Skillz Inc.
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Nov 6, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Nov 6, 2025
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Item 11. Executive Compensation
2024 Summary Compensation
The following Summary Compensation Table shows information concerning the annual compensation for services provided to Skillz by our named executive officers (“NEOs”) for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Certain other information is provided in the narrative footnotes following the Summary Compensation Table. All dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
| Name and Position | Year | Salary($) | Bonus($) | Stock Awards ($)(1) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Paradise | 2024 | 525,000 | — | — | 5,452(2) | 530,452 |
| Chief Executive Officer | 2023 | 525,000 | — | — | 20,259(3) | 545,259 |
| Gaetano Franceschi | 2024 | 376,923 | — | 424,180 | 82,846(4) | 883,949 |
| Chief Financial Officer | ||||||
| Nikul Patel | 2024 | 468,058(5) | — | — | — | 468,058 |
| Interim General Counsel | ||||||
The amounts reported in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of RSU awards granted to the NEOs, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 14, Stock-Based Compensation, to Skillz’s consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 2024 fiscal year for a discussion of all assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair value of our equity awards granted in 2024. This column does not include any PSUs awarded by the Company in 2023 or 2024, as the performance metrics for all such awards were not achieved, and thus the awards were not considered granted pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 718.
Represents the value of 401(k) plan match contributions.
Consists of (i) $6,730, which represents the value of 401(k) plan match contributions; and (ii) $13,529 for untaken vacation time paid out.
Consists of: (i) $75,000, which represents the value of a moving allowance provided to Mr. Franceschi; (ii) $7,846, which represents the value of 401(k) plan match contributions.
Mr. Patel was appointed as Interim General Counsel effective March 10, 2024. Pursuant to an offer letter, during fiscal year 2024, Mr. Patel received a prorated annual base salary of $630,000. Prior to his appointment on March 10, 2024, Mr. Patel was a corporate secondee from King & Spalding LLP and received no compensation from Skillz.
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Fiscal Year-End
The following table shows information regarding equity awards held by the NEOs that were outstanding as of December 31, 2024. Dollar amounts, except exercise prices, are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
| Option Awards · Stock Awards | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name(1) · GrantDate · Number ofSecuritiesUnderlyingUnexercisedOptionsExercisable(#) · Number ofSecuritiesUnderlyingUnexercisedOptionsUnexercisable(#) · EquityIncentivePlanAwards:Number ofSecuritiesUnderlyingUnexercisedUnearnedOptions(#) · OptionExercisePrice($) · OptionExpirationDate · Number ofshares orunits ofstockthat havenot vested(#)(2) · Marketvalue ofshares orunits ofstockthathave notvested($)(3) | ||||||||||
| Andrew Paradise | 12/16/2020 | — | — | 332,000 | 353.60 | 12/16/2030 | — | — | ||
| 11/23/2022 | — | — | — | — | — | 815,193 | $4,100,421 | |||
| Gaetano Franceschi | 1/8/2024 | — | — | — | — | — | 65,359 | $328,756 | ||
| Nikul Patel | None | |||||||||
All outstanding equity awards as of December 31, 2024, as reported in this table, are denominated in Class A Common Stock.
The shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units shown in this column vest (or vested) as follows:
a. For Mr. Paradise’s November 23, 2022 RSU award, the RSUs listed in this column vest 25% on the first anniversary of the grant date and 6.25% in quarterly installments over the next three years. In addition, as required under SEC rules, the accounting grant date under FASB ASC Topic 718 is being reported here for Mr. Paradise’s RSU award, as opposed to the January 1, 2023 grant date set forth in his award agreement.
b. For Mr. Franceschi, the RSUs listed in this column vested 100% on the first anniversary of the grant date and will settle once the Company becomes current with its periodic filings under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
- For purposes of this table, the market value of unvested shares of restricted stock is determined by multiplying the number of shares by $5.03, the closing price of a share of Class A Common Stock on December 31, 2024.
Closing Option Grants
In connection with the closing of the Business Combination (and as set forth in the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Fiscal Year End” table above), Mr. Paradise received, pursuant to the Omnibus Plan, nonqualified stock options to purchase, respectively, 498,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and 102,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. The options will vest in three equal increments as follows: (i) one-third (1/3) of the options will vest and become exercisable as of the date, following the grant date, that the VWAP on the NYSE of a share of Class A Common Stock over a ten (10) trading day period equals or exceeds 3.0x the VWAP of the shares as of the closing date of the Business Combination, (ii) one-third (1/3) of the options will vest and become exercisable as of the date, following the grant date, that the VWAP of the shares equals or exceeds 4.0x the VWAP of the shares as of the closing date of the Business Combination, and (iii) one-third (1/3) of the options will vest and become exercisable as of the date, following the grant date, that the VWAP of the shares equals or exceeds 5.0x the VWAP of the shares as of the closing date of the Business Combination. The exercise price per share subject to these options is $353.60, the closing price of a share of Class A Common Stock on the closing date of the Business Combination.
Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control
The Skillz Inc. Executive Severance and Change in Control Plan (the “Severance Plan”) was adopted by the Company in order to: (i) provide financial support to a select group of senior-level executives of Skillz, including the NEOs, in the period following the termination of their employment, (ii) recognize the valuable contributions made by eligible employees to the Company, and (iii) help attract and retain highly qualified employees who are essential to the Company’s success. Under the
Severance Plan, a covered executive who experiences a qualifying termination is eligible to receive severance benefits based on the executive’s years of service and position, consisting of (i) cash severance equal to an amount ranging from three to eighteen months’ base salary, and (ii) healthcare continuation payments for a period ranging from three to eighteen months. In addition, an executive who experiences a qualifying termination in connection with a change in control (as such term is defined in the Omnibus Plan) is eligible to receive a portion of their target bonus.
Non-Change in Control Termination
Pursuant to the Severance Plan, in the event of a termination without cause or for good reason (each as defined in the Severance Plan), not in connection with a change in control, (i) Mr. Paradise would be eligible to receive severance benefits equal to 12 months of continued base salary and continued health and welfare coverage for 12 months, (ii) Mr. Franceschi would be eligible to receive severance benefits equal to 9 months of continued base salary and continued health and welfare coverage for 9 months and (iii) Mr. Patel would be eligible to receive severance benefits equal to 3 months of continued base salary and continued health and welfare coverage for 3 months. Any equity awards held by our NEOs that were granted under the Omnibus Plan in substitution for the pre-closing awards they had received under the Skillz Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”), will also vest in full in the event of a termination by Skillz without cause or a resignation for good reason. The receipt of all severance benefits is subject to the NEO’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims. For purposes of these awards, “good reason” means, without the NEO’s consent, (i) the material reduction by Skillz of the executive’s duties, authority or responsibilities, taken as a whole, (ii) a material reduction in the executive’s target annual cash compensation (other than pursuant to a company-wide salary reduction applicable to similarly situated employees), or (iii) a required relocation that increases the executive’s one-way commuting distance by more than 40 miles.
The following table sets forth estimates of the benefits that our NEOs would have received in the event of a termination without cause or a resignation in a constructive termination or a termination due to death or disability, in each case not in connection with a change in control (assuming the termination occurred on December 31, 2024).
| Name | Cash Severance ($) | Equity Acceleration ($)(1) | Continued Benefits ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Paradise | $525,000 | 1,669,960 | 23,690 | 2,218,650 |
| Gaetano Franceschi | $300,000 | 328,756 | 25,395 | 654,151 |
| Nikul Patel | $170,625 | — | 7,336 | 177,961 |
- Represents, for accelerated stock options, the positive spread, if any, between the closing price of our Class A Common Stock, as reported on the NYSE, of $5.03 per share on December 31, 2024 and the applicable stock option exercise price. For accelerated restricted stock, represents the value of all outstanding restricted shares multiplied by $5.03 per share. The column does not reflect stock options where the exercise price exceeds such closing price (for information about these stock options, see the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Fiscal Year End” table above). These amounts do not reflect whether the NEO has actually realized or will realize a financial benefit from the awards upon the vesting of the granted stock options, the exercise of the granted stock options or the sale of the shares underlying the granted stock options.
Change in Control
Pursuant to the Severance Plan, if a termination without cause or for good reason occurs within the three months prior to or 12 months following the consummation of a change in control (a “CIC Qualifying Termination”), the Severance Plan instead would provide (i) Mr. Paradise with 18 months of base salary, payable in a lump sum, 1.5 times his target bonus for the year of termination, and continued health and welfare coverage for 18 months, (ii) Mr. Franceschi 12 months of base salary, payable in a lump sum, his target bonuses for the year of termination, and continued health and welfare coverage for 12 months, and (iii) Mr. Patel with 6 months of base salary, payable in a lump sum, his target bonuses for the year of termination, and continued health and welfare coverage for 6 months. The receipt of all severance benefits is subject to the NEO’s execution and non-revocation of a general release of claims.
The Severance Plan also provides that, in the event of a CIC Qualifying Termination, any outstanding and unvested time-based equity awards held by the NEOs under the Omnibus Plan will automatically vest in full, and any outstanding performance-vesting equity awards held by the NEOs under the Omnibus Plan will be treated as set forth in the Omnibus Plan and applicable award agreements (if any). The following table sets forth estimates of the benefits that our NEOs would have received in the event of a CIC Qualifying Termination (assuming the termination occurred on December 31, 2024).
| Name | Cash Severance(1) | Equity Acceleration ($)(2) | Continued Benefits ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Paradise | 1,575,000 | 5,770,381 | 35,535 | 7,380,916 |
| Gaetano Franceschi | 800,000 | 328,756 | 29,344 | 1,158,100 |
| Nikul Patel | 341,250 | — | 16,930 | 358,180 |
Amounts reflect the sum of (i) the executive’s base salary payment and (ii) the product of the executive’s target bonus and applicable bonus multiple.
