Ann Arbor Startup Set To Revolutionize Pinball with Pokémon Go-Style Platforms

A Michigan tech firm secured $3.7 million in seed money to transform how people play pinball. Scorbit's new system turns classic arcade games into phone-linked prize contests.

The tech links old-school pinball machines to modern phones, tracking scores and handling payments. Players can now chase cash rewards up to $500 through their mobile devices.

"You can participate in that tournament at a local bar, put up a high score and then a day later, you might get a notification that I beat your score," said Ron Richards, chief strategy officer for Scorbit, according to Crain's Detroit Business.

Detroit Venture Partners led the investment push. The funds will boost the staff count past its current ten workers, with Michigan already home to four team members.

Starting in 2015, the firm first tackled automatic scoring for pinball. When COVID struck, sales jumped as home-bound enthusiasts added score trackers to their machines.

At the helm stands CEO Jay Adelson, whose past wins include Equinix's $270 million IPO in 2000. His track record shows success with Opsmatic's sale to New Relic, plus launching Center Electric, an investment group, in 2014.

Michigan ties run deep for Adelson. He was born in Detroit, and his Southfield upbringing inspired him to plant roots here. Richards noted, "The more conversations we had with folks coming out of Michigan, the more I felt like this is a great direction to go."

Their new app makes game payments quick while showing nearby contests. It builds on ideas that made Pokemon Go a hit back in 2016.

"I was a kid of the '80s, and a lot of kids from the '80s were spending their time unsupervised in arcades, probably spending every dollar that you earn playing games," Adelson said.

Late 2025 marks the big push to spread their contest system nationwide. The Scorbit app points players to venues and upcoming tournaments near them.