Into the Metaverse

Joining me on this episode is Timoni West, VP & GM of Digital Twins at Unity, in what is likely one of the most fascinating conversations I had on the podcast.

Timoni is responsible for Unity’s cloud apps and services in industrial, automotive, commercial, and business markets, delivering value for customers moving into real time, simulation, reconstruction, and rendering. She runs a P&L with a team of 230+ people. Prior to this role, she was vice president of emerging tools and augmented and virtual reality, among other roles.

Timoni and I had a wide ranging conversation about virtual worlds, digital twins, ambient computing, artificial intelligence, predictive manufacturing, the future of industry, and why we’re only at the very beginning of a computing era that is smarter and more capable than we imagine.

On the metaverse:

"what we're really seeing here is that we're able to ingest massive amounts of data, often real time data, and then be able to record it, visualize it, or use it to power another device. And I think this has all kind of gotten swept up into what we're calling the metaverse today, but the old school, 1970s term was contextual computing where computers are able to take in contextual information from the world around them and able to do something cool.

On digital twins:

“with the Tyndall Air Force base, the large part of what they used our technology to do was to figure out how to make sure it did not get, Knocked down by a hurricane again because it was knocked down by a hurricane once. And hurricanes are also dangerous. So being able to not only take in the real-time information on the building site as they were building it out, but also be able to use historical data to figure out how to build the right thing in the future is I think a pretty great example of a digital twin.

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Joining me today is Michael Kennedy, an advisor and public speaker on rapidly evolving metaverse and modern / hybrid work technologies and best practices. His focus is transforming the workplace to deliver increased productivity and business outcomes while improving organizational culture to attract and retain the best employees.

"the way I define the metaverse is really around the enterprise metaverse - an evolving set of enabling capabilities. To create more immersive employee, customer, and industry experiences to foster engagement, inclusivity, collaboration, and digital integration helping people and organizations achieve more."

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Joining me today is Frédéric Chesnais - founder & CEO, Crypto Blockchain Industries, and the former CEO of Atari. Crypto Blockchain Industries is a company listed on Euronext and focusing on investments in blockchain and technology.

Fred has decades of experience in executive production, budgeting, financing and management of intellectual property rights. From 2001 to 2007, and then again from 2013 to 2021, he was part of the management team of the Atari Group, the iconic technology and entertainment company. In 2007, he left Atari to create his own executive production company, I2G, which he sold in 2012.

“Most of the last 20 years of my professional life has been spent with video games. So first and foremost, for me and for this company that I've created, the Metaverse is a video game. It's an open world. Some may say, you know what, you can have a metaverse in 2D, but as far as we are concerned and given my background, I do focus on the consumer experience, and for me, it's definitely a 3D open world, and then you add on top of that, we add the blockchain layer for transactions.”

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Joining me today is Gilad Talmon, CEO of YOOM - a leading volumetric video technology company making the next wave of content creation accessible to creators and brands, providing them a direct path into the virtual worlds and beyond through a proprietary technology.

With over 16 years of senior management experience across various technology sectors in both the startup and corporate space, Gilad previously served as the Programs & Business Development Director at Elbit Systems Aerospace Ltd. in Israel, where he was intimately involved with AR.

We cover in detail the role of advanced technologies like the one YOOM is building on enabling an ever-expanded and accessible content creation to populate virtual worlds by both professional developers and individual creators. We also discuss why digital avatars are already playing an instrumental role in the way young people socialize and express themselves and why this trend will only accelerate as virtual and gaming continue to emerge as a next-generation mass media.

https://www.intometamedia.com/

Joining me today is Matias Rodriguez, SVP of Technology - Games & Metaverse Studios at Globant - a global IT software development company operating.

As SVP of Technology at Globant’s Metaverse and Gaming Studios, Matías leads a worldwide multidisciplinary team of more than 1,500 people to build products for clients. For the Metaverse Studio, he is leading the journey of helping companies create and operate new virtual spaces where they can extend their brand presence.

We cover in detail the practice that Matias leads at Globant and the work they do with clients on metaverse-related initiatives, the opportunities and challenges for engaging with consumers and customers through next generation digital experiences, both in the consumer and industrial sectors, and especially why there’s so much potential for industrial and healthcare companies as a new category of platforms emerge.

https://www.intometamedia.com/

Sandy Carter is Senior Vice President and Channel Chief at Unstoppable Domains. The company, which recently raised $65M Series A led by Pantera Capital at a $1B valuation, creates NFT domains that give people control of their data. Each Unstoppable domain is a cryptocurrency address which serves as the user’s login to the decentralized web, and in a sense can act as a user’s universal username. Sandy and her team are responsible for driving new partnerships and integrations.