Represents (i) for accelerated restricted stock units and restricted stock, the market value of the shares underlying the accelerated awards as of December 31, 2024, based on the closing price of our Class A Common Stock, as reported on the NYSE, of $5.03 per share on December 31, 2024 and (ii) for accelerated stock options, the positive spread, if any, between the closing price of our Class A Common Stock, as reported on the NYSE, of $5.03 per share on December 31, 2024 and the applicable stock option exercise price. The column does not reflect stock options where the exercise price exceeds such closing price (for information about these stock options, see the “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Fiscal Year End” table above). These amounts do not reflect whether the NEO has actually realized or will realize a financial benefit from the awards upon the vesting of the granted restricted stock units, performance stock units and stock options, the exercise of the granted stock options or the sale of the shares underlying the granted restricted stock units, performance stock units and stock options.
Director Compensation Program
The Skillz non-employee director compensation program is designed to provide competitive compensation necessary to attract and retain high quality non-employee directors and to encourage ownership of Skillz stock to further align their interests with those of our stockholders. In 2024, our non-employee director compensation program provided the following compensation components:
An annual cash retainer of $45,000;
An annual cash retainer of $25,000 for the chair of the Audit Committee, $25,000 for the chair of the Compensation Committee and $10,000 for the chair of the Nominating Committee;
An annual cash retainer of $12,500 for members of the Audit Committee, $12,500 for members of the Compensation Committee and $5,000 for members of the Nominating Committee;
An initial grant of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) under the Skillz Inc. 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Plan”) upon each director’s election to office; the RSUs have a target value of $400,000 (with the number of RSUs being determined using the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) on the NYSE of a share of Class A Common Stock over the fifteen (15) trading day period preceding the grant date) and vest ratably on an annual basis over four years;
An annual grant of RSUs under the Omnibus Plan with a target grant value of $200,000 (with the number of RSUs being determined using a fifteen (15) trading day VWAP preceding the grant date) for each director who has completed at least six months’ service, which vests after one year; the Company may pay such grant in cash in lieu of equity.
Meeting fees of $10,000 per meeting for participation on the Special Task Force on Material Weakness Remediation, Special Litigation Committee and Special Compensation Committee of the Board; and
An additional annual cash retainer of $25,000 for serving as our non-executive chair and $15,000 for serving as our lead director, in each case, if applicable.
Director Compensation Consultant: The Compensation Committee retains Pearl Meyer, a national compensation consulting firm, to assess trends and developments in director compensation practices and to compare the Company’s practices against them. The Compensation Committee uses the analysis prepared by the consultant as part of its periodic review of Skillz’s director compensation practices. Other than the foregoing consulting services and the services provided to the Compensation Committee with respect to Executive Compensation, Pearl Meyer did not provide any other material services to the Company in 2023.
2024 Director Compensation
The following table provides information concerning the compensation of each non-employee director who served on the Board in 2024. Mr. Paradise did not receive any additional compensation for his service as a director of the Company during 2024. Mr. Chafkin separated from the Company as an employee on August 23, 2024 and did not receive any additional compensation for his service as director of the Company during 2024. However, since he separated from the Company as an employee, Mr. Chafkin received $15,000 for consulting services to the Company during 2024. All dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)(1) | Stock Awards ($)(2) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Cabot (3) | 157,500 | — | — | 157,500 |
| Henry Hoffman | 397,500 | 127,226 | — | 524,726 |
| Alexander Mandel | 511,875 | 86,230 | — | 598,105 |
| Seth Schorr(4) | 243,504 | 62,814 | — | 306,318 |
| Kent Wakeford | 489,375 | 141,085 | — | 630,460 |
Excludes expense reimbursements. We reimburse our directors for expenses incurred to attend board meetings.
The amounts reported in this column represent the aggregate grant date fair value of RSU awards granted to the non-employee directors in 2024, computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 14, Stock-Based Compensation, for a discussion of all assumptions made by us in determining the grant date fair value of our equity awards. As of December 31, 2024, our non-employee directors who were members of the Board on such date held the following outstanding and unvested equity awards: Henry Hoffman 7,021 RSUs; Alex Mandel 21,204 RSUs; Kent Wakeford 64,516 RSUs; Anthony Cabot 76,190 RSUs.
Anthony Cabot joined the board on October 4, 2024.
Mr. Schorr left the board on September 19, 2024. Upon his resignation from the Board in September 2024, Mr. Schorr’s unvested RSUs were forfeited for no consideration in accordance with the terms set forth in the Omnibus Plan.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
No member of the Compensation Committee was at any time during fiscal year 2024, or at any other time, one of our officers or employees. None of our executive officers has served as a director or member of a compensation committee (or other committee serving an equivalent function) of any entity, one of whose executive officers served as a director of our Board or member of our Compensation Committee
Practices Related to Timing of Equity Awards
Neither the Board of Directors nor the Compensation Committee takes into account material non-public information when determining the timing or terms of equity awards, nor do we time disclosure of material non-public information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation. During 2024, we did not grant stock options to any executive officer during any period beginning four business days before and ending one business day after the filing of any periodic report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K, or the filing or furnishing of any current report on Form 8-K that disclosed material non-public information. More broadly, we did not award any stock options to named executive officers during 2024.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.