Welcome to Bits of Signum, Creator Stories: a podcast that spotlights pioneers at the intersection of user generated content, AI, blockchain, and gaming. Each week, we speak to global founders, CEOs and iconic thinkers about new economies that are bubbling up online, and new business models for independent creators who are democratizing game development and content creation generally. We believe that creators and developers are moving to the front of the line.

Knowing and understanding your audience is a foundational principle to building a great game or great business. But how well do we all actually know and understand the people we are building for? How often are we straying and building games more for ourselves than our audience? And how much are we unknowingly building for the past version of our audience and not their future selves?

In this episode of Bits of Signum, Angela and Eliza are joined by Solsten Founder and CEO Joe Schaeppi to break down some of these questions and learn how he and Solsten are changing the way we analyze our audiences and better learn to build for them and what they most want. 

Joe is a visionary in human psychology who wants to fundamentally change the way brands and audiences connect. As the CEO and founder of Solsten, an AI-powered platform for human-centric experiences, Joe is pioneering the use of video games for cognitive assessment, opening up new possibilities for not only the gaming industry but for mental health diagnostics and treatment. Armed with his experience leading UX strategy for Big Fish Games and MRM // McCann and his impactful work as a startup advisor, adventure-based psychotherapist, and ski ambassador for The North Face, Joe intrinsically understands the power of a people-first approach and is ready to help companies create healthier and livelier experiences for users without leaving them overstimulated and disconnected from the real world.

During the conversation Angela, Eliza, and Joe discuss his unique skill set and background, why and how to build experiences around human resonance, what true understanding of your market (players) looks like and the benefits it brings, and much more. 

Learn more about Solsten

Follow Joe: LinkedIn | X

Chapters:

Joe’s Unique Background & Career (00:00)

Building Experiences Around Human Resonance (13:19)

Understanding Your Players as Human Beings (30:30)

Overcoming Resistance While Building a New Category of Customer Avatars (38:26)

Happiness vs Contentment (50:37)

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Signum Growth invests and advises at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. We believe that emerging technologies will continue to be born in video games and that ‘gaming’ will reach an increasingly broader swath of people, until it is simply known as entertainment. The firm focuses on creators and developers who are moving to the front of the line, where they will garner a greater slice of value creation. Areas of expertise include video games, entertainment, and emerging technologies like blockchain and AI. Most recently, the firm has focused on UGC (user generated content) platforms and creators. Signum Growth is comprised of Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer, and Signum Growth Advisors, an investment advisor.

Angela Dalton, Signum Growth’s Founder/CEO, served in Tech/Media leadership roles and as a Managing Director at three firms - Guggenheim Securities, Evercore Partners, and UBS. At Evercore Partners, Angela was an initial investor and Co-Founder of Evercore Equities. Signum Growth acts as the Lead Advisor to ARK Invest, and Angela serves as the Co-Founder of the Women in Gaming Zoom (WIGZ), and recently served on the corporate board of FaZe Clan. She earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Kansas, Phi Beta Kappa.

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Follow Keshav Holani, Signum Growth Gaming Analyst: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn | Twitter

Where people go, money follows. That is an age-old trend that we are now seeing play out with metaverse platforms, in particular Roblox. As the number of users continues to rise so too does the attention the commercial world places on these new digital landscapes. 

In this episode of Bits of Signum, Angela and Eliza are joined by Matthew Warneford, CEO of Dubit, who is one of the original pioneers of bringing 3D communal platforms to life, and has been a leading voice and innovator in the metaverse in all its incarnations ever since. During their conversation the trio go through Matthew and Dubit’s history, discuss collaborating with major brands to bring them into the metaverse, why fast fashion is the obvious entry point for commerce in these spaces, the third wave of UGC disruption, the virtual world beginning to influence the physical world, and much more!

Matthew Warneford is the Founder and CEO of Dubit, the company building the future of commerce in Roblox. Dubit has been around for over two decades with major successes all along the way. Most recently they have created Gamer Rewards, the first loyalty program for Roblox that lets players earn in-game rewards and redeem them off-platform. Dubit also created Gamer Retail to power immersive in-game retail experiences for brands. Dubit, in collaboration with Adidas, Unilever, H&M, NASCAR, and Kraft, has redefined the art of the possible in the Roblox metaverse.

