Catalyst Games Launches First Virtual National Season

AUSTIN FOUNDED NONPROFIT, CATALYST GAMES, LAUNCHES VIRTUAL 
GAME SEASON TO IMPROVE COMPANY CULTURE WHILE REMOTE WORKING

Notley’s Catalyst Games National Season will engage company employee teams in virtual competitions and benefit nonprofits focused on equity and access to opportunity for underserved communities

www.catalystgames.com

(Austin, TX - July 1, 2020) - Since 2012, Catalyst Games, an Austin founded nonprofit organization formerly known as Startup Games, has brought companies together for a day of team building by playing games for charity. Today the organization has announced the launch of a virtual National Season that will allow companies from anywhere in the country the chance to sign up their employee team or teams to compete in an 8-week  series of virtual games and volunteer opportunities benefiting nonprofit organizations. 

“When we relaunched our programming strategy in January to enable us to have even more year-round impact in Catalyst Games communities, we could never have anticipated the obstacles that would be caused by COVID,” said Catalyst Games Executive Director, Katrina Tolentino. “We are excited about our new virtual season model and ability to provide much needed employee engagement and  team building experiences to companies while they adjust to this new remote way of working. This is going to be a lot of fun, all while providing much needed services and funding to our communities’ nonprofits.”

The official season kicks off in September with a month of virtual volunteer opportunities employee teams can opt in to and accrue bonus points. Catalyst Games will be using a collaborative volunteer platform, POINTapp, that will allow teams to choose and connect with nonprofit volunteer activities directly.  The virtual competitions will take place weekly throughout the month of October and include events like Trivia, immersive Escape Rooms and a virtual twist on relay races. The top two teams from each region  will move onto a championship bracket  beginning October 25 and all teams will celebrate the fun and impact in an awards presentation on November 12, 2020.

The season is estimated to raise over $50,000 for nonprofit partners tackling opportunity access for individuals and families through STEAM education, early childhood development, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and literacy. Organizations include Code2College and E4Y in Austin, A Precious Child and a Youth on Record in Denver, and Sheltering Arms in Atlanta with more nonprofits to be confirmed soon.

"Engaging our team virtually during this time has been a challenge,” said Matt Noland, Senior Technical Program Manager at Cison who will have a team playing in the Catalyst Games season. “While we've done a lot of creative things internally as a company, it's been a huge asset to have organizations like Catalyst Games to partner with in building team culture." 

Early bird team registration is open until August 3, 2020 and costs $2,500 for a team of up to 25 athletes and additional volunteers. Catalyst Games will host a virtual FAQ call on July 17 at 10:30 AM CST to learn more about the virtual season. The first 50  company representatives to sign up for the FAQ will receive their choice of $20 gift cards to a Black owned business or restaurant in one of our program cities.  Visit catalystgames.com/national-season to register for the FAQ event,  register your team for the season, or learn more about sponsorship opportunities. 

About Catalyst Games 
Catalyst Games is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enhance companies’ culture and camaraderie through friendly competition that creates tangible impact in the community. Catalyst Games identifies the most pressing cause area to support at the local level and works with nonprofits to create impactful experiences for the business community to engage. Each season culminates in an exciting “day of games”' where company teams compete to raise funds for select nonprofit organizations.

About Notley
Notley is an impact investment company that operates as an engine for social good. Their mission is to catalyze the growth and expansion of innovative organizations making positive change in the world. Notley does this by funding and operating multiple initiatives like Catalyst Games, Philanthropitch, Women@Austin, NotleyEDU, The Center for Social Innovation, and also provides seed funding and support to other organizations focused on social change. Notley uses knowledge, collaboration, human and financial capital to create opportunities for impact and invites others to join in the effort. 
Learn more at wearenotley.com.

Media Contact
Megan Ambrose
VP Marketing/Events, Notley
megan@notleyventures.com