Verifluence, an Estonia-based startup developing a marketplace for partnerships between cryptocurrency casinos and content creators, won the SiGMA Startup Pitch competition held on Wednesday, 4 November, during SiGMA World Rome 2026. The company was selected from six finalists that presented their projects at Fiera Roma, with proposals spanning iGaming technology, artificial intelligence and business management.
The winning presentation was delivered by Martin Varrand, co-founder and CEO of Verifluence, who introduced a platform designed to bring greater structure and payment security to commercial agreements between casino operators and streamers.
Despite having been operational for only two and a half months, the company has already registered 575 streamers, according to figures shared by Varrand during the competition.
Addressing payment risks in streamer partnerships
Verifluence targets a segment of the online gambling industry in which promotional agreements between operators and content creators are often arranged through messaging services such as Telegram, sometimes without formal contracts or safeguards governing payments.
Its platform brings together crypto casino operators and streamers who have completed Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, while using smart contracts to manage payments and protect funds until the agreed services have been delivered.
Under the system presented in Rome, operators deposit the agreed amount in USDT into a smart contract once the commercial terms have been established. The money remains in escrow until the streamer completes the agreed work, after which payment is released automatically.
The company generates revenue by charging operators a 20% fee on completed agreements, while content creators can access the marketplace without paying platform fees.
Verifluence positions itself as the first marketplace specifically developed for these commercial arrangements. The company also highlighted Varrand’s background in iGaming marketing, cryptocurrency and partnerships with content creators.
Six finalists present their business models
The competition brought together startups at different stages of development, offering products for gaming operators and other business sectors.
Among the finalists was Alerts Bar Inc., a software-as-a-service platform that provides real-time notifications to help companies identify critical operational incidents. Presented by Max Shyshkin, the business focuses on iGaming and other industries where disruptions can have significant consequences. Shyshkin told the judges that the company had been operating for two years and was generating growing revenue.
Gmonitor introduced an artificial intelligence-based competitive intelligence platform that monitors gambling operators’ promotions, games, advertising and regulatory developments. Co-founders Hákon Magnússon, COO, and Rishin Kesarla, CEO, presented the company’s approach to helping operators understand their position relative to competitors.
Another participant, Lordus, showcased Lordus Arena, which combines player-versus-player esports competitions and casino gaming with betting features. The company is also developing original titles, including multiplayer slots. During its presentation, Lordus outlined plans to raise $1 million in exchange for a 10% equity stake, with the funding intended for licensing, product completion and, primarily, marketing.
Artificial intelligence also featured prominently in the proposal from Tugi Tark OÜ, which develops automated customer support technology for iGaming operators. The company stated that its system had been trained on more than 10 million actual player interactions and could independently resolve over 80% of support enquiries across more than 249 languages.
During its demonstration, the team showed how the system transfers conversations to human support agents when it cannot provide an answer, while identifying missing information that operators may need to supply. It can also use an operator’s own data to respond to customer enquiries about matters such as payment methods and deposit requirements.
Completing the finalist line-up was Holi-HR, the only participating business operating outside the gaming industry. Its workforce management platform targets smaller hospitality businesses, initially focusing on establishments in Malta.
The company said a survey of more than 100 local businesses had found that 78% still managed employee schedules through WhatsApp or paper records. Its proposed solution includes QR-based clock-in, shift scheduling and payroll-ready data exports, with subscription plans starting at €25 per location per month.
Jury evaluates projects and selects the winner
Each of the six finalists was allocated three minutes to present its proposal, followed by a five-minute question-and-answer session with the judges.
The six-member judging panel comprised Andrei Alexandrov, Head of Investments Operations at RedCore; Adam Rosenberg, Senior Advisor at Blackstone; Meir Shachar, CEO of Runwai Growth Capital; Noora Fagerström, a member of Finland’s Parliament; Robert Duboff, Director at Velo Partners; and Michele Franzese, Creative Director at SCAI Comunicazione and founder of Rome Future Week.
The competition was hosted by Renz Gonzales, Vice President of Growth and Partnerships at RollerAds.
Following the presentations and the evaluation process, Verifluence was announced as the overall winner. The judges praised Varrand’s ability to communicate the company’s business model clearly and make its proposition accessible to the audience.
The result gives the startup access to a selection of business development incentives, including technology credits, marketing services and opportunities to establish contacts with investors and industry executives.
The principal benefits include up to €400,000 in discounted technology tools and credits from partners including Nvidia and DigitalOcean, a marketing package valued at €21,300 and €20,000 in AWS Activate credits.
Other elements of the prize package cover professional training, human resources services, executive networking and assistance with company formation.
Next competition scheduled for South Africa
With its victory in Rome, Verifluence joins the companies recognised in SiGMA’s regional startup competitions during 2026, including OneHazel in Asia, Dale Academy in South America, BetMatch in Africa and Girostack in North America.
The next SiGMA Startup Pitch final is scheduled to take place on 17 February 2027 in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of SiGMA Africa.
Applications for the competition will remain open until 6 January 2027, with eligible startups operating across iGaming, betting, affiliate marketing, esports and gaming technology. Selected applicants will receive event passes and access to the Startup Lounge, alongside consideration for a place in the final.