Learn all about Dubit

Follow Matthew: LinkedIn | Twitter

Chapters:

Dubit’s History (00:00)

Gaining Conviction About Roblox (03:17)

Popularity and Opportunity of In Game Retail (08:00)

Using AI to Create Feedback and Item Curation (10:55)

Collaborating with Major Brands (13:56)

Fashion May Be the Wrong Word (16:36)

Holidays and Seasonality Differences in Virtual vs Physical World (18:16)

Virtual World Begins to Influence the Physical World (21:01)

Third Wave of UGC Disruption (24:58)

Platform Competition and the Movement Towards Interoperability (31:54)

Recap & Wrap Up (37:43)

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Signum Growth is a registered broker-dealer member of FINRA, headquartered in New York. The firm provides M&A advisory services and engages in placements of both private and public company securities. Focused on mass market applications underpinned by Bitcoin & other blockchain protocols, video gaming, tokenized digital art, and social networks, Signum Growth strives to be at the forefront of the emerging technologies and digital economies in the metaverse. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Follow Keshav Holani, Signum Growth Gaming Analyst: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn | Twitter

We are celebrating International Women’s Day by spotlighting Renee Gittins, the CEO of Stumbling Cat and former Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association, to celebrate the launch of her game - Potions: A Curious Tale! It is described as an adventure and crafting game where wit is your greatest weapon and combat is not always the answer. Luna, a young witch who overcomes obstacles with the potions she brews, as she gathers items from enchanted lands and conquers devious puzzles on her quest.

We are so excited to spread the word on the game, and we encourage everyone to play- it is 8 years in the making! It was a lot of fun for Eliza and I to get to know Renee during this podcast - she is very academically oriented, and started her career as the field of biology as a GM at Phoenix Lab. So how fitting that her game is based on the idea of brewing potions! Renee is outspoken about initiatives to increase diversity both within the game industry and gaming overall to help the game industry grow and improve for everyone.

During the conversation Angela, Eliza, and Renee discuss forging their own paths as women in gaming, the mentors and life experiences that influenced Renee’s new game, how going viral on TikTok boosted Renee’s feedback loop, community building, a potential golden age of creator driven content, and much more.

Learn more about Stumbling Cat

Check out Potions: A Curious Tale on Steam

Follow Renee: TikTok | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

Chapters:

00:00 Renee’s Journey Into and Through the Gaming Industry

06:16 Forging Own Path as a Woman in Gaming

10:12 Mentors and Life Experiences that Influenced Characters in Potions

13:12 Trials & Tribulations Faced During 10 Year Journey of Development

17:31 Viral TikTok Boosting Game Feedback

20:48 The Folklore and Stories Woven Into Potions

26:44 Building Creator Communities for Young Girls

28:24 AI Generated Content & Creator Protections

33:06 Possibility of a Creator Driven Golden Age

38:44 Community Building and Putting Yourself Forward

-- -- -- -- --

Signum Growth operates at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. Areas of expertise include video gaming, entertainment, digital payments, blockchain protocols, AI and social media. The firm believes that emerging technologies will continue to be born in games and that ‘gaming’ will reach an increasingly broader swath of people, until it is simply known as entertainment. The firm focuses on creators and developers who are moving to the front of the line, where they will garner a greater slice of value creation. Signum Growth comprises Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer founded in 2018, licensed in M&A, capital raising, and public markets, and Signum Growth Advisors, the firm’s investment business. 

Learn more about Signum Growth Capital here.

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Follow Keshav Holani, Signum Growth Gaming Analyst: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn | Twitter

In this episode of Bits of Signum, Angela and Eliza are joined for the second time on the show by Yon Raz-Fridman, Founder and CEO of Supersocial. During the conversation they discuss the shifting behaviors and locations of the youngest generations, building brand experiences on the 3D internet, the difference between brands and IP and how they should operate differently on platforms like Roblox, Epic Games second party strategy and entire company flywheel, and much more!

