Kurt is a highly accomplished leader in the Gaming & Esports industry, with a track record of success in delivering innovative marketing solutions, business strategy, investment intelligence, and original production services to brands, publishers, leagues, teams, universities, and investors. Kurt has spearheaded high-profile projects in gaming/esports for prominent clients including Rocket Mortgage, Samsung, Smithfield, NCAA, Red Bull, 7-Eleven, and Heineken. He has also overseen global professional esports operations for some of the most iconic gaming titles, including Injustice 2, and Mortal Kombat 11.
Kurt rose to prominence when he made history by making Robert Morris University (IL) the first college to recognize esports as part of the athletic department and offer athletic scholarships to gamers. His pioneering work has legitimized esports as a competitive and educational pursuit, paving the way for future generations of gamers.

Kurt's visionary program has been featured in numerous high-profile news outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Time Magazine, ESPN, NPR, HBO Real Sports, and the documentary film, "All Work All Play." He also became a TED speaker when he presented the TED Talk "Gamers, The Rising Stars of Collegiate Athletics" in 2016.

Kurt's unparalleled expertise, forward-thinking approach, and commitment to excellence make him a driving force in the Gaming & Esports industry. He is a true visionary leader who has made a significant impact on the industry, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations.

Duran was in the esports space before the term “esports” was coined. Originally a StarCraft player Duran started his career by organising tournaments on his university campus which quickly expanded to form a league across all UC schools. The rapid growth and demand from students helped to forge Collegiate Starleague (CSL) which Duran co-founded in 2009. As the CEO of CSL Duran was responsible for onboarding universities and creating leagues and tournaments across multiple games in order to appeal to every competitive gamer. For over a decade Duran has been committed to developing the collegiate esports scene helping college campuses across North America to establish teams. Over 1,800 house teams have been formed across a number of games and platforms and now over $1 million is given away each year in scholarships. Duran now embarks on his next move heading up the newly formed collegiate esports division of FACEIT, the leading competitive gaming platform that is committed to evolving the grassroots competitive ecosystem. Duran will grow the new team and form collegiate programs for FACEIT’s partners helping them to build new international communities.