Matt Kalish
Matt Kalish is best known as a co-founder and former President of DraftKings North America, the daily fantasy sports and sports betting giant he helped build from a small startup in 2012 into a publicly traded company valued at billions of dollars. As one of three co-founders alongside Jason Robins and Paul Liberman, Kalish played a central role in DraftKings' growth through the daily fantasy sports boom, the landmark legal battles over the industry's legitimacy, and the company's eventual expansion into regulated sports betting following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened the door for states to legalize wagering. His tenure at DraftKings spanned over a decade and included the company's 2020 public listing via a SPAC merger. At DraftKings, Kalish oversaw product and revenue functions, helping to shape the user experience and monetization strategies that made the platform one of the dominant forces in U.S. sports betting and fantasy sports. The company grew to serve millions of customers and became a major advertiser in sports media, making Kalish a significant figure at the intersection of sports, media, and consumer marketing. Following his departure from DraftKings, Kalish founded HardScope, a new venture. Details about HardScope's specific focus remain limited in public reporting, but Kalish brings deep expertise in consumer product development, sports entertainment, and scaling technology-driven businesses to the new endeavor.
Last updated Oct 2, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment
AI-drafted from public sources1 source cited
- Years in industry
- 13 years
Bio
Matt Kalish is best known as a co-founder and former President of DraftKings North America, the daily fantasy sports and sports betting giant he helped build from a small startup in 2012 into a publicly traded company valued at billions of dollars. As one of three co-founders alongside Jason Robins and Paul Liberman, Kalish played a central role in DraftKings' growth through the daily fantasy sports boom, the landmark legal battles over the industry's legitimacy, and the company's eventual expansion into regulated sports betting following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened the door for states to legalize wagering. His tenure at DraftKings spanned over a decade and included the company's 2020 public listing via a SPAC merger. At DraftKings, Kalish oversaw product and revenue functions, helping to shape the user experience and monetization strategies that made the platform one of the dominant forces in U.S. sports betting and fantasy sports. The company grew to serve millions of customers and became a major advertiser in sports media, making Kalish a significant figure at the intersection of sports, media, and consumer marketing. Following his departure from DraftKings, Kalish founded HardScope, a new venture. Details about HardScope's specific focus remain limited in public reporting, but Kalish brings deep expertise in consumer product development, sports entertainment, and scaling technology-driven businesses to the new endeavor.
Expertise & education
Expertise
Education
- BS, Boston University
Speaking topics
Recognition
Notable achievements
- Co-founded DraftKings in 2012, growing it into a publicly traded company via a SPAC merger in 2020
- Helped navigate DraftKings through the legal and regulatory landscape of daily fantasy sports and sports betting legalization in the U.S.
- Served as President of DraftKings North America overseeing product and revenue at scale