The founders of Level Up Live, Tom Chiarella (CEO & Founder) and Tyler Harris (President & Co-founder), have attempted to create something entirely new with their cutting edge shooting sports entertainment center. Level Up Live is an experience that merges the tactile thrill of live-action shooting with the excitement of modern gaming to make it safe, engaging, and accessible for a broader audience. Level Up Live’s proprietary technology merges smart target technology, real-time scoring, and 3D mapping, delivering a safe, non-violent, and family-friendly shooting sports experience. By eschewing human-likeness targets, avoiding the sale of firearms,  and embracing smart target technology, Level Up Live aims to foster an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and fun for everyone, from first-timers to experienced shooters. Start Engine Crowdfunding Campaign Level Up Live just announced the beginning of their crowdfunding campaign on Start Engine. Level Up Live has remarkable growth potential, particularly with upcoming expansions to new markets like Seattle and the greater area of Los Angeles. The funds raised through this Start Engine campaign will go directly toward enhancing and furthering these expansion efforts. The unit economics of Level Up Live have looked incredibly promising from the outset, with each respective “Zone” (entertainment center) projected to generate over $1M with 85–88% gross margins. To further this, Level Up Live is ambitiously looking toward global scalability, with their team planning to expand into new markets using both direct-owned facilities and licensed partnerships. Through these efforts, Level Up Live has successfully built a globally scalable business model that addresses legal, cultural, and logistical challenges, ensuring they can operate in diverse markets. They aim to provide an accessible, fun, and safe experience for everyone. Level Up Live plans to soon have over 100 locations featuring 500 Zones globally. Overcoming Challenges and Exceeding Expectations One of the biggest challenges that Tom and Tyler faced when founding Level Up Live was fundamentally redefining the perception of shooting sports. In order to create a safe, inclusive, and modern experience, Level Up Live would have to entirely repackage the way general audiences perceive shooting sports. The traditional shooting industry is often associated with paramilitary branding, human-likeness targets, and the sale of firearms. All of these factors can alienate a significant portion of potential participants. As Level Up Live’s founders said, “We knew there was a massive, underserved audience who would enjoy the thrill of target shooting but were put off by these outdated offerings.” Level Up Live overcame these issues in perception through continuous beta testing with over 1,000 users, which allowed them to refine their product and confirm that it had strong appeal across genders, age groups, and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, forming strategic partnerships, such as with Evike.com, the world’s largest airsoft retailer, has been crucial in expanding its reach and establishing credibility in a new market. A soft launch event will be held at Evike’s AirsoftCon on Oct 19th—the world’s biggest airsoft convention, located at Evike’s flagship location in Alhambra, CA. Over 3,000 people are expected to attend and experience the thrill of Level Up Live’s immersive shooting sports environment firsthand. Changing the Future of Shooting Sports What truly sets Level Up Live apart from others in the shooting sports and entertainment industry is Level Up Live’s complete reimagination of what a shooting experience can be. Unlike traditional gun ranges or simulated shooting attractions, Level Up Live has merged live-action shooting with the excitement and interactivity of gaming. Using advanced smart target technology, 3D mapping, and real-time scoring, Level Up Live has created an experience that is as much about skill development and competition as it is about fun and entertainment. The post Level Up Live is Redefining Shooting Sports Entertainment appeared first on LA Weekly.