Dylan Collins

{{short description|Irish software company founder}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Dylan Collins (born 1980) is an Irish software company founder and technology investor.{{Cite web | title = Dylan Collins: Executive Profile & Biography - Businessweek | author = | work = Businessweek.com | date = | accessdate = 2016-03-30 | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=33019253&privcapId=11042494| quote =

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Collins was a co-founder in 2003 of the gaming software start-up Demonware,{{Cite web | title = Dylan Collins: Everything Is SuperAwesome - Dublin Globe | author = | work = Dublin Globe | date = | accessdate = 2016-03-30 | url = http://www.dublinglobe.com/companies/international/dylan-collins-everything-is-superawesome | quote = | archive-date = 29 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190529102909/http://www.dublinglobe.com/companies/international/dylan-collins-everything-is-superawesome | url-status = dead }} which was sold to Activision in 2007.{{Cite web | title = Leading US games publisher buys DemonWare - Life {{!}} siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service | author = | work = Silicon Republic | date = | accessdate = 2016-03-30 | url = https://www.siliconrepublic.com/life/2007/02/19/leading-us-games-publisher-buys-demonware | quote = }} In 2007, Collins went on to acquire Jolt Online Gaming which was sold to GameStop in 2009.

In 2013, Collins founded SuperAwesome, a company that builds infrastructure to enable safe engagement with young audiences on the internet, where he served as the CEO until 2023.{{Cite web | title = It’s time…stepping back from SuperAwesome | date = 2023-09-01 | url = https://www.dylancollins.com/p/its-timestepping-back-from-superawesome }} The company raised a $7 million investment in June 2015 {{Cite web | title = Ad Firm SuperAwesome Says It Can Help Kids’ Brands Navigate YouTube | last = Shields | first = Mike | work = WSJ | date = 1 March 2016 | accessdate = 2016-03-30 | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/ad-firm-superawesome-says-it-can-help-kids-brands-navigate-youtube-1456830004 | quote = }}{{Cite web | title = SuperAwesome, The ‘Kid-Safe’ Marketing Platform, Raises $7M Series A

| last = O'Hear | first = Steve | work = TechCrunch | date = | accessdate = 2016-03-30 | url = https://techcrunch.com/2015/07/20/youll-never-win-anything-with-kids/ | quote =

}} and in 2017 it was reported by Sky News that the company had raised an additional £20m.{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/uk-start-up-superawesome-sells-stake-to-investment-firm-mayfair-10958823|title=UK start-up SuperAwesome sells stake to investment firm Mayfair|website=Sky News|language=en|access-date=2019-01-22}} The company powers the parental consent requirement for many games oriented at kids such as Pokémon Go.{{Cite web|url=http://kidscreen.com/2018/08/16/pokemon-go-partners-with-superawesome-on-parental-controls/|title=Pokémon GO partners with SuperAwesome on parental controls|access-date=2019-01-22}} Microsoft's investment arm M12 invested in the company in 2019{{Cite news|last=Chowdhury|first=Hasan|date=2019-12-24|title=Microsoft to back British 'kidtech' start-up SuperAwesome|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/12/24/microsoft-venture-capital-arm-back-kidtech-start-up-superawesome/|access-date=2020-10-07|issn=0307-1235}} and it was acquired in 2020 by Epic Games for just under $500 million.{{Cite news|last=Cook|first=James|date=2020-09-25|title=Fortnite maker Epic Games acquires British start-up SuperAwesome|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/09/25/fortnite-maker-epic-games-acquires-british-start-up-superawesome/|access-date=2020-10-07|issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |last=Cogley |first=Michael |date=2024-06-13 |title="When your life has been defined by building companies, it does tend to be how you think about the future" |url=https://thecurrency.news/articles/151631/when-your-life-has-been-defined-by-building-companies-it-does-tend-to-be-how-you-think-about-the-future/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Currency |language=en-US}}

Collins is regularly quoted in the media around the application of Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to technology companies and the general concern of parental consent required for games and applications that target children.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/kid-friendly-internet-company-trying-build-one-n950491|title=A kid-friendly internet? This company is trying to build one|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=2019-01-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/tech-firm-on-mission-to-make-online-data-privacy-kids-stuff-1.3499034|title=Tech firm on mission to make online data privacy kids’ stuff|last=O'Brien|first=Ciara|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-01-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/article/interview-with-dylan-collins-ceo-cofounder-of-super-awesome-nasdaq-disruptors-cm1031564|title=NASDAQ interview with Dylan Collans}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/video/2013/aug/08/superawesome-dylan-collins-kids-discovery-video|title=SuperAwesome's Dylan Collins on kids and discovery - video|last=Kiss|first=Jemima|date=2013-08-08|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-01-22|last2=Green|first2=Mark|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=Boyd|first3=Paul|last4=theguardian.com}} He has recommended media companies have a "Chief Children's Officer" to safeguard the privacy and concerns of children.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/11/do-childrens-apps-give-them-hard-sell-advertising|title=Do your children’s apps give them the hard sell?|last=Dredge|first=Stuart|date=2018-11-11|work=The Observer|access-date=2019-01-22|language=en-GB|issn=0029-7712}}

Collins is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and he previously sat on the boards of Irish television animation studio Brown Bag Films{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/irish-led-kid-tech-company-valued-at-100m-1.3400042|title=Irish led ‘kid tech’ company valued at $100m|last=Taylor|first=Charlie|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-01-21}} and the UK agency Potato.{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=John |date=2013-10-02 |title=Dylan Collins-chaired Potato listed in top 10 Drum Digital Census - Companies {{!}} siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/dylan-collins-chaired-potato-listed-in-top-10-drum-digital-census |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Silicon Republic |language=en}} He is also a Venture Partner in Hoxton Ventures.