Previously Sandy was Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Channel Chief at Amazon Web Services, and prior to that was the General Manager of Ecosystems and Startups at IBM.

We cover in detail digital identity and its importance according to Sandy, how Unstoppable Domains educates and informs people on how they can establish a next generation online identity, Sandy’s journey from IBM to Amazon Web Services to Unstoppable Domains and why it is so important that we have en ever growing diversity in the teams that are building the future of the Internet.

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Maxim Perumal is the founder of Unai, a stealth startup company that makes a VR headset and Virtual World dedicated to making human interactions look, feel, and sound like they do in real life. Unai is funded by NFX, Stride, Y Combinator and David Helgason (founder of Unity Engine), among others. Previously Maxim built Relativty, a popular open-source VR headset when he was 15 years old. He open-sourced it after Meta (then Facebook) invited him to meet with Oculus' Chief Architect.

We cover in detail the story of building an open-source VR headset which led Maxim to drop out of high school and begin his journey to build next generation VR platform with Unai, which while is still in stealth mode, spark interest from leading investors who are backing Maxim in his quest to build a truly user-focused VR headset and experience. We also discuss the key pillars that are crucial to providing an enjoyable user experience and what the wider competitive landscape looks like, including Maxim’s point of view on Meta and Apple’s efforts in the space.

“An Instantaneous sense of presence” is how Maxim described the essence of how the metaverse will make people feel.

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Moritz is a Partner and the Head of Gaming at Lightspeed Venture Partners, a venture capital firm with over $18 billion in capital under management and more than 500 investments across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—including Epic Games, Stability AI, and Snap. Previously, Moritz was a partner and management team member at BITKRAFT Ventures where he led investments into Inworld AI, Theorycraft Games, Raid Base, Lightforge Games, and Horizon Blockchain Games among others.

We cover in detail Moritz and Lightspeed’s approach to investing in gaming, how Moritz think about the metaverse and adjacent technologies and trends, what’s his wider hypothesis on the category, and what are some of the key areas he’s focusing on. Really enjoyed hearing Moritz’s thoughtful perspectives, bringing his experience in gaming and an understanding on how emerging technology is unlocking new ways of building next-generation games and experiences.

https://www.intometamedia.com/

Steve May is the Chief Technology Officer of Pixar, the iconic animation studio behind movies such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, among so many others. We cover in detail Steve’s perspectives on the metaverse and why the metaverse is important as well as what next generation storytelling might look like.

https://www.intometamedia.com/

Richard Ward is the former Head of Metaverse at McKinsey, the leading management consulting firm, where he focuses on advising clients on metaverse and web3 strategy, as well as providing expertise on the role of augmented reality and virtual reality.

In a fascinating conversation, Richard and I we discuss in detail the stage we’re at with the evolution of the metaverse; what is full-body computing and why it matters to truly grasp how the metaverse should “feel”; what should decision makers consider when making investment decisions on metaverse-related experiments; and how web3 fits in (if at all).

Notes and links can be found here: https://www.intometamedia.com/

This is our finale episode for 2022. We recap where we were at the beginning of 2022 and where we are at the conclusion of the year.

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As Director of Social and Influencer at Chipotle, Candice Beck drives the brand's strategic, rapidly growing social media marketing program. Candice strategizes first-to-market social and digital programs that drive brand buzz and amplify awareness for Chipotle's global campaigns. Candice is responsible for leading award-winning activations, partnering with cross-functional leaders to maintain Chipotle's relevance with fans of all ages. In addition to her focus on social media content, Candice oversees the brand's metaverse strategy, collaborations, and influencer program. Driven by cultural insights, obsessed with the customer journey, and immersed in digital media, Candice is constantly tracking what's new and trending while remaining rooted in Chipotle's values and purpose to Cultivate a Better World. Candice's focus on authenticity, innovation, transparency, and analytics has proven to be a winning combo for Chipotle. Prior to Chipotle, Candice worked in marketing and events at Abercrombie & Fitch. Candice attended The Ohio State University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts and Science Degree. Candice was named one of QSR's '35 young leaders to watch'.

