March 10 - 11, 2009 New York City
Transcription
March 10 - 11, 2009 New York City
A production of Show Initiative, LLC March 10 - 11, 2009 New York City Jacob K Javits Convention Center SPONSORS News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 1 Mockingbird Games ad Page 2 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Welcome Thank you all for attending the inaugural Engage! Expo! We began this conference in 2007 as the Virtual Worlds Conference in an effort to bring more attention to an exploding medium. Since then our horizons have broadened and we’ve seen the things that make virtual worlds great - engagement, education, entertainment, and more - expand in other industries. We felt it appropriate to acknowledge both what virtual worlds have to offer and what we can learn from other businesses. Show Initiative Tonda Bunge Sellers Conference Director 512-484-5574 tonda@showinitiative.com Tim Williams Sales and Marketing Director 512-289-8687 tim@showinitiative.com I’m especially happy to welcome you here in this time of economic turmoil. We’ve all heard the reports of budgets being slashed for travel, marketing, and, really, across the board. When times are as tight as they are, it becomes all the more important to innovate. I’m glad you’ve decided to join us in discussing just how to make that happen. Joey Seiler Editor, VirtualWorldsNews.com 512-535-8650 joey@showinitiative.com With that in mind, I’m incredibly proud of the show we’ve put together. American Idol and Habbo are breaking new ground in finding ways to engage their audiences and are here to share what they’ve learned with all of us. Sony has struck out in a bold new direction, bringing virtual worlds to the living room, and I hope you’ll join us for a fireside chat about its project, Home. And, of course, in times like these we can all use more help, which is why we’re thrilled to play host to both a free legal clinic and a meet-up for investors and entrepreneurs. Christopher Sherman Executive Director, Founder 512-633-4132 chris@showinitiative.com www.VirtualWorldsManagement.com Those are only the highlights. There’s so much more to be learned and shared across our three formal tracks and in mingling with each other and our exhibitors in the expo hall. I hope you’ll take advantage of Engage! to meet new people across a variety of industries and then continue those conversations in our networking groups on Facebook and LinkedIn after the show ends. Contents Sponsors Tuesday Schedule at a Glance Wednesday Schedule at a Glance Keynotes and Fireside Chat Expanded Schedule Engage Kids Engage Youth Virtual Goods and Gifts Speaker Biographies Exhibitor and Sponsor Profiles Show Map Expo Floorplan & Exhibitor List 4 6 7 8 Thank you all again for coming. And thank you, especially, to our speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors for making this event not only possible, but as great as it can be. Sincerely, 10 11 13 15 25 30 30 Christopher Sherman Executive Director, Founder Show Initative, LLC Show Initiative Events and Services 3D Training Learning and Collaboration (3D TLC) April 20-21, 2009 Virtual Worlds Expo™ Fall 2009 Location to be announced Virtual Worlds News™ Virtual Goods News™ Virtual Worlds Weekly™ Show Initiative, LLC Trade industry news blog, updated daily Trade industry news blog, updated daily Weekly email newsletter | P.O. Box 200489 | Wash DC www.3dtlc.com www.VirtualWorldsExpo.com www.VirtualWorldsNews.com www.VirtualWorldsNews.com www.VirutalWorldsWeekly.com Austin, TX 78720-0489 News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com | fax: 512-692-2532 Page 3 Sponsors Legal Clinic Sponsor Registration Sponsor Page 4 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Exhibitors Media Partners News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 5 Schedule At A Glance Tuesday, March 10, 2009 8:00 am 9:00 am 9:00 am 10:30 am Registration and Badge Pick-Up Welcome - Christopher V. Sherman, Executive Director, Show Initiative, LLC Room 1E08 Keynote - Teemu Huuhtanen, Executive VP, Marketing and Business Development, Sulake Corp. and President, N.A., Sulake - David Luner, Senior Vice President Interactive & Consumer Products, FremantleMedia Enterprises, North America 10:30 am 11:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:00 pm 2:00 pm Break and Demos in the Expo Hall Engaging Kids Virtual Goods and Gifts Engaging Youth Room 1E09 Room 1E08 Room 1E07 What Are Virtual Goods/ Gifts and Why Do They Matter? Evolution of the Toy Industry Understanding Your Audience and Optimizing Revenue Streams Lunch in the Foot Court and Demos in the Expo Hall It’s The Activity Stupid: Keeping Them Engaged 2:00 pm 2:30 pm 2:30 pm 3:30 pm Ecommerce 2.0: The Emerging World of Virtualized Transactions Virtual Worlds Metrics Break and Demos in the Expo Hall Where the Boys Are: Evolution of Toys and Play 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm Virtual Worlds by the Numbers: A Look at the Market Research What Users Want: Getting People To Interact With Your Goods Music Goes 3D: The Music Industry’s Next Great Frontier Break and Demos in the Expo Hall COPPA and Security Issues in Kids Virtual Worlds Investor & Entrepreneur Meet-up Parallel Virtual Worlds and the Transformation of Browsing the Web Free Legal Clinic Room 1E06 Book Your Appointment Now Half-hour appointments with one of Drakeford & Kane LLC’s entertainment and intellectual property attorneys can be scheduled between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, and between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Page 6 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Wednesday, March 11, 2009 8:00 am 9:00 am 9:00 am 10:30 am Registration and Badge Pick-Up Welcome - Christopher V. Sherman, Executive Director, Virtual Worlds Management Room 1E08 Fireside Chat - Jack Buser, Director of PlayStation®Home, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). Interviewed by Joey Seiler, Editor, VirtualWorldsNews.com 10:30 am 11:00 am Break and Demos in the Expo Hall Engaging Kids Virtual Goods and Gifts Engaging Youth Room 1E09 Room 1E08 Room 1E07 Tap into the Emotional Triggers of Tweens 11:00 am 12:00 pm Monetization and Marketing Strategies for Kids Worlds Virtual Goods and Gifts as a Marketing Strategy: Rethink How You Market Teen Spending & Finance International Strategies: VWs Around The World 12:00 pm 1:00 pm Lunch in the Foot Court and Demos in the Expo Hall The Future of Narrative 1:00 pm 2:00 pm TV and Virtual Worlds tie-in’s: What Works 2:00 pm 2:30 pm 2:30 pm 3:30 pm Narration and Automated Animation: Cost-Efficient Fun for Virtual Worlds Case Study: Gifting on the iPhone Immersion through Narration: Bringing Life To Virtual Worlds Break and Demos in the Expo Hall Connecting Online Worlds to Offline Products 3:30 pm 4:00 pm 4:00 pm 5:00 pm Case Study: Sony’s House Bunny Promotion Implementing Goods In Your Site, World Or Game The Collision of Games, Virtual Worlds, and Social Networks Break and Demos in the Expo Hall What Motivates Kids: A Panel of Kids Tell All Payment Systems That Power Social Monetization Case Study: Seventeen Magazine and MTV Show Map on page 30 News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 7 Featured Speakers Conference Keynote: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 9:00 AM Room 1E08 FremantleMedia Enterprises and Sulake have partnered to bring FremantleMedia’s American Idol to Habbo. The long-term partnership includes a variety of features, some community-based, some promotional, and some revenue generating. The partnership will create a branded space with its own American Idol-themed events and virtual goods inside of Habbo. In a jointly delivered keynote address, David Luner, S.V.P. Interactive & Consumer Products, FremantleMedia Enterprises, North America, and Teemu Huuhtanen, President, North America, Sulake Inc., will discuss how this revolutionary partnership sets the new standard for successfully integrating media brands online, delivering a powerful engagement- and attention-based marketing solution. David Luner Senior Vice President Interactive & Consumer Products FremantleMedia Enterprises, North America David Luner is the Senior Vice President Interactive and Consumer Products, North America, for FremantleMedia Enterprises based in the company’s television production offices in Burbank, California. At FremantleMedia, Luner is responsible for managing the interactive, mobile and brand licensing initiatives for North America across the whole spectrum of FremantleMedia’s television shows and brand portfolios – including American Idol, Canadian Idol, America’s Got Talent, The Price Is Right, Family Feud, Million Dollar Password, the Goodson Gameshow Portfolio, etc. Luner oversees all sales, product development, marketing and promotional initiatives within the new media and traditional merchandise arenas. Teemu Huuhtanen Executive VP, Marketing and Business Development, Sulake Corporation and President, North America, Sulake Inc. As Executive Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Sulake Corporation and President, North America, Sulake Inc., Teemu Huuhtanen is instrumental in leading the continued development and growth of Finnish-based Sulake’s top property, Habbo, one of the world’s most popular online social networking and virtual world communities for teens. Huuhtanen is responsible for cultivating relationships with major music, television and motion picture studios as well as creating unique joint ventures with advertisers throughout the entertainment, retail, fashion and sports industries to generate relevant and interactive brand partnerships. His mission is to bring real-world mainstream entertainment properties and brands that are important to Habbo’s teen user base into the virtual community. Fireside Chat: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at 9:00 AM Room 1E08 A conversation with Jack Buser regarding PlayStation®Home, a groundbreaking, 3D social gaming community available on PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) that allows users to interact, communicate and share rich social gaming experiences. PlayStation Home enables users to create and customize their own unique avatars and apartments, explore a virtual community in real time, enjoy a variety of entertainment content such as mini-games, videos and participate in special events along with their friends. PlayStation®Home, currently in open beta, will continue to evolve over time, adding new spaces, features and functions to create a living, growing platform for the PlayStation community. Jack Buser, Director of PlayStation®Home, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) Interviewed by Joey Seiler, Editor, VirtualWorldsNews.com Jack Buser is Director of PlayStation®Home for Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and is responsible for driving business initiatives and activities for the highly-anticipated, 3D community-based service. With ten years of marketing and business development experience, Buser oversees all PlayStation®Home activities in the North American region, including revenue generation, management of community operations, and third-party participation into PlayStation®Home. Previously, Buser served as Director of Worldwide Technology Evangelism at Dolby Laboratories. At Dolby, he drove the adoption of new audio and video technology by developing new business segments for both games and Internet entertainment. Buser also worked as Director of the Consumer Electronics business segment at Dolby Laboratories where he was responsible for Blu-ray disc technology licensing and driving revenue growth for the company. Buser received his Bachelor of Science degree with honors in electrical engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Page 8 