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Matthew Kalish on entrepreneurship

From Draft Kings: Blockchain, Sports & Digital Collectibles Feat. Matt Kalish (CoFounder & President) · · Blockchain Won't Save The World

“I think it's a great time to build because there's probably less competition creating new things and generally speaking less crazy like, oh my god, this company just raised like a hundred million to do exactly what I want to do. It might be a little bit of a quieter period to to create something in a reasonable way on slow burn that has a long-term intention. And I would just make sure you have patience, you have the perseverance to get through a period of time that might be no immediate gratification for a year, two years, but then one day you'll have your day in the sun, you know.”

Matthew Kalish
Co-Founder, President of DraftKings North America & Director, DraftKings
entrepreneurshipmarket cyclesbuilding in bear market

On , Matthew Kalish, Co-Founder, President of DraftKings North America & Director at DraftKings, spoke about entrepreneurship during Draft Kings: Blockchain, Sports & Digital Collectibles Feat. Matt Kalish (CoFounder & President) on Blockchain Won't Save The World.

Draft Kings: Blockchain, Sports & Digital Collectibles Feat. Matt Kalish (CoFounder & President)
Watch on YouTube at 47:09
Draft Kings: Blockchain, Sports & Digital Collectibles Feat. Matt Kalish (CoFounder & President)
Watch on YouTube at 47:09
How did a sports betting company become a world leader in Blockchain? Co-founder Matt Kalish explains how NFTs and the Reignmakers fantasy sports experience are unlocking entirely new business models... This is one of those shows that will make things 'finally click'... When you see a business with high digital penetration, based on real-world events and data feeds, and with high levels of fan engagement, there's a strong basis for fast-paced innovation. Matt and the Draft Kings team have captured the imagination of thousands of fans and consolidated the 'fantasy sports' category. They're publishing content licensed by top sports associations like the PGA, UFC and NFL, with individual player NFTs selling for thousands of dollars. On this episode we find out why and how Draft Kings have been thriving in Web3, and cover: The origins of DK's interest in Web3 An introduction to the Reignmakers products How to combine the best of sports, gaming and NFTs What's coming in Reignmakers Football Season 2 How DK measure the impact of Blockchain and NFT tech The challenges of working with Web3 technology The response of 'traditional' customers of DK as well as of the wider Web3 and NFT communities
Matthew Kalish

About Matthew Kalish

Co-Founder, President of DraftKings North America & Director · DraftKings

Matthew Kalish, co-founder of DraftKings, stated in a May 2026 interview that he left the company in November 2024. He has since been publicly critical of the prediction market platform Kalshi, describing its marketing as "gaslighting customers" and "lying." Kalish argued that Kalshi presents itself as a platform where casual users can compete against Wall Street, but he characterized it as a "Wall Street product" that misleads consumers about its liquidity and pricing. He also recounted a personal experience of attempting to place a $10,000 bet on Kalshi and receiving a poor price, which he said prompted his criticism. In other appearances, Kalish discussed his involvement with FaZe Clan, describing it as a "talent charity" that was losing money on housing and production. He stated that the current meta for content creators favors independence over being part of an organization. Earlier, in an August 2023 interview while still at DraftKings, Kalish discussed the company's expansion into web3 and NFTs through the DraftKings Marketplace and Reignmakers fantasy sports, noting that the company's regulated status and customer trust were advantages in that space. He also advised that it was a good time to build a business with patience and a long-term intention, given reduced competition.

Profile compiled from Matthew Kalish's verified public interviews and appearances. See all quotes & transcripts →

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