A Message from Our CEO – March 2026

"Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."

 — Bill Gates

The average professional boxer gets 47 concussions a year. It’s a primal, competitive, and brutal sport. But wait, there’s something more competitive and brutal, and there is big prize money to boot: 

Excel E-sports.

The previously humble Excel spreadsheet, nestled passively with cousins Word and PowerPoint in the software suite you never-asked-for-but-had-to-buy, called Microsoft 365 Copilot, has broken its stodgy image.

It now thrives as a badass esport with $100,000 in prize money, often going to formerly wan, unpopular boys who can =SUM(A1:A10)=LET((Sales,B2:B10)*the^sh*t)) out of a formula. 

What started as a niche hobby now has evolved into a competitive collegiate esport, featured on ESPN. From a Fortune article, “Students build complex formulas to perform everything from risk-and-return calculations for stock portfolios to mock video game avatar tracking systems. It’s high speed, high-pressure problem-solving—just with spreadsheets.”

“Participants and sponsors say Excel esports offers something more meaningful: a way for Gen Z students to turn their passions into professional opportunities. It’s giving students a chance to showcase highly sought after skills like problem-solving under pressure, analytical thinking, and the ability to collaborate in team-based environments.”

And these boys (and a few girls) are leveraging their spreadsheet bonafides to get multiple job offers at substantial starting salaries. Who wouldn’t want to hire a 20-year-old Excel Esport Global Grand Champion? One participant, Ben Northern, spent 6-months in competition and came out victorious, besting 8,000 students from more than 70 schools worldwide. He landed a full-time job at a Berkshire Hathaway company. 

At the end of the day, the world is hungry for problem-solvers. 

There is something geeky and endearing about these competitor. I tip my hat. Bless their heart. Power to the dweeb. 

=(SUM_ZZ_TOP). *RateHigh. (IF(ISERROR (Bonus)

Warren