By Janko Ulaga, CPTO
Rare is the startup that hits product-market fit early—and then accelerates. JustPlay is one of them. A company that didn’t just find traction, but built momentum fast.
After years of building and leading tech teams, I’ve seen how elusive product-market fit can be. Everyone’s chasing it. Few actually get there.
We did.
A Market Ready for Change
Mobile gaming is at a crossroads. Players demand genuine rewards for their attention, and advertisers need measurable outcomes—not just views, but real user engagement and retention.
And yet, traditional platforms keep gameplay and monetization at arm’s length. The result? Friction, churn, and a business model that doesn’t serve anyone particularly well.
JustPlay takes a different approach: creating an integratred ecosystem where gameplay and monetization work hand-in-hand. Every interaction is designed to deliver value—for players and advertisers alike.
We’re not tweaking the old model. We’re replacing it.
On Momentum
The numbers back it up:
- Over 25 million downloads
- Half a million daily active users
- More than 100% year-over-year DAU growth
- Over 50% year-over-year revenue growth
- Churn rates significantly lower than industry averages
That kind of growth isn’t random—it’s built on strong product foundations, a clear model, and the right execution at the right time. JustPlay invested early in infrastructure, stayed laser-focused on player experience, and scaled the team deliberately—not reactively.
Why I Joined
I’ve spent the last decade leading teams across AdTech, Logistics, and Quick Commerce—industries full of speed, complexity, and smart people solving hard problems. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that even the best people can’t fix a broken business model.
What pulled me toward JustPlay was simple:
- A business model delivering genuine value for players and advertisers
- A product seamlessly integrating monetization and gameplay
- A mission-led team that’s not just smart, but aligned
- An opportunity not just to grow a company, but to help shape a category
When a company is united by a clear goal and people are empowered to do their best work, success feels personal. That kind of alignment takes focus and care to protect as you grow.
Joining this team isn’t just another step in my career—it’s about building the kind of company I would’ve loved to work for in the past. We already have everything we need to redefine the category. Now, it’s about thoughtfully scaling this potential while staying true to our mission and values.
What’s Next
As CPTO, my role is to help scale what’s already working—and to do it without losing what makes us special. My priorities are:
- Empowering teams to move fast and make independent decisions
- Driving impact through focus and alignment—not just headcount
- Building in a way that’s sustainable, valuable, and resilient
- Pushing innovation across product, engineering, and data
We’re not here to copy what’s been done before.
We’re building something fundamentally different: an ecosystem where gameplay, rewards, and advertising work together by design—not by compromise.
We’re blending innovative ad tech with engaging, rewarded mobile gaming experiences people actually love.
And we’re just getting started.
Join Us
If you’re a developer, engineer, or product thinker who wants to build something meaningful and enduring, check out our careers page.