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 9 Expanded Schedule Engaging Kids Tuesday, March 10, 2009 Room 1E09 11:00 - 12:00 pm The Evolution of the Toy Industry: Retail, Virtual Worlds And Kids Virtual worlds are the most fundamental change to the toy industry in decades. Where once it seemed every toy needed a website, now it feels like virtual worlds are de rigueur. Come learn from a leading financial analyst and industry expert where toy market is headed in both the near and long term. Are toy and virtual world combinations just the latest fad or are they far more important driving up perceived value and adding new revenue streams? - Sean McGowan, Managing Director, Equity Research Dept. Needham & Co. - Richard Gottlieb, President, Richard Gottlieb & Associates, LLC 1:00 - 2:00 pm It’s The Activity, Stupid: Keeping Kids Engaged The key to success for any virtual world is user engagement. As virtual worlds become more competitive, it has become increasingly important to make the online experience exciting for new users and fresh and dynamic for its regulars. As developers rely on similar tools and compete for overlapping demographics, how can you stand out? - Michael H. Pinkerton, COO, Metaverse Mod Squad (moderator) - Izzy Neis, Senior Community Manager, Six Degrees Games, Inc. - Regine Weiner, Service Game Director, NR2B Research, Inc. - Laurie Petersen, GM, Minyanville Family Media Inc. 2:30 - 3:30 pm Where The Boys Are: Evolution of Toys and Play 2008 saw a rush of virtual worlds aimed at girls, from Mattel’s BarbieGirls.com to Disney’s Pixie Hollow to Stardoll to Build-A-Bear. But what about virtual worlds for the boys? How do you successfully build a virtual world for boys in an evolving world of games, toys, and play? In this session, a panel of experts with products that merge active gameplay and traditional toys shares how they are now reaching out to boys as the target audience. Find out what works and what design considerations need to be kept in mind to reach boys in this space. - Richard Gottlieb, President, Richard Gottlieb & Associates, LLC (moderator) - Chris Bergstresser, Co-Founder and CEO, Webcarzz, Inc. - Larry Andreini, ZEO, RIDEMAKERZ - Paula Brillson, President and Founder, GoCarz LLC 4:00 - 5:00 pm COPPA and Security Issues in Kids Virtual Worlds Virtual worlds have boomed among the under-13 set. They now offer some of the most engaging, effective ways to reach this younger audience. Questions and concerns rise, though: how can you interact with kids and tweens while keeping them safe and secure? Virtual world developers will join this session to discuss what steps they are taking to reach this demographic, but also keep it secure and meet legal requirements. Corporate policies, standards, parental and user information, and technology tools will be discussed. - John L. Nicholson, Senior Associate, Pillsbury’s Global Sourcing (moderator) - Joi Podgomy, VP, Interactive Development, Ludorum - Dr. Andreas Lober, Partner, SchulteRiesenkampff Page 10 Wednesday, March 11, 2009 11:00 - 12:00 pm Monetization and Marketing Strategies for Kids Worlds Subscription is no longer the undisputed king of revenue streams and more changes are on the way as the virtual world and MMO market continues to hit the mainstream. This session will review the prevalent models, including free-to-play, paid subscription, advertising, sponsorship, virtual goods, microtransactions, offline retail, etc. Depending on your business model and target demographic, you may want to choose a combination of these or all of them. In this session, you will learn about the trends in the industry and how to determine when each revenue model is appropriate. - Neil Harris, Executive Vice President, Simutronics (moderator) - Sibley Verbeck, CEO, The Electric Sheep Company - Maria T. Bailey, CEO, BSM Media - Nic Mitham, CEO, K Zero 1:00 - 2:00 pm Television and Virtual Worlds: What Works Virtual worlds allow networks, channels and individual shows to create interactive versions of their franchises and engage fans directly, immersing them in their narrative environment. Partnerships are now being formed to tell stories that bridge screens and ask audience members to become involved in ways never before possible, creating both more interest and new revenue opportunities. Find out how to successfully extend a television brand, including measuring audience participation and extending the advertising business model. - Amy Pritchard, CEO, Metaverse Mod Squad (moderator) - Kenneth Locker, SVP Digital Media, Cookie Jar Entertainment - Reuben Steiger, CEO and Founder, Millions of Us - Pierre Le Lann, Co-CEO, Tribal Nova 2:30 - 3:30 pm Connecting Online Worlds to Offline Products If your offline product does not have an online tie-in, you are missing a major opportunity. However, simply adding a virtual world code to a product after the fact is a quick path to failure. We will discuss inventive ways leading toy manufacturers and entertainment properties are integrating online and offline experiences and how to create those strategies early in the product planning phase. We will also cover various revenue and licensing models that are emerging in the toy and entertainment industries as they explore the virtual world. - Joi Podgomy, VP, Interactive Development, Ludorum (moderator) - David Lord, President, CEO of Knowledge Adventure - Tucker Aaron, Lead Strategist, Animax Entertainment 4:00 - 5:00 pm What Motivates Kids: A Panel of Kids Tell All This panel of kids gives it to you straight in a way only a child can. Join us for an extremely unique session where the kids get on stage and share their insights into what it takes to create a compelling kids-focused virtual world. - Jorian Clarke, CEO, Circle 1 Network - and kids Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Engaging Youth Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:00 - 12:00 pm Virtual Worlds By The Numbers: A Look at the Market Research This session gives you the research you need to take advantage of virtual worlds today and the forecasts for where they’re going tomorrow. Plan your strategy based on current trends and a solid understanding of growth projections and the technologies of the near future. - Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, VP of Research, Video Games, Interpret LLC - Barry Gilbert, VP & Research Director, Strategy Analytics 2:30 - 3:30 pm Music Goes 3D: The Music Industry’s Next Great Frontier The growth of traditional recorded music sales is declining while concerts and games are booming. It’s not enough to simply sell music that people can listen too—that’s too easy to download illicitly and unsatisfying in today’s rich media world. New listeners want to be engaged with music, with their peers, and with the artists. Virtual worlds, games, social networks and more offer a new opportunity for the music industry: music could now become the ultimate virtual good. - Mark Wallace, CEO and Co-Founder, Wello Horld, Inc. (moderator) - Lee Clancy Jr., VP of Product Management & GM of Direct Revenue, IMVU - Nabeel Hyatt, Founder and CEO, Conduit Labs - Thom Kidrin, President/CEO, Worlds.com Inc. - Daniel Kruchkow, Head of Digital Strategy, Crush Management 1:00 - 2:00 pm Virtual Worlds Metrics = Measuring Engagement “Engagement” is becoming the big seller in online advertising and engagement is certainly one of the forces driving virtual worlds. But the multi-million dollar question is how do you measure and monetize that engagement? This session will review the essential metrics that every virtual world owner should be tracking. In addition, we will review the pros and cons of various tracking systems in each category, including site analytics, network analytics, ad tracking, security, and moderation. - Jared Freedman, President, Code4Software LLC - Sabri Sansoy, Chief Technology Officer, Animax Entertainment - Dr. James M. Bower Ph.D., Founder, Chairman, and CVO, Numedeon Inc. - Sean Kane, Attorney, Drakeford & Kane LLC (moderator) 4:00 - 5:00 pm Parallel Virtual Worlds and the Transformation Of Browsing the Web Parallel virtual worlds are transforming browsing into a social experience. Imagine every single website as its own virtual world that is interconnected with other worlds, where people can seamlessly jump from one to another. In this case study, we’ll answer many of the most difficult questions concerning these worlds that are layered on top of the Web: what does it take to build a parallel virtual world? How they be monetized? What are the technical hurdles? And what is the potential of this new space? - Benjamin T. Duranske, Attorney, Pillsbury (moderator) - Steven Hoffman, CEO, RocketOn, Inc. - Jerry Paffendorf, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Wello Horld, Inc. - Jan Andresen, CEO, Weblin Room 1E09 News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 11 Wednesday, March 11, 2009 11:00 - 11:20 pm Tap into the Emotional Triggers of Tweens So you have spent a lot of money attracting tweens to your virtual world. Now how do you keep them coming back? The key to engagement is the five C’s: creativity, competition, collection, community and caring--and how well you use them. Adults are often under the misconception that it’s all about the “wow factor” of graphics. In reality it comes down to a good old fashioned, fun play experience combined with the present day trends of social networking and connecting with others online. Learn how to use the five C’s and user feedback to build an engagement model for your target age group and an understanding of cultural and global differences to help identify the next opportunity for your brand. - Sally Schmidt, Executive Producer, Circle 1 Network 11:20 - 11:40 pm Teen Spending And Finance Most online gaming and virtual world companies know that the emphasis on credit cards makes it harder for youth to spend online than adults. What those publishers don’t know are the actual dynamics that affect this spending. For example, while many teens have savings accounts that come with debit cards, they can only be used to withdraw cash at ATMs instead of purchasing online. The life of a teen is cash-based, and a vast majority of their spending happens locally. In this session will give you the teen spending market research you need to know to target teen customers. - Ted Sorom, CEO, Rixty, Inc. 11:40 - 12:00 pm International Strategies: Virtual Worlds Around the World This session will provide an overview of virtual world strategies from around the globe. By focusing on a historical examination of a major virtual world platform, audience will gain an understanding of how strategies differ in different regions of the world. - Jouni Keranen, President, iLemon 1:00 - 1:20 pm Narration and Engagement in Virtual Worlds: The Future Of Narrative Interactive narrative is not new - all narrative was interactive before we started printing books. What is new are the host of technologies that allow storytellers and audiences to work together or even groups of listeners and viewers to tell their own stories. That change requires adaptation: listening to your audience does not mean ceding narrative control, but rather engaging in an exercise of call and response and selecting focus. Without narrative engagement, virtual worlds are merely part of the chatter before the show begins. If we want the global village to sit down around the 3D fire, we have to be ready to tell them stories that will keep them hooked. - Jesse Cleverly, Connective Media 1:40 - 2:00pm Immersion through Narration: Bringing Life to Virtual Worlds In this day and age where young consumers may turn away from passive media like radio and TV, virtual worlds offer an engaging alternative. The inclusion of classic media content into the 3D environment enables an interactive