We cover in detail how Chipotle seeks to create authentic experiences that give consumers tangible value, the way Chipotle experiences within Roblox merge the physical and digital worlds, and the massive opportunities for brands in this new frontier.

https://www.intometamedia.com/

Yon is Founder and CEO of Supersocial, a metaverse company that develops, publishes and operates cutting-edge virtual worlds on Roblox and other emerging platforms. Its business platform – which includes a development studio and publishing services, enables world-class brands and IP owners, as well as its owned IP, to enter the metaverse through bold creativity and unmatched product quality. Yon is also the creator, publisher and host of Into The Metaverse, a leading podcast and newsletter where anyone can learn about the metaverse.

We cover in detail why brands are entering the metaverse, how Supersocial and Nars Color Quest are at the cutting edge of innovation in the space, and how marketers can add value to their communities through next generation experiences.

Royal O'Brien is the General Manager of Digital Media and Games at the Linux Foundation. We cover in detail the role of open source technologies in enabling the emergence of a metaverse we can all believe in and get excited about.

Tami Bhaumik is the Vice President of Civility and Partnerships at Roblox. We cover in detail why safety and civility is critical not only to ensure that young people can safely play, explore and socialize on Roblox, but how can we nurture a resilient community as the metaverse emerges.

Tami spearheads the platform's digital civility initiative. To establish healthy and safe communities, Tami is focused on providing kids, teens, parents, and caregivers with skills needed to create positive online experiences, in partnership with leading global safety and industry organizations. With over 25 years of experience, she has successfully fostered supportive communities in a variety of industries through leading the growth of multiple Silicon Valley startups and is an active board member at leading safety institutions. Tami graduated with a BA from the University of California, Berkeley.

The concepts of digital identity and empowering individuals are core tenets of the social movement driving the development of the metaverse. Taylor Monahan from MetaMask joins us to break down philosophically how they view building in web3, the wallet as the potential gateway to your digital identity, bridging the needs and desires of a broad range of potential consumers in web3 and the outlook for regulation of the crypto sector.

Building an open, decentralized, democratic Internet is the aim of many web3 metaverse platforms, seeking to create a better future for our digital lives than the one controlled by walled gardens fueled by personal data. Marja Konttinen, the marketing director of Decentraland, joins us to break down the ethos of their platform, how they view the metaverse as a public good, just how nascent the development cycle of web3 metaverse platforms is and the challenges on educating new entrants into the metaverse on its potential.

On episode 14 of This Week in the Metaverse, Yon talks about the new partnership between the virtual influencer, Miquela, and teen retailer brand, Pacsun, and why it’s an interesting experiment. Then he closes the loop on the unsolicited acquisition proposal from AppLovin to acquire Unity which resulted in Unity’s board rejecting it and staying committed to the merger with ironSource. He finishes the episode yet another disappointing way in which Meta shares with the public the evolution of its Horizon Worlds.

Second Life was one of the first examples of a proto-metaverse gaming platform, a persistent, shared, virtual world where individuals could socialize, play and learn together. We were delighted to have a wide-reaching conversation with Philip Rosedale, the the founder and creator of Second Life, where we dive into Second Life’s renaissance in the last few years, the push of large technology companies into the metaverse and what that means for its development, the prospects for more live entertainment to move into metaverse platforms and empowering creators with more real-time 3D development tools.

On the latest episode of This Week in the Metaverse, Yon and Matthew once again break down three key items that are influential in shaping the development of the metaverse and on which we believe we can provide unique insight and expertise. First, we look at the announcement from Mojang that they are banning all NFT’s in Minecraft. Then, we discuss Dubai’s goal to create 40,000 blockchain and metaverse jobs over the next five years. Lastly, we look at Yuga Labs’ new tech demo for its Otherside metaverse and discuss what it means for the future of the company and for PFP NFT’s.

The metaverse is emerging from interactive entertainment, most notably the gaming sector, and there’s no better authority on everything happening in gaming than VentureBeat and GamesBeat’s Dean Takahashi. We discussed a range of topics about all things gaming and the metaverse including the evolution of gaming in the metaverse era, how that compare and contrasts with Meta Platforms’ view of the metaverse, the impact of gaming consolidation and the role crypto may play in all of this.

On the ninth episode of This Week in the Metaverse (not the eighth as mistakingly said on the recording), Yon and Matthew break down Unity’s $4.4 billion announced acquisition of ironSource and what it means for Unity’s near-term and longer-term prospects as a metaverse infrastructure company. We also look at the impact of Disney accepting Polygon into its Accelerator program to develop AR, NFT and AI experiences and supermodel Karlie Kloss’ pop-up fashion boutiques in Roblox.

