Carry1st
Carry1st is a gaming and digital commerce platform that helps global publishers scale in Africa and the Middle East through localized marketing, payment, and distribution services. The company operates Pay1st, a proprietary payments solution, and the Carry1st Shop, an online marketplace for in-game currency and subscriptions, while also publishing its own first-party titles. It has partnered with major franchises including Call of Duty: Mobile and VALORANT to reach the region's rapidly growing player base.
- Gaming & eSports
- Commerce & Shopping
- Financial Technology
- Software Only
- Marketing Technology
Funding
Funding not disclosed
+5Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Global game publishers struggle to monetize and distribute their content in Africa and the Middle East, where fragmented payment infrastructure, low access to traditional banking, and limited local marketing expertise create significant barriers to entry. Despite rapid player growth—Africa's player base is forecast to reach 406.25 million by 2026—many publishers lack the local infrastructure needed to capture this demand effectively.
Solution
Carry1st provides an end-to-end platform that enables global publishers to scale in Africa and the Middle East through marketing services, payment solutions, and distribution capabilities. The company operates Pay1st, a proprietary payments solution for processing transactions, and the Carry1st Shop, an online marketplace for in-game currency, subscriptions, and vouchers. It also publishes and operates its own games, including puzzle and board titles, blending third-party publishing with first-party content. The company leverages its local market insight and infrastructure, as evidenced by its market forecasts with Newzoo, to help partners like Riot Games and Call of Duty: Mobile reach millions of new players across the continent.
Target Audience
Primary customers include global game publishers and developers seeking to enter or expand in African and Middle Eastern markets, as well as regional mobile gamers who purchase in-game content through the Carry1st Shop.
Features
- Pay1st payment platform enabling localized transactions across diverse African and Middle Eastern markets
- Carry1st Shop online marketplace offering in-game currency, diamonds, points, passes, subscriptions, and vouchers with instant delivery and 24/7 support
- End-to-end marketing services designed for regional reach and user acquisition
- Full-cycle publishing support including game distribution and monetization for titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile, VALORANT, and Mergedom
- Proprietary market data and analysis capabilities, including annual regional market forecasting with Newzoo
- Portfolio of first-party game titles spanning puzzle and board game genres