Razer acquires StreamElements in rescue deal after months of uncertainty
The Israeli-founded livestreaming platform finds a new owner in an acquisition believed to be worth far less than the $111 million it raised from investors.
Gaming hardware maker Razer has acquired the assets of Israeli-founded livestreaming platform StreamElements, ending months of uncertainty for the company after it sought a buyer to avoid a possible collapse.
The companies did not disclose financial terms. However, the acquisition is believed to have been completed for well below the approximately $111 million StreamElements raised from investors over its lifetime.
The acquisition brings one of the world's largest creator software platforms into Razer's ecosystem, extending the Singapore-headquartered company's ambitions beyond gaming hardware into the software and services that power livestreaming.
The deal concludes a turbulent period for StreamElements marked by multiple rounds of layoffs and an urgent search for a strategic buyer. Two months ago, the company publicly acknowledged it was in advanced discussions with potential acquirers after warning that it was seeking a transaction "to find the best path forward for creators, customers, and our team."
That process has now culminated in Razer acquiring substantially all of the assets used to operate the business from Live Momentum Ltd., the former holding company of StreamElements. The acquisition includes the company's intellectual property, platform data, know-how and business records.
Founded in 2017 by Or Perry, Doron Nir, Gil Hirsch and Reem Sherman, StreamElements developed one of the most widely used cloud platforms for livestream creators. Its software powers much of the infrastructure behind modern streaming, including overlays, alerts, chatbots, tipping pages, sponsorship management, online stores and audience engagement tools.
The company became a core part of the livestreaming ecosystem by providing creators with tools to produce broadcasts, manage communities and generate revenue without having to build their own infrastructure.
Its rise coincided with the rapid expansion of livestreaming during the pandemic. In 2021, StreamElements raised $100 million in a funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from PayPal, State of Mind Ventures, Pitango First, Menora Mivtachim and Mivtach Shamir. Altogether, the company raised approximately $111 million.
According to both companies, StreamElements will continue operating with the same team, the same tools and the same creator-first approach. Overlays, alerts and chatbots will remain free, while tipping payouts and creator earnings will continue without interruption.
"The tools you rely on stay free. Your earnings stay yours. Same platform, same team, with more resources, more features, more sponsorships coming," StreamElements wrote in a post announcing the acquisition.
Over time, Razer said it plans to explore integrating StreamElements with products including Razer Chroma RGB, Razer Gold, Razer Silver, Razer ID and its broader creator ecosystem.
One notable aspect of the announcement addresses an issue that had become increasingly sensitive during StreamElements' financial uncertainty: outstanding payments owed to creators.
Razer said part of the purchase consideration has been earmarked for payments owed before the acquisition closed, with Live Momentum Ltd. already beginning those payments.
The former holding company will remain responsible for all pre-closing debts and liabilities, including obligations to creators.
