When Oleksandr “Alex” Feshchenko, CEO of the iGaming provider GR8 Tech, was named 2025’s CEO of the Year in the Technology industry, it marked more than a personal achievement. It signaled a fundamental shift in how the boundaries between niche and mainstream tech are dissolving, and how leaders who recognise this evolution are building companies that successfully compete beyond their original markets.
The distinction matters. While competitors claimed recognition within traditional iGaming categories, Alex Feshchenko’s award reflects a deeper truth: the most successful companies today aren’t defined by their industry verticals but by their ability to solve complex problems with elegant, scalable solutions.
Here are five key lessons from GR8 Tech’s journey that any ambitious tech leader can apply to expand their influence beyond traditional boundaries.
Lesson 1: Master the B2B2C Chain
While GR8 Tech operates in B2B markets, its success comes from deeply understanding the entire B2B2C value chain. Operators in the iGaming industry face competition not just from other operators; their true challenge stems from their main target—people’s attention and ways to spend free time. This makes giants like streaming services, social media, and mobile entertainment apps the real competition.
“Our clients need to captivate users in an environment where they have infinite choices,” Alex Feshchenko explains. “And when the competition is this fierce, we must offer a technology stack to match and beat that.”
GR8 Tech entered the market with an understanding of this competitive landscape, which shaped its approach to technology development. “We were early adopters of AI across our entire platform because personalisation at scale requires machine learning, not guesswork,” Alex adds. “When you’re competing with Netflix’s recommendation algorithms, you need technology that learns from every user interaction in real-time.” This approach led to building sophisticated personalised recommendation engines and developing in-depth user segmentation that gives operators the capability to identify and target precise audience segments. These and many other tools help deliver the best experiences for players while enhancing profitability for operators.
Lesson 2: Borrow and Contribute Across Industries
GR8 Tech strongly believes that innovations should not remain confined within a single industry. Engaging with other domains, as diverse as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, mining, and logistics, helps to gain valuable outside perspectives that inspire new solutions and approaches.
Real market impact comes from technology that delivers under actual business pressure
This two-way flow of ideas is essential because it helps avoid technological tunnel vision and sparks fresh thinking. By understanding how other industries solve complex problems, whether it’s real-time decision-making in logistics or predictive analytics in pharmaceuticals, GR8 Tech can adapt or repurpose those ideas to strengthen its own products and processes.
But the exchange flows in both directions. Technologies developed for high-frequency, real-time iGaming environments often find applications in other sectors requiring instant responsiveness and engagement. This cross-pollination of innovations becomes a strategic advantage in a rapidly evolving tech landscape where standing still is not an option.
Lesson 3: Build Cross-Industry Partnerships
The partnership between GR8 Tech and Ready to Fight, the platform co-created by undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, exemplifies how technology companies can transcend traditional industry boundaries. This collaboration brings together boxing, technology, and community building in ways that demonstrate capabilities beyond core verticals.
Both Ready to Fight and GR8 Tech embody resilience, high performance, and the pursuit of excellence—qualities that translate across industries. The platform integrates Web3 technologies, cryptocurrency services, and community engagement tools, areas where specialised tech companies often lead mainstream adoption.
This partnership led to the creation of the Heavyweight Club by GR8 Tech—an exclusive community and mindset for operators who want to lead, not follow. Inspired by Usyk’s strategy and discipline, the Club reflects a philosophy that excellence isn’t given—it’s earned through focus, resilience, and commitment to building at the highest level.
You need technology that learns from every user interaction in real-time
The Heavyweight Club demonstrates how cross-industry partnerships can create new business opportunities. It’s not just about technology integration, but shared values that resonate with target audiences. Operators who join aren’t seeking invitations; they’re 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,” Alex Feshchenko says. This mindset of perpetual ambition drives both individual leadership and company culture. The most dangerous place for any organisation, the CEO argues, is satisfaction with current success. “The toughest competitor you can face is yourself.”
This internal drive to continuously outperform previous results prevents complacency while signaling to the market that you’re operating at the highest level. Under this philosophy, GR8 Tech has onboarded over 60 new clients while building technology that stands comparison with the best in any industry—yet treats these milestones as foundations for the next level of achievement.
GR8 Tech’s ambitious goal of becoming the #1 sportsbook provider by 2028 isn’t just about market share. It’s about proving that specialised technology companies can achieve mainstream recognition while maintaining the focus and agility that made them successful. Setting goals that force continuous innovation prevents complacency while demonstrating a commitment to excellence.
Lesson 5: Build Technology That Delivers Results Under Pressure
Real market impact comes from technology that delivers under actual business pressure, not just in controlled environments. GR8 Tech’s approach focuses on heavyweight performance: scalability, speed, and profitability at the core, with geo-specific adaptations for specific target markets.
The results speak to this philosophy. With tailored solutions, GR8 Tech’s operators reach operational breakeven in under 12 months in the markets where the average is 3-4 years. There is a case of a client reaching over $1 million in gross gaming revenue in just four months post-launch. These aren’t theoretical benchmarks—they’re the real-world results that fuel GR8 Tech’s continued expansion and success that extends beyond a single industry.
“Heavyweight ambitions deserve heavyweight solutions,” the company maintains—and proves this stance with technology that delivers control and flexibility that translate directly into business results. This focus on measurable outcomes rather than feature lists distinguishes technology providers who understand that their clients’ success determines their own.
The Broader Application
Champions aren’t born in comfort zones—they’re forged through the relentless pursuit of excellence and the courage to compete beyond traditional boundaries. As technology continues to democratise across industries, the companies that thrive will be those that combine deep domain expertise with broad technological vision. GR8 Tech’s recognition in the general technology category proves that this balance is not just possible but increasingly necessary.
Technologies developed for high-frequency, real-time iGaming environments often find applications in other sectors
For leaders in any business area, the champion’s playbook is clear: redefine your competition, master complete value chains, forge unexpected partnerships, maintain relentless ambition, and deliver technology that performs under real pressure. Whether you’re building fintech solutions, healthcare platforms, or entertainment technology, these principles separate market leaders from followers.
For iGaming operators ready to step into the heavyweight division, the path is proven. GR8 Tech doesn’t just provide technology—it forges champions. The recognition, the results, and the relentless drive for excellence aren’t accidents. They’re the inevitable outcome when you refuse to settle for anything less than championship performance.
Champions recognise champions. The question isn’t whether you can compete at this level—it’s whether you’re ready to step into the ring.