Industry
Ukrainian multi-gaming esports organization Natus Vincere partially confirms information from the Ukrainian edition of Forbes about changing of ownership.
"In 2018, the club's founder, Oleksandr Kokhanovskyi, decided to sell NAVI, realizing that the company needed significant investments to reach the next level. That led to Maksym Krippa becoming the majority owner of NAVI in Q4 2018. Maksym is a Ukrainian businessman and venture capital investor with IT, game development, and real estate assets," said the NAVI statement.
According to the statement, the deal took effect over a period of time and included the new owner fulfilling certain obligations. The new owner executed it all and did even more. NAVI got a new high-tech office in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and created an academy for junior CS:GO and Dota 2 players.
However, NAVI categorically rejected the information that the new owner is the bookmaker GG.BET.
"We would like to refute the information spread by some media outlets that GG.BET owns NAVI. We are not owned by GG.BET. They are our title partner until the end of 2023, when the next tender for the partnership contract is held," NAVI stated.
The organization also informed that the partners, stakeholders, and leagues that asked for details about the ownership structure were aware of the deal. Also, NAVI employees and players know the new owner since he has already been to multiple tournaments with them.