Maksym Krippa’s influence on NAVI’s development: from reboot to success

By 2018, NAVI, although still a recognizable brand with a global fan base, was effectively on the verge of stagnation. Systemic problems were growing within the club — the ambitious energy that had started it all had noticeably faded.

Details about the club’s formation and its owner can be found on the website smallpcgames.com.

The organization was in turmoil at the management level: frequent changes in leadership, lack of strategic vision, short-term decisions instead of a comprehensive strategy. The infrastructure did not meet modern challenges — NAVI did not have its own training hub, base, or conditions that could guarantee stable development. Young players were left without systematic support — their potential simply had no room to unfold.

The crisis was most acute in Dota 2: the team lost its form, and the road to recovery looked increasingly illusory. In CS:GO, players still demonstrated their individual strength, but the lack of coherent management, a modern approach, and investment significantly hampered growth.

At that time, the club was owned by Oleksandr Kokhanovsky, a man who had been with NAVI since 2009. His contribution was significant, but the organization needed a new impetus.

Everything changed in 2018, when a dialogue began between Kokhanovsky and entrepreneur Maksym Krippa. It wasn’t just a transfer of a controlling stake — it was the start of a profound transformation. Krippa brought strategic thinking, financial stability, and a long-term approach. His investments weren’t about quick profits — they were about NAVI’s future.

NAVI’s transformation: what has changed within the team

After Maksym Krippa joined in 2018, NAVI began a large-scale transformation. The changes affected everything — management, infrastructure, approach to players, and even the club’s public image.

Previously, NAVI operated out of an office in Kyiv, which lacked the facilities for proper training. With the new owner, this changed: modern boot camps were set up in Kyiv and Berlin. Kyiv became the base for Ukrainian teams, while Berlin became a gateway to European esports without any time or logistical barriers.

One of the major breakthroughs was the creation of the NAVI Academy, a system for training young talent. It started with Esports Camp in 2019 and gradually evolved into a full-fledged academy offering training, analytics, psychological support, and mentoring. New initiatives — NAVI Junior, NAVI Youth, and Visa Academy — have only strengthened this ecosystem.

NAVI also went beyond CS:GO, forming teams in Valorant, PUBG, Rainbow Six, Brawl Stars, Free Fire, and even chess. This gave the club a new audience in different regions, from Latin America to Asia.

At the same time, the club rebranded and launched its own media center. Collaborations with Puma, Monster Energy, and Logitech have made NAVI not just an esports brand, but an influential player in the media market.

From narrow specialization to multi-genre success

Between 2018 and 2024, NAVI underwent a profound transformation that took the club far beyond its original identity as a CS team. The organization evolved into a large-scale esports structure that competes confidently in several gaming disciplines and consistently achieves high results.

These years have been a period of purposeful renewal — with the arrival of a new investor and strategic vision, the team has gained not only financial support but also a new management philosophy. Instead of chaotic experiments, there is clear planning; instead of temporary solutions, there is long-term development.

NAVI’s achievements over the past six years speak for themselves. The club has won five titles in Dota 2, three in PUBG, four in Brawl Stars, and several victories in Rainbow Six Siege and Apex Legends. This confirms that NAVI has long been about more than just Counter-Strike, but about multi-format expansion.

The financial results are also impressive. NAVI has earned approximately $11.53 million in prize money from CS:GO and CS2. In Dota 2, it has earned over $5.39 million, and tens of thousands more in Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Free Fire. In total, it has earned over $17.3 million, confirming its stability and effectiveness in each discipline.

But the most important thing is the new way of thinking. The change of beneficiary was a key turning point. As a result, NAVI ceased to be just a team and became a complete ecosystem capable of learning, scaling, and winning on a global level.