Jest, a San Francisco, CA-based builder of a marketplace for messaging games, has raised $7 million in a seed funding round led by Innovation Endeavors.
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The company plans to use the money to grow the platform and bring in its first group of studios.
Jest is building the world’s first marketplace for messaging games. Powered by the fast global growth of RCS, Jest uses messaging as an easy, no-friction way to distribute games — making it a strong alternative to traditional app stores.
Chat Is Becoming the Main Way People Use Technology
Messaging is no longer just for talking to friends — it’s becoming a way to use apps and services. From ChatGPT to customer support bots, people are now used to interacting with technology through chat. Jest builds on this trend by letting players discover, play, and stay connected to their favorite games directly through a chat interface.
People Expect Instant Experiences
With modern smartphones, fast 5G, and better web technology, users don’t want to download apps anymore. They expect games and experiences to open instantly, without taking up storage space. No-install games are a natural next step for mobile gaming.
RCS Is Unlocking Rich Messaging
RCS is now turned on by default on both Android and iOS devices, making the messaging inbox more interactive. Unlike basic push notifications, which are limited, RCS allows richer, app-like experiences inside a conversation. This gives developers more freedom and makes it easier for users to engage.
“As millions of mobile apps and games fight for attention while app store downloads fall and user acquisition costs rise, it’s clear the app store model is no longer working,” said Deyan Vitanov, CEO and Co-Founder of Jest. Messaging is the first open, global channel that gives developers a completely new way to reach and engage users. It changes retention by meeting players where they already spend their time — in their text messages.”
Early partners developing for the platform include studios such as Pocket Gems (Episode), Global Worldwide (Kingdom Maker), HayHay (Puppy Mansion), Nowwa (Super Snappy Go), HG Point (Piece of Cake), and Dominion Games (Opps).
To help create the next generation of popular messaging games, Jest is launching the Jest Games Fund. The fund will support both indie and established studios in building, launching, and growing games for messaging — including adapting existing IP for the Jest platform.
The Jest Games Fund supports studios at every stage of building games on the Jest platform. It has started investing $1M in flagship titles, $200K in promising games, and $40K in early-stage ideas.
Instant Reach: Messaging games open right away — no downloads, no waiting, and no barriers between finding a game and playing it.
Keep 90% of Revenue: Developers keep 90% of their revenue on Jest. The platform also covers all messaging costs — unlike app stores, which usually take 30% or more plus extra distribution fees.
Easy to Build: Jest’s SDK makes messaging as simple as an API call. It handles the infrastructure, carrier connections, compliance, and liability, so teams can focus on creating great games.
“Every major gaming platform has been shaped by a new way to reach users,” said Dror Berman, Founder and Managing Partner at Innovation Endeavors. “Jest is creating a new one inside messaging, giving developers direct access to global audiences beyond the app store model.”
About Jest
Founded in 2025 by Deyan Vitanov, Jest is building the first marketplace for messaging games. It gives developers a new way to reach players instantly through the world’s most familiar platform — text messaging.Built for the texting era, Jest offers games that require no downloads and are designed for strong engagement and large-scale growth.
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