As the metaverse emerges, some applications and experiences today are already giving us a taste of what the ultimate end state of the metaverse may look like. Tim O’Reilly, CEO and Chairman of O’Reilly Media, a partner at early stage venture firm O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and the man who helped popularize the term Web 2.0 in the aftermath of dotcom crash, joins us to discuss the future of interactive, social, web-based experiences, where we are in the development cycle towards building the true metaverse vision, the role governments should play in shaping the metaverse’s development and how crypto and blockchain technologies fit into his view of the metaverse.

As large technology companies invest heavily to emerge as leaders in the metaverse, the risk remains that walled gardens extend from the social-mobile era of the Internet into the metaverse era. On this episode, we chat with Professor Udi Shapiro, an interdisciplinary scientist, Internet pioneer, artist, and proponent of e-democracy. He has been with the Weizmann Institute of Science since completing his PhD at Yale University in 1982. Udi provides great insight into his work on e-democracy and building an egalitarian, democratic metaverse and empowering communities with grass-roots cryptocurrencies.

Check out all of Udi's research here: https://arxiv.org/search/?query=Shapiro%2C+Ehud&searchtype=author&order=&size=50

Unity is one of the few companies with advanced real-time 3d capabilities that is positioned to help usher in the metaverse era. Marc Whitten, the Senior Vice President of Create at Unity, joins the podcast to breakdown Unity’s growth in the metaverse, how Unity plans to unleash the creator economy by democratizing real-time 3d development tools, platform interoperability and the potential of web3 technologies as we build towards a collective vision of the metaverse.

On the second episode of This Week in the Metaverse, Matthew is joined by Brian Peganoff, an advisor to several games companies and previously the Senior Director of Corporate Development & Strategy at Glu Mobile, to break down three news items and how they impacting the development of the metaverse. They look at a16z’s new $600 million Games Fund One and $4.5 billion Crypto Fund Four, the M&A rumors swirling around Electronic Arts and the games industry as a whole and earnings takeaways from Roblox, Unity and Nvidia.

On this new sub-series of Into the Metaverse called This Week In the Metaverse, Matthew and Yon give a brief rundown of some of the biggest news and events in the broader metaverse space. This week, we discuss the turbulence in financial and crypto markets and their impact on the metaverse; Epic Games announcing their competitor to Roblox and how that fits into their strategy to conquer the metaverse; and Roblox’s first quarter 2022 financial results.

Decentralization is a key trend in the metaverse, empowering users and creators and seeking to break down the walled gardens of current Internet platforms. Saro McKenna, the CEO of Dacoco, the creator of the largest NFT metaverse Alien Worlds, joins us to discuss the power of decentralized organizations, making web3 technologies more accessible to more users, building through the crypto market turmoil and building a diverse metaverse for people of all walks of life.

What’s it like starting a gaming company in the metaverse and web3 era? We chat with Joseph Kim, the CEO of LILA Games, about his outlook on the metaverse and web3 in gaming and how these megatrends influence product and team decisions in starting a new mobile game company. We also discuss why now may be the right time to start a gaming company based in India amid a flurry of tech growth and venture investment in the country.

The metaverse and web3 technologies are setting the creator economy into hyperdrive, creating myriad new investment opportunities, particularly in venture-stage companies. In this great episode of Into the Metaverse, Yon and Matthew speak with Jarrod Dicker, a Partner at TCG, about venture investing in the metaverse and web3, empowering creators and building communities.

As the metaverse emerges, it’s becoming increasingly evident that many are seeking to tackle some of the key technical challenges of the new platform with cryptocurrencies, blockchain and associated web3 technologies. Ryan Wyatt, the CEO of Polygon Studios, joins Mathew and Yon to discuss the future of web3 in the metaverse and gaming, how Polygon plans to invest more deeply in partnerships with creators and developers and easing the onramp to crypto games and worlds for a more casual audience.

Welcome to season 2 of Into the Metaverse. Yon and Matthew are back after a short hiatus and taking the temperature of the metaverse and discussing some interesting new developments from the last few weeks. We discuss the intersection of web 3 technologies and the metaverse, the case for interoperability and just where we are in the metaverse development cycle. We also break down Nvidia’s Omniverse announcements from its GTC conference and dive into the metaverse implications of Bored Ape Yacht Club parent Yuga Labs’ big funding round.