Danny Martin started making his mark on the esports industry during his time as a University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) student athlete studying small business management and entrepreneurship. His first gig in gaming involved repairing gaming equipment for his classmates with the knowledge and skill he’d gained in the infancy of esports. It wasn’t long before he recognized the financial opportunity available in organizing large-scale esports tournaments. Having built a database of gamers through friends and contacts on campus, Danny started hosting tournaments, and his first esports business, Geekletes, was born.
After leaving UTSA, Danny’s career and interest in esports continued to grow. By 2015, he co-founded and self-funded his own esports organization by turning his 2,000-square-foot Downtown Dallas loft into a gaming esports arena. Today, Danny is the Co-Founder and CEO of Esposure, a global esports technology company with a proprietary Education to Entertainment (E2E) ecosystem focused on developing the next generation of esports professionals and competitive gamers.
Entrepreneurship is in Danny’s DNA. His uncles owned and managed a landscaping company, and Danny worked for them while he was in high school. Watching them operate their own business solidified Danny’s interest in being an entrepreneur. Those memories, paired with his interest in providing value to the community, have encouraged Danny to push forward in his entrepreneurial journey.
In addition to mentors like his family members, professors and tech industry experts, Danny credits his ability to persevere to his days running track in his hometown of Lancaster, Texas throughout high school and at UTSA. “Building a business is like a marathon. There are constant ups and downs, but you have to understand goal-setting, pace and milestones. You have to have the energy to keep pushing forward – enough energy to be better than your competitors.”
He’s still on a fast track today, determined to engage and empower 20,000 students and young adults with STEM esports education and career exploration by 2025. His passion for helping others has allowed him to speak to more than 5,000 students, parents and esports enthusiasts at more than 35 events. So far, more than 250 students have completed the MasterClass, Esposure’s STEM.org Accredited course covering core principles in management, marketing, production, technology, and competition.
Under Danny’s leadership as CEO, Esposure has made significant strides and is seeing steady growth. The company has earned over $3 million in revenue and has grown to over 30 employees.
Danny has personally mentored 14 interns and recently bolstered the company’s capabilities in areas such as technology, production services and design through strategic hiring.
Beyond his work with Esposure, Danny remains committed to the community, serving on the boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star and the Esports Trade Association. In addition, Danny began lending his expertise to a new Esports Business Management course at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas in 2021, contributing curriculum focused on esports team organization, management and recruitment.