and engaging experience which has not been possible before. Users can not only consume the content, but actively share and contribute their “personal touch” to it. A big challenge but also a great opportunity of narrative and interactive entertainment within virtual worlds lies in the life aspect in comparison to social network functionalities… - Daniel Buelhoff, Head of Business Development & Community Management, sMeet 2:30 - 3:30 pm The Collision of Games, Virtual Worlds and Social Networks Join us for a discussion of the convergence (or maybe it’s more of a collision?) between new games, platforms, user-generated content, new payment and aggregation methods, and new forms of marketing, all of which are happening at the same time. Many, probably most new MMOGs/VWs are being created for use in the browser with some form of UGC and various forms of free-to-play + microtransactions. How do these interact? If I can create an item, can I turn it into a virtual good? Can I turn it into a salable good/ gift on which both the creator and the world operator make money? Come join the debate. - Mike Sellers, CEO, Online Alchemy - Dan Ferguson, Founder and Director of Game Development, Blockdot, Inc. 4:00 - 5:00 pm Case Study: Seventeen Magazine and MTV After researching many options, Seventeen Magazine entered MTV for a campaign to promote its December/January celebrity and style issue. The digital team brought all new editorial content, virtual goods, events, and real-world sales opportunities to a brand new MTV environment. The collaboration brought recognition and new audiences to both brands. Come learn from their experience and hear about next steps. - Julie Hochheiser, Senior Web Editor, Seventeen.com 1:20 - 1:40 pm Narration and Automated Animation: Cost-Efficient Fun for Virtual Worlds Delivering narrative fun, up-to-date content and animation to an ever-demanding audience in a cost-efficient way is a serious challenge. Dynamic and context-sensitive automated animation inspired by television and movie concepts opens the road to limitless narrative entertainment. Interaction with intelligent automated 3D avatars contributes to the most efficient and up-to-date user experience for total immersion. The presentation is illustrated by realcase examples of automated narrative animation. - Philippe Moitroux, CEO, TAATU Page 12 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Virtual Goods and Gifts Tuesday, March 10, 2009 Room 1E08 11:00 - 11:30 pm What Are Virtual Goods/Gifts and Why Do They Matter? The virtual goods economy in the United States alone was estimated at $200 million or more in 2008. Worldwide virtual goods generate as much as $2 billion worldwide. Find out where the money is being made with this emerging online business model. This session gives attendees an overview of virtual goods, gifts and items. The session will look at goods as a revenue stream, discuss the idea of primary and secondary markets, and review the idea of goods on social networks, in games and in virtual worlds. - Charles Edward Hudson, VP of Business Development, Serious Business 11:30 - 12:00 pm Understanding Your Audience and Optimizing Revenue Streams A key to increasing revenue potential is by understanding your audience and figuring out what payment and alternative payment methods fit to each unique experience. This session will help you uncover insights - like defining which goods or incentives to use, knowing where to place the call-to-action, understanding users in order to best direct payment methods, and how to optimize and continually test placements and payment providers against detailed user demographics - to know how and where offers are most effective and productive. - Ian Swanson, Founder and CEO, Sometrics 1:00 - 2:00 pm Ecommerce 2.0: The Emerging World of Virtualized Transactions Teens have created a new world via social media and social networking. Now they are becoming a leading indicator for a host of emerging technologies that enable virtualized transactions for both real and virtual goods. Pre-paid credit cards for social media sites are on the horizon. These leverage portals, parental controls and data analysis tools to enable teens to purchase goods and enable parents to manage and track their activity. Other companies are creating new methods of online and mobile billing for microtransactions. Panelists will examine these technologies and trends, and draw on their experience to illustrate how social sites and virtual worlds are now beginning to monetize their offerings in new and innovative ways. - Sergio Monsalve, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners (moderator) - Ro Choy, Vice President of Business Development, RockYou - Jeremy Zorn, Vice President of Product Development myYearbook - Andrew Schneider, Co-Founder and President, Live Gamer - Jason Oberfest, VP Business Development, MySpace Leaders in Virtual Currency Monetization is the leading virtual currency ncy monetization etization n platform for f websites, games and social Our turnkey, cial network applications. applica nkey, simple sim mple to o integrate in ntegrate solution solu delivers highly targeted advertising offers to millions website argeted advertisin ns of we ebsite and nd soci socia social networks users across the g globe. Super Rewards' proven warrds' proprietary prop oprietary cost-per-action costadvertising sing g technolog technology te is prov oven ven to maximize engagement mize revenues revenue venues while whil increasing incre gagement of users erss to t any gaming g ming site or gamin application through additional points, credits, tokens, chips. plication throug u add ugh d ns, coin coins or o chips ps. We let developers best: perss do what they ey d do best Build Killer apps, extremely apps games or sites... and now extrem l profitable ble ones o too! Sign up at http://www.srpoints.com News, Strategy, gy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com tualWorldsN m Page 13 2:30 - 3:30 pm What Users Want: Getting People To Interact With Your Goods A key element of success with virtual goods is understanding your audience, their needs and what they want out of virtual goods. Virtual goods can take on multiple forms: from the traditional vanity items (such as clothing for avatars) to special features (levitation or in-game abilities) to prestige or special privileges (the ability to go somewhere where other users cannot) to gifts. Learning what motivations drive your users and how virtual goods affect their dayto-day interactions will be critical to the success of your strategy. - Margaret Wallace, CEO, Rebel Monkey (moderator) - Matt Palmer, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Stardoll - Phil Guest, Senior Vice President, Global Advertising Sulake Inc. - Jeff Weiser, Head of Analytics, SGN (Social Gaming Network) - Darren Green , Co-founder, SmallWorlds 4:00 - 5:00 pm Investor & Entrepreneur Meet-up This specially organized meet-up brings together entrepreneurial companies seeking funding and investors interested in investing in privately held companies. Please join us for a special Investor & Entrepreneur Meet-up that’s not purely focused on virtual goods, but open to all. Confirmed investors participating include: - Gregory Fischbach, HamptonFarms Ventures - Sergio Monsalve, Norwest Venture Partners - Gordon Rogers, Atlanta Technology Angels - Keith Titan, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) Wednesday, March 11, 2009 11:00 - 12:00 pm Virtual Goods as a Marketing Strategy Engagement marketing invites and encourages consumers to participate in the evolution of a brand. Branded virtual goods puts your brand in the digital hands of consumers, making it a significant part of the user experience. When virtual good campaigns are implemented effectively, users choose to interact with your brand rather than having it pushed towards them. Not only are traditional metrics, like impressions and time spent, climbing with virtual goods, but the quality of the experience is improved by its voluntary nature. Find out what works and what doesn’t from marketers and designers who have been leading the way. - Sean Ryan, Founder, Loki Partners - Marta Kagan, Vice President of Marketing, Viximo - Joe Hyrkin, Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Gaia Online - Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, VP of Research, Video Games, nterpret LLC (moderator) 1:00 - 1:30 pm Case Study: Sony’s House Bunny Promotion on Gaia Online This case study will highlight the virtual world promotion surrounding the movie “House Bunny” which ran on Gaia Online. - Joe Hyrkin, Vice President, Sales & Business Development, Gaia Online - Jen Martel, Media Supervisor, Digital Communications, Universal McCann 1:30 - 2:00 pm Case Study: Virtual Gifting on the iPhone Platform Social networks, virtual worlds, and online games are moving from the Web and into peoples’ pockets. The iPhone is one of the most powerful and robust mobile devices on the market today, and it provides a unique opportunity to bring virtual goods and microtransactions to the mobile world. In this case study, we will examine the opportunities and challenges of bringing virtual gifting to the iPhone. - Ravi Mehta, Vice President, Viximo 2:30 - 3:30 pm Implementing Goods in Your Site, World, or Game Virtual goods are booming, but how do you take advantage and get up and running? Whether you’re looking for a partnered platform solution or a do-it-yourself strategy, there are pitfalls and essential steps to be aware of. This session discusses the nuts and bolts when considering a virtual goods strategy, what elements are necessary to be successful, and critical solutions that are necessary to get going. - Timothy Chang, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners (moderator) - Dan Jansen, CEO and Co-Founder, Virtual Greats - Eric Hartness, Chief Marketing Officer, PlaySpan Inc. 4:00 - 5:00 pm Payment Systems That Power Social Monetization From determining acceptable payment types to combating fraud, there are critical issues in creating a monetization solution. From credit card solutions to SMS/mobile solutions and everything in between, this panel of experts will discuss the necessary steps in building a payment solution that powers the monetization of engagement and social media. - Martin Herdina, CEO, FatFoogoo Page 14 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Speaker Biographies Tucker Aaron Lead Strategist Animax Entertainment With over a decade of interactive expertise, Tucker helps his clients’ vision become a reality through big ideas. He has rich experience in online advertising and marketing, consulting, product management, and financial analysis. Prior to Animax, Tucker led the Client Services group at Tocquigny, a top-ranked interactive agency. He also held senior positions at HSM Group as the Vice President of Business Development and at Citigroup as Vice President and Product Manager in the company’s eBusiness Group. He began his career as Media Director for M2K, a leading interactive agency in Austin, TX. Tucker holds an MBA from the University of Texas and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. Larry Andreini ZEO RIDEMAKERZ Throughout his career, Larry has specialized in bringing together strategic partners to move business ideas from concept to reality. At the age of 25, Larry founded START, a first-of-its-kind customer loyalty program where he partnered with Met Life and NationsBank (now Bank of America), both of which were strategic investors. He went on to be part of Simplexity, a telecommunications exchange where he implemented more than 20 partner programs, including investments and strategic partnerships with technology and retail giants Microsoft and Best Buy. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Larry was a member of the Fighting Irish football team and a two-time heavyweight Bengal Bout boxing champion. Jan Andresen CEO Weblin Maria T. Bailey CEO BSM Media Maria T. Bailey is the foremost authority on marketing to moms. Her company, BSM Media, specializes solely in marketing to mothers. Maria is also the host of Mom Talk Radio, the first nationally syndicated radio show for moms, and co-founder of BlueSuitMom.com and Newbaby.com. Maria has informed and entertained audiences around the globe as a keynote presenter. Her book, “Marketing to Moms: Getting Your Share of the Trillion Dollar Market” was the first to examine the buying power of mothers. Her latest book, News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 15 “Mom 3.0: Marketing With Today’s Mothers by Leveraging New Media & Technologies” examines reaching moms with new technologies, such as blogs, podcast and social networking. Chris Bergstresser Co-founder and CEO Webcarzz, Inc. Webcarzz CEO Chris Bergstresser is an industry veteran who has been responsible for numerous top-selling and highly acclaimed video games as well as driving phenomenal international growth. With more than 20 years experience directing strategy and driving revenue within games and media, Bergstresser is a visionary leader with proven abilities and a wildly successful track record. Most recently Bergstresser was the senior vice president of publishing and online entertainment at Atari, Inc. Dr. James M. Bower Ph.D. Founder, Chairman, and CVO Numedeon Inc. Dr. James M. Bower Ph.D. is the founder, Chairman, and CVO of Numedeon Inc. which in 1999 launched Whyville.net as a learning environment and one of the first virtual worlds for tweens. Whyville,net currently has 4.1 million registered users who spend, on average 34 minutes on the site per log in, and on average 3.2 hours per month. Dr. Bower is a computational neurobiologist on the faculty of the Research Imaging Center of the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (bower-lab.org) and has served on education and technology advisory committees for the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. Paula Brillson President and Founder GoCarz LLC Paula Brillson is a international commercial lawyer who has worked throughout the U.S. and in Asia as General Counsel with numerous media and telecom companies such as MCI Communications, Hong Kong Telecom, Bigfoot Entertainment negotiating strategic contracts, facilitating acquisitions and handling intellectual property related transactions. Paula combines her formal legal training with business development acumen, founding Asia Capacity Exchange in the 1990’s to trade bandwidth through an online exchange. As a mother of two elementary school children who are avid gamers, Paula was inspired to create a virtual community/gaming environment that would provide valuable learning opportunities - rather than just playing games on the internet. Daniel Buelhoff Head of Business Development & Community Management sMeet Daniel (nickname JIZA) co-founded sMeet in September 2006 and is Head of Business Development & Community Management. He earned an M.B.A. focusing on Management of Innovations and Strategic Marketing in 2004 while Page 16 studying at the Technical University of Berlin, University of California, Berkeley, and Florida Atlantic University. Prior to sMeet, Daniel was a Senior Consultant at Prof. Homburg & Partner - a strategy consulting boutique specializing in Marketing, Sales, Pricing, and Market Research – servicing fortune500-companies globally. His complete career background is dominated by consulting positions at companies like Corporate Value Associates, BBDO Germany, et al. Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai VP of Research, Video Games Interpret LLC Michael Cai serves as Vice President of Video Games for Interpret, a leading media and technology research firm. He leads the company’s gaming vertical, providing a wide variety of market research and analysis products to help clients gain a comprehensive understanding of consumer gaming habits and interest and make strategic decisions. Prior to joining Interpret, Cai served as Director of Digital Media and Gaming for Parks Associates. At Parks Associates, Cai established and grew its gaming coverage practice and led a research team to provide syndicated and custom research for digital media, gaming and service provider industries. Timothy Chang Principal Norwest Venture Partners Tim brings a combination of operational, technical and international business experience to Norwest Venture Partners. Tim focuses on investments in wireless and digital media as well as business development initiatives in Asia-Pacific. Tim has recently invested in and joined the board of directors of 3Jam and Lumos Labs. Tim also works with the boards of deCarta and Double Fusion. Tim began his career in venture capital in 1999 during his time at Stanford Business School as part of the founding team of CTR Ventures K.K., a venture accelerator in Tokyo. For a complete biography of Tim, please visit www.nvp.com. Ro Choy Vice President of Business Development RockYou Rogelio (Ro) Choy is vice president of Business Development for RockYou. He is responsible for recruiting and managing partner relations. Before joining the RockYou executive team, Ro managed eBay’s online parts business as a Director at eBay Motors and also was responsible for managing Market Development at eBay, including operation of eBay’s U.S. wireless efforts. Lee Clancy Jr. VP of Product Management & GM of Direct Revenue IMVU Lee (avatar “Leetri”) joined IMVU in September 2008 from Yahoo!, where he was Senior Director for Community Products. At Yahoo!, Lee also led product management for Yahoo! Groups, a global community of 110 million users, and Yahoo! Personals, the most visited destination in the dating market. Prior to Yahoo!, Lee co-founded a music-focused Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ social networking startup. Lee also worked at Broadband Office in business development and at PricewaterhouseCoopers in strategy consulting advising entertainment and media clients. Jorian Clarke CEO Circle 1 Network Jori is CEO of Circle 1 Network, which specializes in reaching kids and tweens around the globe through its unique and innovative virtual world, KidsCom.com. The company launched the first Web site for kids in 1995. Since that time the Web site has evolved from a cyberzine community to a virtual world. Jori is responsible for the company’s vision of creating and maintaining safe online communities for kids, young adults and parents. The company has worked with the NFL, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Nintendo, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark, Roche Diagnostics and others. Jesse Cleverly Connective Media Jesse Cleverly began his career at the BBC developing feature films, before moving on to become Head of Development for BBC Drama’s innovation unit with specific remit to explore new platforms, new technology and new formats. He then moved on to BBC Children’s where he was an Executive Producer, developing and producing award winning drama for children and teens. Benjamin T. Duranske Attorney Pillsbury Benjamin Duranske is an attorney with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where he focuses his practice on the emerging field of virtual law, intellectual property law, internet law, and litigation. As the author of Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds (American Bar Association, 2008), the first book on this emerging field, as well as numerous online and print articles on the subject, Mr. Duranske has helped define virtual law. He currently cochairs the Committee on Virtual Worlds and Multiuser Online Games of the American Bar Association’s Section of Science & Technology Law, which he helped establish. Dan Ferguson Founder and Director of Game Development Blockdot, Inc. Dan Ferguson has been designing games for over a decade and is considered by many to be one of the forefathers of Advergaming. In the late nineties he co-created the internet phenomenon Elf Bowling, the first independent PC game to reach over 7.5 million installs in one month. In 2001, Dan cofounded Blockdot, a leading producer and provider of casual games and company sponsored Advergames across multiple platforms, including the Internet, print, handheld and mobile devices. Dan leads Blockdot’s game group and drive the ideas that keeps this firm on the leading edge. News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 17 Jared Freedman President Code4Software LLC Jared Freedman is a pioneer in the emerging field of Virtual World Analytics. He has been involved in a great many facets of software development for over 20 years and has created enterprise level Internet software for American Express, Office Depot, Royal Caribbean and more. A life-long passion for electronic entertainment led Jared to spend six years in the Video Game business, having designed and produced games for Warner Brothers, GT Interactive, Sierra Online, and Mattel. Barry Gilbert VP & Research Director Strategy Analytics Barry Gilbert was among the original founding members of Strategy Analytics. He rejoined the firm to lead the development of new programs tracking emerging technologies and markets. While away, Barry served as COO of Current Analysis, Inc., a competitive intelligence firm based in Washington DC. Previously, Barry held executive level positions with Giga Information Group where he was Vice President of Quantitative Research and Vice President of the Market Strategies Division (formerly BIS Strategic Decisions). Richard Gottlieb President Richard Gottlieb & Associates, LLC Richard Gottlieb is a well known toy industry commentator and President of Richard Gottlieb & Associates, LLC, a provider of business development services to the toy industry. Richard combines an MBA in Global Management with thirty-five years of consumer products experience to help small, medium, and large toy manufacturers increase their market share. Richard is frequently interviewed by media worldwide, and has been called on by CNN, PBS, ABC and other media outlets. Darren Green Co-founder SmallWorlds With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Darren has extensive knowledge of all levels of software development across a diverse range of technical disciplines from systems architecture to business management. Currently, Darren is responsible for overseeing the technical design of SmallWorlds. Before cofounding SmallWorlds with Mitch Olson, Darren was the General Manager and Page 18 Chief Operating Officer of Virtual Spectator International Ltd where he was responsible for the overall management of development and operations, lead the R&D efforts and contributed to the overall strategic direction of the business. Phil Guest Senior Vice President, Global Advertising Sulake Inc. As senior vice president, Global Advertising, Sulake Inc., Phil Guest is instrumental in leading the continued development and growth of Finnish-based Sulake’s top property, Habbo, the world’s largest virtual world for teens. Guest is responsible for generating global advertising business by identifying and developing opportunities with companies interested Pillsbury. The Real Deal for Virtual Law. Explosive growth in the number and use of virtual worlds and video games has created a more urgent need to understand and address the legal issues associated with this growing industry. Pillsbury has an internationally recognized, multidisciplinary team of attorneys at the forefront of these issues who assist clients across the entire spectrum of legal matters and business opportunities. Across our 14 offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia, we represent some