Fanduel UK launch imminent

Speaking at the Entrepreneurial Scotland conference at Gleneagles this week, daily fantasy sports market leader FanDuel co-founder Lesley Eccles revealed that the company is all set to launch operations in the UK having established itself strongly in the United States and Canada.

The “Scots Unicorn” (a term used to describe start-up firms that have quickly achieved a market valuation in excess of $1 billion) Eccles said that the talent available in Scotland had persuaded the founders of the company to maintain their headquarters and development studios in Edinburgh despite the success enjoyed in northern America.

Scots-born Eccles, who founded the company with her husband, also confirmed that FanDuel was exploring other market opportunities outside North America.

The publication The Courier reports that since setting up in 2009, FanDuel’s user base has grown exponentially and the company is now a classic illustration of a company that had not only disrupted a market but created its own.

Eccles revealed that a previous start-up she had been involved in had not worked out and admitted there had been scary moments as FanDuel developed.

She said that she and her husband had made their move despite a “huge” mortgage, a new baby and an aversion to risk.

But they had decided that if they did not press ahead with the FanDuel concept they would always regret a missed opportunity, and had pushed forward with what turned out to be the right move.

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