Happy Cloud announces $4.25M funding round and new chief executive

Before you can play in the cloud, you must first break the cloud — or at least build up a solid infrastructure to utilize it.

That’s the specialty of Happy Cloud, a cloud-gaming firm that today announced the closure of a $4.25 million funding round. Avalon Ventures led the latest investment along with Jesselson Capital and Shaman Ventures. Happy Cloud’s funding total is now at $7 million.

The company also introduced Tamir Buchler, an e-commerce veteran, as its new chief executive officer.

“Happy Cloud adds unparalleled value to the gaming ecosystem by eliminating barriers to entry and giving users what they want,” Buchler noted. “By offering free on-demand access to the best high-end games, we can bring new gamers on board, increase conversions and keep gamers engaged. Happy Cloud is a scalable solution that can effect change in the same way iTunes and Netflix have transformed media consumption by offering seamless, instant access.”

Happy Cloud provides server-based distribution to PC, console, and Android game publishers. It will use this latest infusion of cash to expand its games-on-demand service.

“We are excited to have Tamir Buchler on board,” said Michael Jesselson of Jesselson Capital. “He has strong leadership skills and has a proven track record of driving revenue growth for consumer-facing platforms.”