of the largest companies in these industries and some of the most promising start-ups and emerging growth companies. For more information, contact James Gatto at 703.770.7754 or Benjamin Duranske at 650.233.4565 or visit www.pillsburylaw.com Houston | London | Los Angeles | New York | Northern Virginia | Orange County | Sacramento | San Diego San Diego North County | San Francisco | Shanghai | Silicon Valley | Tokyo | Washington, DC Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 1540 Broadway | New York, NY 10036 | 877.323.4171 www.pillsburylaw.com Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ in engaging youth audiences in an interactive online environment. He works with brands to build sustained advocacy programs and on-going campaigns utilizing in-game activities, brand placements and virtual goods. Neil Harris Executive Vice President Simutronics Neil is the driving force behind the company’s key partnerships and business strategies as head of business development and marketing. Prior to joining Simutronics in 1993, Neil spent five years with General Electric as marketing director for its groundbreaking GEnie online service, spearheading its strategic focus on games and forums. He spent eight years during the 1980s with Commodore and Atari where he helped launch their computer systems. He has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Eric Hartness Chief Marketing Officer PlaySpan Inc. Eric Hartness, Chief Marketing Officer, leads PlaySpan’s Marketplace and microtransaction platform marketing efforts. Eric joined PlaySpan after almost nine years with Electronic Arts where he was most recently Vice President of Marketing for its Redwood Shores studio and hit games Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Simpsons Game, The Godfather, and Dead Space. Previously, Eric led EA’s digital distribution and subscription businesses developing new online revenue streams and maximizing existing ones. Martin Herdina CEO FatFoogoo Prior to starting FatFoogoo Martin has successfully defined and led the implementation of multi-million dollar projects for T-Mobile International, Yahoo Int’l, AT&T Wireless and Skype for managing and delivering intangibles such as ringtones, wallpapers and mobile games. Combining these experiences with his strategic track record as VP Product for ucpmorgen and Director Product Marketing for Qpass in Seattle, USA make Martin an expert and thought leader in emerging market segment around virtual goods and services. Julie Hochheiser Senior Web Editor Seventeen.com As the senior web editor at Seventeen, Julie works with both the web and edit staff to develop exciting, original, and interactive content for an online teen audience. She also works to seamlessly integrate the voice and content of the magazine across the brand’s platforms. Additionally, Julie works with Hearst Digital Media to assist in the development of content across the Hearst Teen Network. Steven Hoffman CEO RocketOn, Inc. Captain Hoff is the CEO of ROCKETON. He is also a founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group and the founder of the San Francisco Chapter of the Producers Guild of America. Prior to starting ROCKETON, he was the COO and co-founder of Zannel, the first largescale mobile instant media messaging platform. Before that, he was the North American Studio Head for Infospace, where he ran the U.S. mobile games publishing & development group. Charles Edward Hudson VP of Business Development Serious Business Hudson is the VP of Business Development for Serious Business, a leading producer of social games for the social web. At Serious Business, Hudson is responsible for business development partnerships and monetization of the company’s expanding portfolio of social games. Prior to joining Serious Business, Hudson was the Sr. Director for Business Development at Gaia Online, a leading online hangout for teens and young adults. Nabeel Hyatt Founder and CEO Conduit Labs Nabeel Hyatt is the founder and CEO of Conduit Labs, building the music social gaming network Loudcrowd. We’re driven by creating new forms of play through music. Nabeel’s is an entrepreneurial veteran of five startups in consumer new media, from being an Entrepreneur in Residence at Prism VentureWorks to the MIT-Media Lab spin-off company Ambient Devices. He writes sporadically about the market at http://nabeel.typepad.com . Joe Hyrkin Vice President, Sales & Business Development Gaia Online Joe Hyrkin drives sales and business development for gaiaonline.com, the leading teen hangout on the web. Joe has more than 15 years of experience in senior sales and business development management, both in the USA and internationally. He has focused his career on creating and launching new businesses around the world, and has been instrumental in pioneering creative revenue opportunities in the community web space. Prior to joining Gaia Online, Joe headed up the business side of Multimedia Search at Yahoo. Dan Jansen CEO and Co-Founder Virtual Greats Dan Jansen is the CEO of Virtual Greats, a company that distributes and sells branded virtual goods in partnership with the leading social networks and virtual worlds. Prior to founding Virtual Greats Jansen was an active investor and entrepreneur in the new space. He also led the Global Media News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 19 & Entertainment practice for the Boston Consulting Group. Jansen holds a BA in Economics from UCLA and an MBA from the Wharton School and lives in Manhattan Beach with his wife and three children. Sean Kane Attorney Drakeford & Kane LLC Sean F. Kane is a member of Drakeford & Kane LLC and Manager of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. He counsels clients in the interactive entertainment, video game, virtual world, publishing, licensing and merchandising, and sweepstakes and gaming industries. Marta Kagan Vice President of Marketing Viximo Marta Kagan is a strategic marketing professional with a passion for social media and extensive experience using the Internet to engage consumers and create memorable brands. As the outspoken voice behind The Secret Diary of a Bonafide Marketing Genius, Marta writes and speaks frequently about branding and advertising in the Web 2.0 Era. Her critically-acclaimed viral hit “What the F**k is Social Media?” has been translated into 7 languages. Jouni Keranen President iLemon Jouni is an entrepreneur and social media expert who has been working with virtual worlds and offshore software outsourcing, for the past 8 years. Prior to co-founding iLemon Jouni was President and Regional Director of Greater China for world’s largest virtual world, Habbo Hotel. In late 1990’s, living in India, Jouni founded a software outsourcing company which grew to 60 people in four countries and over 1 million euro in revenues during first two years. In iLemon Jouni is in charge of global business development and company overall strategy, leading iLemon’s multicultural teams to succeed together with customers across geographical and cultural borders. Thom Kidrin President/CEO Worlds.com Inc. President/CEO of Worlds.com (NASDAQ- BB-WDDD ) Worlds.com, Inc. (OTC BB -WDDD) The pioneering platform in massive multi-user 3D virtual communities and rich immersive environments. (US Patent 6,219,045 and 7,181,691B1) Responsible for defining corporate vision and implementation of management structures. Oversight of product development, licensing, marketing/sales, domestic and international business products and services. Daniel Kruchkow Head of Digital Strategy Crush Management Daniel Kruchkow is currently head of Digital Strategy for Crush Media - a division of Crush Management, home to artists such as international superstars Fall Out Boy, Panic Page 20 at the Disco, Gym Class Heroes and many others as well as Decaydance Records and the wildly successful friendsorenemies.com. Additionally, Crush owns and operates several award-winning bars in NYC, Chicago and Barcelona under the Angels & Kings banner. Prior to Crush, Mr. Kruchkow spent over 11 years at Universal Music Group (UMG). Pierre Le Lann Co-CEO Tribal Nova Pierre specializes in producing and operating children virtual worlds in partnership with Broadcasters such as PBS, CBC, RTL as well as Internet Service Providers and Portals such as AOL and Bell Canada. Tribal Nova also develops online games in partnership with leading television producers such as Decode Entertainment, Cookie Jar Entertainment, Nelvana, or Marathon for both the European and North American markets. Pierre started in kids interactive in 1995, when he built Periodica Multimedia, a division responsible for marketing children edutainment PC games. Dr. Andreas Lober Partner SchulteRiesenkampff Dr. Andreas Lober is a partner at the Frankfurt-based lawfirm SchulteRiesenkampff. His main areas of practice are legal questions of computer games, virtual worlds, and the Internet, with a particular focus on the implementation of new business models. He currently works for several developers of virtual worlds and online games, as well as some of the world’s leading publishers of computer games. Kenneth Locker SVP Digital Media Cookie Jar Entertainment Kenneth Locker establishes Cookie Jar’s wireless, broadband and IPTV partnerships and online games initiatives. He also forms global partnerships and licensing arrangements in emerging digital distribution platforms. Before joining Cookie Jar Entertainment, Locker served as Senior Vice President for Digital Media for Comedy Central where he successfully rebuilt the company’s website and extended the network’s brands to wireless, online and interactive TV platforms. He was instrumental in establishing strategic marketing and business partnerships with AOL, Yahoo!, Microsoft, RealNetworks, Nokia and Ericsson. David Lord President CEO of Knowledge Adventure David Lord is president and CEO of Knowledge Adventure, the leader in adventure-based 3D virtual worlds for 3-to-10 year olds. As head of the company, Lord’s extensive background and 10+ years in the toy industry makes him uniquely qualified to lead Knowledge Adventure in solidifying its position as a multi-faceted kid’s entertainment company with both retail and online virtual world components. A recognized and respected leader of the industry, Lord was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 Award in the Emerging Growth category in the Greater LA area. Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Sean McGowan Managing Director, Equity Research Department Needham & Company Sean McGowan is a Managing Director in Needham’s Equity Research Department. He covers a broad group of consumer stocks, including toy manufacturers and specialty retailers. Prior to Needham, he was with Wedbush Morgan Securities where he was Managing Director and Associate Director of Research. Earlier, Sean spent twenty years as an analyst covering Toys, Interactive Entertainment and Specialty Retailers at BMO Capital markets and its predecessors (Harris Nesbitt, Gerard Klauer Mattison, etc.), including serving as Director of Research from 1998-2002. Mr. McGowan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Hofstra University. Sean lives in New York City. Ravi Mehta Vice President Viximo Ravi Mehta is the VP of Viximo Studios where he manages the company’s content development and iPhone applications teams. He has over 15 years of experience managing innovative consumer applications for a variety of platforms including founding a successful video game studio, defining the initial version of Xbox Live, directly massively multiplayer gaming initiatives at Microsoft, and launching a lead generation service for the financial services industry that served clients such as Forbes and Morningstar. Nic Mitham CEO K Zero Nic is CEO of K Zero, a leading virtual worlds consultancy formed in 2006. Nic spent 7 years in the Telco sector in strategic marketing role before setting up his own ad agency. The metaverse beckoned and K Zero now sits in the hub between brands, virtual world operators and investors providing analytics, consulting and virtual world strategies. Philippe Moitroux CEO TAATU Philippe is CEO, TAATU. The company launched a 2.5D virtual social community dedicated to the teens+ in 2006 (http:// www.taatu.com). After a successful focus on Belgium, France and The Netherlands through French and Dutch worlds, the company is now deploying an English-based community. All TAATU worlds are interconnected to offer seamless cultural cross-experience. TAATU developed an excellence in the design, development and operation of virtual worlds extensions of television and movie concepts. Sergio Monsalve Principal Norwest Venture Partners Sergio has more than 13 years of operational experience in marketing, product management, business development, sales and finance from business and consumer technology companies. Sergio is focused on investments in the soft- News, N News Ne ews ws,, Strategy, Stra St ratte ra tegy tegy gy,, In IInsight nsiigh ght ht and and Analysis. Anal An alys lys ysiis is. Updated is. Upd datted d Daily. Dai ailily ly. www.Vi ly. