losing teams can come back to re-attempt the same Mission, or play new Missions with different games, all created by Beat The Bomb’s in-house Game Studio.
Beat The Bomb’s state-of-the-art 10,000 sq ft locations welcome 100,000 visitors annually. Built by design-build firm ARCO/Murray, they feature multiple glass-walled Bomb Rooms looking out onto The Bomb Bar, a futuristic full-service bar serving signature cocktails and colorful slushies, with a menu built around casual favorites like nachos, pizzas, sliders, hot dogs, and salads. For groups that want to hang out and play interactive games while enjoying food and drink, locations have multiple “Game Bay” lounges for rent, which are 150 sf, 3-walled gaming zones where players can select from dozens of shorter interactive social games that include team-vs-team and free-for-all formats.
In addition to a broad customer base of kids’ birthday parties, family outings, school trips, and adult social nights out, Beat The Bomb is fast becoming a premier destination for corporate team offsite events, with a newly-created event sales department managing a client list including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Microsoft, Delta, PWC, Capital One, and Citibank. For companies with remote and hybrid work arrangements, the company also offers a top-rated 1-hr hosted team-building experience, Beat The Bomb Virtual, with various multiplayer Game Pack to choose from. In late 2022, Beat The Bomb also began offering STEM workshops in partnership with nonprofits such as Girls Who Code, STEM for Her, and the Michelle Obama STEM Academy.
For additional information on Beat The Bomb, visit www.beatthebomb.com
For hiring information across various roles and upcoming locations, visit https://beatthebomb.applicantpro.com/jobs/
For media opportunities, contact: BTBPR@alliedglobalmarketing.com
About Beath the Bomb
BEAT THE BOMB is the world’s first interactive social video game company. The company’s first location of its innovative location-based multiplayer gaming challenge opened in 2017 in Brooklyn, New York, followed by Atlanta in 2022 and Washington, D.C. in 2023. The company has now hosted over 500,000 players from across the U.S., and the world, including thousands of corporate team outings, school groups, and non-profit organizations. With over 10,000 5-star Google Reviews, it is among the highest-ranked activities in New York City, and an annual recipient of TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award. Beat The Bomb also offers a full range of special event services, including Corporate Events, STEM Camps, Kid and Adult Birthday parties, and Bachelorette parties. Visit www.beatthebomb.com and follow the company on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @beatthebomb.
About Alex Patterson
Alex Patterson is the Founder and CEO of Beat The Bomb. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Alex began his career as an attorney at Davis Polk in New York City and was the first CMO of global events company Tough Mudder. In 2016, he undertook a yearlong research project to create a multiplayer digital game room experience that became Beat The Bomb. A graduate of Harvard College and the University of Virginia School of Law, Alex has been a guest on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and has been quoted in USA Today, TimeOut New York, and the NY Post. He holds a U.S. Patent for Beat The Bomb’s concept of a ‘Multi-Game Challenge with Accrued Time.’
About Otium Capital
Otium Capital is a US & Europe-based family office managing the assets of French serial entrepreneur Pierre-Edouard Stérin. The firm’s entrepreneurial DNA allows it to closely support entrepreneurs and answer their needs. Otium invests $200M per year across various strategies in tickets ranging from $1M to $30M, to take minority or majority stakes. Above all, the firm seeks to participate in the strong growth of projects led by ambitious founders. Visit us at https://www.otiumcapital.com/en
