2025 Best Startup Businesses in Maryland: Game4Good

Game4Good, originally called G-Haven eSports, is a social impact organization founded by Derek Carr Jr. that seeks to transform gaming culture beyond mere entertainment. The organization focuses on converting the gaming community into socially conscious participants who understand their potential for creating meaningful change. 

Created by gamers for gamers, Game4Good provides products and services designed to help players channel their gaming passion into positive social impact. The organization’s mission centers on demonstrating that video games and esports can serve as powerful tools for addressing social issues and bringing people together globally. 

Through various events and initiatives, Game4Good aims to launch a new movement of “socially conscious gaming.” This approach encourages gamers to recognize the influence and responsibility they hold each time they engage with games. By socially engaging and activating the gaming community, the organization strives to prove that gaming can be a force for positive change in the world. 

What inspired you to launch your business? 

I’ve been a gamer my whole life. During the pandemic in 2020, e-sports was gaining rapid popularity, and I kept hearing investors and business professionals ask, “How do you monetize esports and video gaming?” My company is my answer. You Don’t! You valu-tize e-sports and gaming, then monetize the value you create. This is my way to lead and set an example on how you can drive revenue, while being impact-focused, my version of conscious capitalism. 

What challenges have you faced as a new business? 

The challenges I faced lay in aligning the vision and innovation to investors and understanding who exactly my key stakeholders were. My company challenged the societal perspective of video gaming. Besides the negative stigma that comes with that title, I had to relay this in a way that crossed generations and created buy-in beyond the reasons that it could be a positive opportunity for the youth. 

What accomplishments are you most proud of? 

I’m proud of my annual conference, the Esports and STEM Festival, recently rebranded to the Game Your Future Conference! For the past three years, we’ve driven impact and connected a siloed market. People and industries that wouldn’t engage with each other have, because of the impact my company has made. 

How do you support the larger community? 

Game4Good supports the community by hosting annual Game Your Future conferences and Esports & STEM Festivals that bridge gaming with career and tech skills; delivering the Gaming in the Classroom Financial Certification Program to teach financial literacy through games; and running a gamified fundraising app that turns play into donations for nonprofits, engages advertisers, and empowers students and underserved communities. 

What programs do you have in place to enhance employee morale? 

In December, we have an annual company event to celebrate the work well done and the team that made all of it possible. As we expand, we’re looking to have one every quarter to build and maintain morale. 

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by information provided by the honorees and other resources. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.