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Virt rtualW alWor orld ldsN sNe ewss.co com m Page 21 Page Pa 21 ware, internet, and media sectors. His current investments and board seats include Center’d and myYearbook. He is also a board participant and actively involved with M-Factor, Lending Club, and Picateers. Prior to Norwest Venture Partners, Sergio served as Vice President of Product Marketing for Photobucket, which was successfully sold to News Corp for a reported $300M. Izzy Neis Senior Community Manager Six Degrees Games, Inc. Izzy Neis has served as Senior Community Manager at Six Degrees Games, Inc. since joining the company in October 2007. In her role at Six Degrees Games, Izzy manages the community department for ActionAllStars.com, a sportsthemed virtual world designed for ages six-to-14. Prior to joining Six Degrees Games, Izzy held the position of User Engagement Manager for Star Farm Production, a children’s multimedia entertainment company, where she was responsible for strategy and planning of community efforts and also co-created a pre-school book series. For the past four years, Izzy has been a voice for online youth media via her blog at izzyneis.com. John L. Nicholson Senior Associate Pillsbury’s Global Sourcing Mr. Nicholson is an attorney in Pillsbury’s Global Sourcing group. Mr. Nicholson helps clients structure, negotiate and document complex sourcing transactions and he is also a lead member of the firm’s Privacy and Data Protection practice. Mr. Nicholson’s practice includes negotiating and preparing software licensing, development, and implementation agreements; data center, information technology , and business process outsourcing relationships, including help desk outsourcings; offshore outsourcing arrangements; IT consulting agreements; software, hardware, and outsourcing requests for proposals ; hardware and software procurement transactions; enterprise resource planning (implementation and licensing agreements; and Internet technology matters. Jason Oberfest Vice President of Business Development MySpace Jason Oberfest serves as Vice President of Business Development for MySpace. In this role, Jason is responsible for structuring and negotiating deals to drive revenue and support the launch of innovative new products. Jason is also the General Manager of MySpaceID and oversees the commercial programs that are offered to the developer community as part of the MySpace Developer Platform and MySpaceID. Prior to MySpace Jason served as Managing Director of Business Development and Product Management for Los Angeles Times Interactive. Jerry Paffendorf Co-Founder and Creative Director Wello Horld, Inc. Jerry Paffendorf is co-founder and creative director of Wello Page 22 Horld, a startup inspired by virtual worlds that does realtime social web stuff everywhere in the browser: the World Wide World. Prior to that he was resident futurist at The Electric Sheep Company and an author of the Metaverse Roadmap project with the Acceleration Studies Foundation, looking at coming convergence between social nets, video games, virtual worlds, geo mappy things, mobile, sims and reals. Jerry hops back and forth between New York and San Francisco. Matt Palmer Executive Vice President and General Manager Stardoll Matt Palmer is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Stardoll (http://www.stardoll.com/), a premier virtual fashion entertainment destination on the Web that empowers users to express their creativity within a unique “social play” environment, blending childlike play with social networking to deliver a playful, fun-filled approach to fashion, celebrity and dress-up. His role at Stardoll is to develop innovative, integrated partnerships with advertisers, brands, music labels, film studios, television networks, celebrities and musicians that will ultimately expand the user base and increase traffic to the website. Laurie Petersen General Manager Minyanville Family Media Inc. Laurie Petersen is general manager of Minyanville Family Media, a division of Emmy Award-winning Minyanville Media Inc., and ringleader of MinyanLand, a virtual world for kids in grades 3-5 that focuses on earning, saving, spending and giving. Developed in conjunction with the National Council on Economic Education, MinyanLand has surpassed 300,000 registrants and is a part of the GoFish network and is also distributed through MinyanLand.com., the FunSchool channel of Kaboose and KOL. Michael H. Pinkerton COO Metaverse Mod Squad Michael H. Pinkerton works with brands and operators to staff their virtual worlds with outsourced moderators and customer support teams. He also consults on child safety, design, and community engagement strategies. He founded the Association of Online Community Moderators and is a member of e-Mint, an international group of online community professionals. His experience includes over a decade of practicing law in the areas of commercial litigation and intellectual property. Joi Podgomy VP Interactive Development Joi Podgorny leads the integration of interactive/online strategies into Ludorum’s television, publishing and toy properties. Before Ludorum, she has spent the past decade helping build, manage, and scale online communities for kids while developing and implementing the systems and infrastructure needed to make these communities viable. Joi has worked Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ as a consultant championing and implementing COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance and monitored networks, as well as developing and implementing strategies in the realms of digital production, integrated marketing, and youth interactive research. Amy Pritchard CEO Metaverse Mod Squad Sabri Sansoy Chief Technology Officer Animax Entertainment Sabri came to Animax from Game Show Network where he served as Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Technology. His responsibilities included supervising a cross-functional team of local and offshore employees in the research and development of innovative technologies to support multiplatform initiatives. During his tenure, his team was nominated 4 times for an Emmy for their work in interactive television. Prior to joining GSN, Sansoy was CTO of Icebox. com, a groundbreaking internet company that assembled an unparalleled lineup of writers, producers and animators to create original animated online programming. Sally Schmidt Executive Producer Circle 1 Network As Executive Producer of Circle 1 Network, Sally is responsible for strategic planning and content development for KidsCom.com. During her time at Circle 1 Network, Sally has led the transition of the site from a kids’ community site to a virtual world where kids work together with friends and virtual pets to make a difference on Earth. As the company’s Privacy Officer, Sally is responsible for counseling the staff on trends, issues and laws related to online privacy including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Sally came to Circle 1 Network from SpectraCom. Andrew Schneider Co-Founder and President Live Gamer Andrew Schneider has been a digital entertainment industry leader and catalyst for emerging business opportunities at the crossroads of media and technology for over 14 years. Prior to founding Live Gamer, Schneider served as Executive Vice President of Marketing at Wind-up Records, the world¹s leading independent record label, where he focused on digital innovation. Previously, during his eight year tenure at Sony Pictures Digital, Schneider developed and launched award-winning interactive marketing campaigns. Mike Sellers Chief Alchemist Online Alchemy Mike founded Online Alchemy in 2002 to create “social AI” and new forms of gameplay online. Online Alchemy has developed ground-breaking Social Context technology currently being integrated into next-generation online games and virtual worlds. Mike has been developing online games since 1994 when he co-founded Archetype Interactive and led the design on Meridian 59, the first 3D MMOG. In 1997 he co-founded The Big Network and designed for MyPlace, one of the earliest social networking sites. He led designs on multiple titles for Electronic Arts’ Maxis and Origin studios prior to founding Online Alchemy. Joey Seiler Editor VirtualWorldsNews.com, VirtualGoodsNews.com As Editor, Joey Seiler is responsible for all news and editorial for VirtualWorldsNews.com and Virtual Worlds Weekly. As one of the main reporters covering the industry, Joey has been sought out by professionals for advice and media representatives for commentary. His research on virtual worlds has been covered up by the BBC, LA Times, NY Times, and many other outlets. Prior to Show Initiative, Joey worked as a freelance reporter for both print and online media, covering video games, technology, music, and art. Christopher V. Sherman Founder and CEO Show Initiative, LLC Christopher is one of the world’s foremost experts on the virtual worlds and video game industries. He has been involved in a variety of startups including media companies, a web services company managing investment portfolios for angel investors, an online music company, a grid computing company and an ecommerce firm dedicated to horror and Halloween related merchandise. Last century, prior to all this, he launched UGO Networks (now owned by Hearst Corp.). Ted Sorom CEO Rixty, Inc. Ted is CEO of Rixty, an innovative youth-controlled cashbased payment system that allows youth to pay for online entertainment offerings as easily as buying at the store down the street. As entertainment has moved online, the teen population has followed, but insufficient payment system evolution has limited their online spending. Reuben Steiger CEO and Founder Millions of Us Reuben Steiger is the CEO of Millions of Us, a company dedicated to helping businesses understand and harness the power of virtual worlds and online communities. Prior to founding Millions of Us, Steiger was the Evangelist for Linden Lab, creators of the 3-D virtual world Second Life. In that role he was responsible for business development efforts and bringing the first wave of corporations and commercial developers into Second Life. News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 23 Ian Swanson Founder and CEO Sometrics Ian Swanson is founder and CEO of Sometrics, the first analytics company to focus on social networking platforms. He and his team created a way to provide detailed analytics of millions of daily users of social platforms