ARTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
I’m a mediator—I’m more interested in business than artists, and more passionate about creative expression than businesspeople, so I help these groups understand each other.
I’ve applied this approach founding the NYU Game Center Incubator, advising organizations like ESPN and the Sloan Foundation, and bringing multimillion-dollar investment to the New York game industry. My ability to bridge these worlds allows me to create partnerships and strategies that make creative projects financially sustainable and impactful.
New York State & City Economic Development
I’ve been advocating for public policy changes in support of the NYC games industry since 2012. This is slow-moving, not particularly photogenic work—and it’s the work of many. But among those many people, I’m proud to have played a key role.
Here are some chapter highlights of this longer story.
In 2015, New York State announced a RFP for, “A program that increases collaboration between industry, academy, and individuals, provides resources and mentorship to those entering the industry, assists established companies and developers, fosters the games community, grows the size of the NY games industry, and raises the profile of games made in the State.”
Our proposal was selected, along with fellow awardees Rochester Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. We created a program so effective that the state renewed it for 3 years, then doubled its funding and extended it indefinitely.
As part of this program, we formed an advisory board of industry experts to recommend to city and state government how to support the games industry in NYC. One of the most tangible outcomes of our advocacy was the city making the “Made in NY” mark and associated marketing credit available to games. More information here.
I was the primary domain expert for an impact study commissioned by NYC to understand the games industry in the city. This study became the inflection point that led to future investment in the games industry by NYC government. The study is available here.In 2015, New York State announced a RFP for, “A program that increases collaboration between industry, academy, and individuals, provides resources and mentorship to those entering the industry, assists established companies and developers, fosters the games community, grows the size of the NY games industry, and raises the profile of games made in the State.”
Our proposal was selected, along with fellow awardees Rochester Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. We created a program so effective that the state renewed it for 3 years, then doubled its funding and extended it indefinitely.
As part of this program, we formed an advisory board of industry experts to recommend to city and state government how to support the games industry in NYC. One of the most tangible outcomes of our advocacy was the city making the “Made in NY” mark and associated marketing credit available to games. More information here.
The study unlocked more than $2 million in funding from the NYC government, expanded the “Made in NY” marketing campaign to include games, and garnered commitment from top city officials to support the games industry—specifically by creating pathways for those historically excluded from the field. Learn how the city is supporting game development here.
NYU Game Center Incubator
I founded and led the NYU Game Center Incubator, which supports financially sustainable independent game development. I recruited a 100+ member advisory board, raised over $1 million in public and private investment, and helped 45+ teams secure funding and launch their games.Drawing on our network of advisors, the Incubator provides developers with the practical support they need to navigate the creative, technical, marketing, legal, financial, and other production challenges of launching a game. Since 2014, the Incubator has transformed independent game projects into polished, launched games and equipped developers with the skills for ongoing success in the games industry.
-> Education design
-> Game & product development
-> Teaching & facilitation