When Alex Feshchenko, CEO of the iGaming provider GR8 Tech, was named 2025’s CEO of the year in the technology industry by European CEO, it marked more than personal achievement. It signalled how boundaries between niche and mainstream tech are dissolving, and how visionary leaders are building companies that compete far beyond their original markets. Unlike peers recognised only within iGaming, Feshchenko’s award reflects that today’s most successful companies aren’t defined by verticals but by their ability to solve complex problems with scalable, elegant solutions. Here are five lessons from GR8 Tech’s journey for tech leaders aiming to expand beyond traditional boundaries.
Lesson 1) Master the B2B2C chain: While GR8 Tech operates in B2B, its strength lies in mastering the full B2B2C value chain. iGaming operators compete with each other and fight for people’s attention against streaming, social media and mobile entertainment. “Our clients need to captivate users in a world of infinite choices,” says Feshchenko. “To compete with giants, we must offer a stack that matches and beats them.”
That mindset drove GR8 Tech to adopt AI early, enabling real-time personalisation at scale. Competing with recommendation engines like Netflix required sophisticated user segmentation and personalised tools, now key to delivering better player experiences and stronger operator profitability.
Lesson 2) Borrow and contribute across industries: GR8 Tech believes innovation shouldn’t stay confined to one industry. Engaging with other fields brings fresh perspectives and sparks new solutions. This two-way exchange prevents tunnel vision: GR8 Tech adapts outside ideas to strengthen its products, while its own real-time iGaming technologies often find applications in other sectors. Such cross-pollination is a key advantage in the fast-moving tech industry.
Lesson 3) Build cross-industry partnerships: GR8 Tech’s partnership with Ready to Fight – the platform co-created by undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk – shows how tech can transcend industry boundaries by blending boxing, technology and community. Both brands embody resilience and excellence. Ready to Fight integrates Web3, crypto services and community tools – areas where specialised tech often leads mainstream adoption. From this collaboration came GR8 Tech’s Heavyweight Club, an exclusive community for operators who want to lead inspired by Usyk’s discipline.
The Heavyweight Club demonstrates how cross-industry partnerships can create new business opportunities. Operators who join aren’t seeking invitations; they are embracing a mindset that demands heavyweight performance and delivers heavyweight results.
Lesson 4) Maintain relentless ambition:
“What keeps me motivated is the discomfort of knowing how much more we could still achieve,” Feshchenko says. The most dangerous place for any organisation, the CEO argues, is satisfaction with current success. “The toughest competitor you can face is yourself.”
This ambition keeps GR8 Tech pushing past milestones, onboarding 60plus new clients and building tech that rivals any industry. The company treats each success as a foundation for the next. Intending to become the number one sports book provider by 2028, GR8 Tech shows how ambitious targets fuel innovation, prevent complacency and prove specialised tech can achieve mainstream recognition.
Lesson 5) Build technology that delivers results under pressure: Impact comes from tech that performs under business pressure. GR8 Tech focuses on heavyweight performance – scalability, speed, profitability – with geo adaptations. The results prove it: operators often reach breakeven in under 12 months (versus the three-to-four-year average), and one client hit $1m in gross gaming revenue within four months.
Real-world outcomes drive GR8 Tech’s expansion beyond a single industry. “Heavyweight ambitions deserve heavyweight solutions,” the company maintains – and proves this stance with technology that translates directly into business results. GR8 Tech understands that its clients’ success determines its own.
The broader application
Champions aren’t born in comfort zones – they are forged through the relentless pursuit of excellence and the courage to compete beyond traditional boundaries. As tech democratises, the winners will be those who pair deep expertise with broad vision. GR8 Tech’s recognition in the general technology category proves this balance is both possible and essential. For leaders, the champion’s playbook is clear: redefine competition, master value chains, build bold partnerships, stay relentlessly ambitious, and deliver tech that performs under pressure.
For iGaming operators aiming for the heavyweight division, the path is proven. GR8 Tech’s recognition and results come from refusing to settle for less than championship performance. Champions recognise champions. The question isn’t whether you can compete at this level – it is whether you are ready to step into the ring.