like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and others. Before launching Sometrics, Swanson was business development manager for Userplane, an AOL company that provides social media apps to hundreds of thousands of online communities, supporting millions of users daily. Mark Wallace CEO and Co-Founder Wello Horld, Inc. Mark Wallace is CEO of the Wello, the real-time social browsing app that lets you stay in touch with your friends wherever you go on the Web. Mark co-founded the Wello after 15 years as a journalist and managing editor, during which time he worked all over the world, writing for publications like The New York Times, Wired, and many more. He also ran the noted metaverse blog 3pointD.com and is co-author of a book on virtual worlds: The Second Life Herald: The Virtual Tabloid That Witnessed the Birth of the Metaverse. Sibley Verbeck CEO The Electric Sheep Company T. Sibley Verbeck is founder of The Electric Sheep Company, and is responsible for business development and overall company strategy. As a former Chief Scientist of StreamSage, Inc. and Comcast Online, Sibley has been a leading researcher in advanced computational linguistic and statistical techniques for analyzing audio, video, and text. In January 2001, Sibley received an award from the Washington Techway Magazine as one of the top young technology executives in the DC area; in 2003 he was selected as one of MIT Technology Review’s top 100 technology innovators worldwide under the age of 35. Regine Weiner Service Game Director NR2B Research, Inc. Margaret Wallace CEO Rebel Monkey Margaret Wallace is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rebel Monkey, Inc. -- a NYC-based casual game entertainment company. Founded in 2007, the company focuses on bringing new kinds of immersive experiences to casual gamers. Rebel Monkey’s premiere Casual MMO, CampFu, is all about offering real-time multiplayer co-op games to players worldwide. Built on top of Rebel Monkey’s own multiplayer gaming platform, CampFu offers collaborative gaming, highly customizable avatars, and an array of virtual goods in a fun online environment. Jeremy Zorn Vice President of Product Development myYearbook Jeremy Zorn is Vice President of Product Development for myYearbook. In this role, Jeremy is responsible for conceiving the innovative social features that drive user engagement and revenue, as well as overseeing the development life cycle that brings these ideas to launch. Jeremy spearheaded the incorporation of myYearbook’s virtual currency, Lunch Money, and continues to play an active role in the administration of myYearbook’s virtual economy. Page 24 Jeff Weiser Head of Analytics SGN (Social Gaming Network) Jeff is responsible for building analytics frameworks and products to optimize game usage and revenue. Prior to SGN, he established MySpace’s Data Analytics practice and worked on yield optimization for Yahoo! Search Marketing’s bidded keyword and contextual advertising platforms. Jeff has an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA in English Language and Literature from Yale University. Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Sponsors and Exhibitors Activeworlds, Inc. Booth 31 Activeworlds Inc. has been the leading provider of 3D Virtual Worlds since 1995. Our platform permits users to enter, move about and interact with others in virtual worlds using the Internet. Activeworlds is the premier developer of social, educational and corporate environments. The Activeworlds platform is interactive, scalable, cost efficient and standards based. Activeworlds offers a complete range of services and applications to support DIY or turnkey, white-label worlds enabling anyone to achieve affordable and compelling Virtual Worlds. Clients from a wide spectrum of activities like; MGA Entertainment, IBM, Wells Fargo, Harvard University, Cornell and others use the Activeworlds platform. Animax Entertainment Booth 32 Animax is an award-winning, full-service agency that helps brands connect with kids. Winners of the first broadband Emmy, Animax provides strategy, creative development, technical production and online marketing services to our clients. We work with entertainment studios, toy companies, and leading brands such as Disney, Sesame, Nickelodeon, Spin Master, Hallmark, Starlight, and ABC Family. With over 50 full-time employees, Animax builds virtual worlds, MMOs, games, and we create animated and live-action video content for our clients. We also drive traffic and audience engagement through our online media and social marketing efforts. Founded in 2001, Animax is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Boston and Toronto. For more information, visit http://www.animaxent.com. Animazoo Booth 11 E-Move consists of a USB powered plug-in and play full upper body motion capture system which will offer the user personal, intuitive game play and control in a variety of games and interactive scenarios. Avatar Reality, Inc. Booth 35 Avatar Reality, creators of Blue Mars, the premiere new massively multiplayer virtual worlds platform that offers game developers, digital entrepreneurs, educators, and corporations unique new ways to play, profit, learn, and collaborate. Using Blue Mars, businesses can develop their own cities, games, digital goods, experiments, and social exhibitions for massive worldwide audiences. Blue Mars features CryENGINE2 powered graphics enhanced with custom shaders and performance optimizations, massive concurrent user support into the thousands, robust IP management for brand and copyright security, and an integrated transaction backend that supports micro-transactions, try to buy, pay to play, and subscription based services. Also our company URL is www. avatar-reality.com Blockdot Booth 36 Blockdot is a world-renowned studio specializing in Interactive Entertainment and Advergaming technologies. Since 2001, Blockdot has created over 800 games for a broad range of companies, including AT&T, GM, Kraft, LEGO, Microsoft, M&Ms, IAC, and Universal Pictures. Millions of people play games built by Blockdot on sites like www.Zwinky. com, www.kewlbox.com and www.boxerjam.com. Blockdot’s technical and creative work captivates and entertains audiences. We implement “Interactive Entertainment” services that encompass: Strategic Consulting, Advergame and Branded Entertainment Development, Widgets and Social Media Applications and Serious Games for Knowledge and Training. More information can be found at www.blockdot. com. Drakeford & Kane LLC Legal Clinic - Room 1E06 Drakeford & Kane LLC (“D&K” or “the Firm”) is dedicated to its clients in the videogame, virtual world and interactive entertainment industries, assisting developers and publishers with their various legal and business needs. Our professionals are members of the International Game Developers Association and frequently present at events such as the Game Developers Conference. The Firm represents businesses and individuals at the forefront of the videogame, virtual world, digital content, interactive entertainment and wireless industries with practice areas devoted to Videogames & Interactive Media, Entertainment & Licensing, Intellectual Property, Corporate Practice and Litigation. Electrotank Booth 34 Electrotank® is an award-winning developer of multiplayer games and innovator of the cutting-edge technologies currently powering today’s most profitable virtual worlds. As creators of Electrotank Universe Platform™ (EUP™) and ElectroServer™ 4, Electrotank has reduced the production time and financial risk associated with making your virtual world a reality. Fatfoogoo AG fatfoogoo is the leading in-game commerce solution for monetizing online video games, casual games, virtual worlds and social networks. fatfoogoo provides developers, publishers, and operators with world class, end-to-end monetization solutions that allow both publisher-to-player and player-toplayer financial interaction, in-game economies, currency management, as well as traditional user and subscription management. Developers can utilize pre-built white label solutions, or opt for individually customized monetization modules. Drawing upon their 20 years of combined telecommunications industry experience, fatfoogoo was founded in 2006 by COO Daniel Petri and CEO Martin Herdina. fatfoogoo is headquartered in beautiful Vienna, Austria with offices in the United States and the United Kingdom. News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 25 Habbo Booth 42 Habbo is the largest virtual world and online community for teenagers. Users join for free by creating a fully customized online character called a Habbo. At its core, Habbo is about social interaction, having fun and building a world for self-expression and creative experiences. Currently there are Habbo communities in 33 countries on six continents. Over 22 million characters have been created to date and 3 million unique users visit Habbo.com each month. Across our 33 Habbo sites worldwide, there are over 124 million characters and 11.5 million unique users each month. For more information, please visit www.habbo.com or contact us at info.us@sulake.com or (310) 395-0404. iLemon Booth 8 iLEMON Group Inc The Virtual World Company iLEMON is a leading developer and designer of web base 2D and 3D virtual worlds. iLEMON virtual worlds is powered by iLEMON V2 and V3 browser base engine and features an array of functions for users including in-build widgets for photo slide show, live audio video, games, music and various human connectivity accessories in an virtual environment. Founded in late 2007 by veterans in internet, games and social media industry iLEMON dedicates towards building the right virtual world platform for various industry and market needs from entertainment to education. Kaneva Booth 9 Built for the masses, Kaneva is the first social entertainment world of its kind. Kaneva fuses social networking, shared media, and Web 2.0 communities with a real-life, modern day, immersive 3D experience. It provides a unique environment for consumers to experience, interact and create entertainment. Founded in 2004 by Christopher Klaus, a highly regarded entrepreneur, Internet security pioneer who previously founded Internet Security Systems, Kaneva is the perfect opportunity for brands to combine their existing online marketing efforts with the unparalleled engagement opportunities of 3D experiences and virtual goods. For more information, visit www.Kaneva.com or watch our What Is Kaneva Video. http://www.kaneva.com/asset/5222044.media Metaversatility Metaversatility is a virtual world development company that fosters community, entertainment, education, and commerce in on-line spaces. With a growing portfolio of ongoing and completed projects, we help select organizations establish a presence in virtual worlds. With years of combined industry experience, the Metaversatility team is well-equipped to tackle any challenge. Our clients range from small start-ups and non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies. Contact us directly at info@metaversatility.com or visit our website, http://www.metaversatility.com Page 26 Mockingbird Games Booth 27 Have you asked lately if your community wants to make their own games? Mockingbird specializes in supplying usergenerated game creation components to virtual worlds and online communities. Choose the right fit for your audience; make games from scratch, personalize games, level-editing, game kits, and more… Flexible game creator components for your business; add/remove features and game play, use your own art, reskin and arrange the UI to fit your style, enable game creation with branded content, and more…See how our clients are using Mockingbird. Booth 27. mockingbirdgames.com. Parature Booth 26 Today’s top names in gaming and interactive media are turning to Parature for top-of-the-line service and support for their customers. Parature Customer Service™ software is rapidly deployed and easy to use, integrating a customer portal, rich knowledgebase and full ticketing application in one dynamic, tightly unified system that manages all your support needs. More than 50 million players the world over are supported by Parature. www.parature.com Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Booth 30 Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is a full-service law firm with market-leading strengths in the technology, energy, financial services and real estate sectors. Recognizing the explosive growth of video games and virtual worlds, Pillsbury has assembled a legal team of nationally recognized lawyers who are at the forefront of emerging issues in this industry. We have a multidisciplinary team of over 20 attorneys, across our many offices to address the myriad legal issues relating to virtual worlds and video games. We represent some of the largest players in the industry and some of the most promising emerging companies. Preferred URL for more information: http://www.pillsburylaw.com/virtualworldvideogames PlaySpan, Inc. Booth 33 PlaySpan™ is the leader in monetization solutions for online games, virtual worlds, and social networks. PlaySpan’s patent-pending in-game virtual goods commerce and micropayment platform enable game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users, and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading publishers, including Aeria Games, Gamers First, Gravity Interactive, Inixsoft, Saga, and Ntreev selected PlaySpan Marketplace as their official virtual goods marketplace. PlaySpan also offers global payment solutions through its subsidiary PayByCa$h® with 70+ payment methods in 180 countries and ULTIMATE GAME CARD® available for 200+ games in over 21,000 retail locations across North America. Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Premium Agency, Inc. Booth 10 Premium Agency is a Japanese video game and CG development studio, founded in 2003. Armed with their own multiplatform game engine, they have developed such major titles as the 3rd person action games Genji and Folklore, the garden simulator Shiki-tei, the fashion simulator Dress, and Sony $B!G (Bs flagship Playstation Home Asia for Playstation 3. Armed with extensive game development experience, they $B!G (Bve recently developed Majua, an in-browser 3-d content platform with next-generation graphics. Premium Agency intends to use Majua to set new standards of quality for clients interested in solutions for immersive advertising, promotions, and online services. For more information: http://www.premiumagency.com/en/index.shtml . SmallWorlds.com SmallWorlds is a free online 3D virtual world where you can meet friends, play games, do missions, listen to music, watch videos and so, much more. Decorate your apartment, buy clothes, or own and train a pet! With a rapidly increasing audience of worldwide visitors and a growing number of digital media, web content and casual games integrated into the experience, SmallWorlds is leading the way for the next-generation of 3D interactive virtual worlds. SmallWorlds and parent company OutSmart designed the framework for a dynamic and integrated virtual world community, and is now working with partners to develop branded virtual world experiences for consumers as we define this new and compelling space of affordable social entertainment. sMeet Booth 12 sMeet offers browser-based and installation-free 3D-worlds, in which people can talk, socialize and share experiences (watch videos, play games, listen to music, etc.) together from anywhere like in real life. How it works: • Partners integrate their sMeet worlds on their websites • Users enter them by clicking a link (URL) and starting a voice connection using their phone (or VoIP) • Users appear as avatars and can talk & socialize with others by simply walking up to them - just like in real life Partners can choose to join the network of worlds on a revshare basis or pay for a closed solution. Sometrics, Inc. Booth 6 Sometrics helps developers monetize free-to-play games, virtual worlds and social applications with the industry’s most advanced Advertiser- Supported Transaction Platform. Publishers gain a new revenue source that enhances existing payment methods, and increases conversions among paying users. Uniquely, the platform gives publishers full control, total transparency and comprehensive customer support. Their relationships span nearly 2,000 developers, using the full suite of products - analytics, ad manager, and the AST platform. Sometrics is the first recipient of capital from The Mail Room Fund, an investment consortium that combines big Hollywood (the William Morris Talent Agency) with Silicon Valley (Accel and Venrock) along with Greycroft Partners and Big Sky Ventures. http://www.sometrics.com/ Super Rewards Booth 43 Super Rewards is the leading virtual currency monetization platform for websites, games and social network applications. Our technology allows consumers to “pay” for virtual goods or services either (i) directly via PayPal, credit card, direct bank debit, stored value card or mobile phone, or (ii) indirectly through filling out direct response/cost-per-action advertising offers that result in equivalent dollar payment to the developer/service provider. Our turnkey, simple to integrate solution delivers highly targeted advertising offers to millions of website and social network users globally, maximizing revenues for developers while increasing engagement for users of any gaming site or application through additional points, credits, tokens, coins, etc. The Electric Sheep Company Booth 37 ESC is a leading provider of virtual world technology, strategy and design. Since 2005, ESC has worked with the world’s largest brands, media companies, and agencies to design and implement great virtual experiences. ESC works with multiple virtual world technologies, including its proprietary WebFlock platform. WebFlock is a new Flash- based product that enables the creation of private-labeled virtual spaces for social interaction, media consumption and game play. Our client roster includes MTV, CBS, Showtime, NBC, Warner Bros, NBA, MLB, WWE, AOL, IBM, Intel, Reuters, Pepsi, Geek Squad, Procter & Gamble, Nissan, Bantam Dell and many more. For more information, visit http://www.electricsheepcompany.com Two Animators! LLP Booth 3 Don’t let the name fool you... Two Animators is a full service multimedia studio specializing in Traditional and Flash animation production! We create animation for virtual worlds, games, series, shorts, music videos, commercial spots, websites and more! Please visit our website for more information: www.twoanimators.com Urbii Booth 4 Urbii is a webpage-based spatial platform for internet navigation and social interaction. By bringing the webring concept into an embedded widget metaverse, Urbii creates endless opportunities for advertising, e-commerce and brand immersion. Vindicia Booth 1 Vindicia offers an integrated, on-demand billing and fraud management solution for online merchants. Vindicia CashBox is a best-of-breed billing system for creating and managing recurring and real-time payments and helps merchants News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 27 improve customer retention and maximize profit. Vindicia ChargeGuard provides automated fraud screening and chargeback management services that enable merchants to recover lost revenue. A PCI Service Provider Level 1 company and SAS 70 Type 2 audited, Vindicia is a key payment management resource for some of the best-known brands on the Internet. For more information, visit www.vindicia. com. Wyndstorm Corp Booth 24 Wyndstorm Corporation is the complex IT solution provider you can trust. We are an end-to-end technology and marketing partner. We bring experience, knowledge and expertise speed to market, to take you from idea to revenues. Our focus is in social media, gaming, and ecommerce. www. wyndstorm.com Yogurt Booth 25 Yogurtistan is a 3D virtual world that runs seamlessly in any browser using Adobe Flash. Just like any other virtual world, users of Yogurtistan can create their online identities, play games and interact with others in real time. It’s also possible for anyone to contribute to the world’s content by designing original avatars, items, and spaces. With its own online marketplace and currency, Yogurtistan is a world where anyone can open a shop and sell her own products. Unlike any online market ever seen before, this world operates in real time and benefits from advantages of multi-user interactivity. With its fresh new 3D flash engine, the Yogurtistan team is determined to change the scene forever. 3D Training, Learning and Collaboration (3D TLC) taking place April 20-21, 2009 in Washington, DC, is the leading event for businesses seeking to understand and maximize business strategies using virtual worlds. 3D virtual worlds have broad implications for business not the least of which is cost savings and energy conservation. Attendees will hear valuable insight, information, and best practices about what innovators and early adopter organizations are doing right now, including what works and why. Yoowalk Booth 7 Yoowalk is an innovative startup company developing a revolutionary virtual world that enables users to walk around the web in a 3D environment, debate live, make friends, grow their personal network and build their own 3D space with their content. Spotted by MICROSOFT as one of the 12 most innovative startups of 2008 worldwide, and member of MICROSOFT’ BizSpark program, Yoowalk was founded by Xavier MARVALDI, the former CEO of M6web and financed by CITA Gestion, one of the most successful Venture Capitalists in France. Link for the description: http://www.yoowalk.com Youcity, Inc. Booth 2 YouCity is a neighborhood-based social network site that helps you connect with local people sharing the same interests. It is a website where you discover on a visually stunning 3D map the city hotspots and exciting local events through people like you. YouCity combines real-life neighborhood context with social context to provide the first true integration of online social networks with local geography. It revolutionizes the way people create and share local information and interact with each other and places around them. Please visit www.youcity.com for more information! Conference Keynote: Joe Little, Chief Technology Office BP Group Hear how BP has chosen Virtual Worlds as the game changing technology for (2008/9). Joe will discuss how the decision to focus on Virtual Worlds came about, what business issues are being addressed via the technology, what challenges he has faced in implementing solutions and what results he has seen from early pilots. View the complete conference schedule and speaker list at www.3DTLC.com Page 28 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™ Notes News, Strategy, Insight and Analysis. Updated Daily. www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 29 Show Map Exhibiting Companies Booth # Exhibitor 31 32 11 35 36 Room 1E06 37 34 42 8 9 27 26 30 33 10 12 6 43 3 4 1 24 25 7 2 ActiveWorlds Animax Animazoo Avatar Reality Blockdot Drakeford & Kane LLC Electric Sheep Company Electrotank Habbo iLemon Kaneva Mockingbird Parature Pillsbury Playspan Premium Agency sMeet Sometrics Super Rewards Two Animators Urbii Vindicia Wyndstorm Yogurt Yoowalk YouCity Conference Rooms 1E09 1E08 1E08 1E07 1E03 Kids Track Keynote, Fireside Chat Virtual Goods Track Youth Track VIP Lounge for speakers and press For latest show updates visit www.VirtualWorldsNews.com Page 30 Engage! Expo™ is a production of Show Initiative, LLC™