Yon Raz-Fridman is the Founder and CEO of Supersocial, a metaverse company operating as a cutting-edge studio and next-generation agency, developing, producing, and publishing world-class games, experiences and brand worlds on Roblox and other emerging platforms. 

Yon has his own podcast and newsletter, Into the Metaverse, where he is a leading industry voice on all things metaverse, 3D gaming, and beyond. The mission of Into the Metaverse is to help you understand what the metaverse is, how it will impact your life, and what opportunities it unlocks. If you are a marketer, entrepreneur, investor or simply a curious professional, definitely check out Into the Metaverse.

Follow Yon: LinkedIn | Twitter

Chapters:

Introduction (00:00)

Welcoming Yon (01:57)

Yon and Supersocial Background (04:01)

Shifting Modalities of Behavior in Youth (07:36)

Brand Building on the 3D Internet (11:16)

Users Perception of Brands and Ads (19:56)

Difference Between Brands and IP (29:46)

Epic Games’ Second Party Building Strategy (31:51)

Too Many Strategies or Incredible Flywheel (37:56)

Maintaining a Developer Community for Decades (51:28)

Supersocial’s 2024 Plans (54:34)

-- -- -- -- --

Signum Growth operates at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. Areas of expertise include video gaming, entertainment, digital payments, blockchain protocols, AI and social media. The firm believes that emerging technologies will continue to be born in games and that ‘gaming’ will reach an increasingly broader swath of people, until it is simply known as entertainment. The firm focuses on creators and developers who are moving to the front of the line, where they will garner a greater slice of value creation. Signum Growth comprises Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer founded in 2018, licensed in M&A, capital raising, and public markets, and Signum Growth Advisors, the firm’s investment business. 

Learn more about Signum Growth Capital here.

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Follow Keshav Holani, Signum Growth Gaming Analyst: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn | Twitter

In this episode of Bits of Signum, Angela and Eliza are joined by Joe Ferencz, CEO of Gamefam. During their conversation they discuss how the most successful developers on Roblox have operated, how the Roblox currently mirrors the early days of YouTube, why active media like gaming is beginning to dominate time spent metrics, the evolution of transmedia, and much more.

Joe Ferencz is currently the CEO of Gamefam, the leading metaverse game developer that creates connected experiences with gaming communities and well-known brands. Across 30+ live games on Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft, Gamefam records over 29 million daily game sessions and 215 million hours of engagement each month. Prior to running Gamefam, Joe spent time working in strategy and business development for companies such as Mattel, Nintendo, Disney, Sony, and more.

Learn more about Gamefam.

Follow Joe: LinkedIn 

Chapters:

Background on Joe and GameFam (00:00)

Roblox Developer Community (04:04)

Building Credibility as an Operator on Roblox Platform (07:46)

Early Days of YouTube vs Early Days of Roblox (10:57)

Opportunities on UEFN and Elsewhere (14:54)

Passive vs Active Media and Roblox Dominating Time Spent (16:44)

Roblox’s Time Advantage (24:15)

Originals vs Branded Experiences (28:31)

Evolution of Transmedia (32:59)

Fitting Brands to Where They Can Win (36:43)

Roblox Subgenre Slang (39:48)

-- -- -- -- --

Signum Growth operates at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. Areas of expertise include video gaming, entertainment, digital payments, blockchain protocols, AI and social media. The firm believes that emerging technologies will continue to be born in games and that ‘gaming’ will reach an increasingly broader swath of people, until it is simply known as entertainment. The firm focuses on creators and developers who are moving to the front of the line, where they will garner a greater slice of value creation. Signum Growth comprises Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer founded in 2018, licensed in M&A, capital raising, and public markets, and Signum Growth Advisors, the firm’s investment business. 

Learn more about Signum Growth Capital here.

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Follow Keshav Holani, Signum Growth Gaming Analyst: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn | Twitter

In this episode of Bits of Signum, Angela and Eliza are joined by Pete Hawley, Founder & CEO of Joa, a new UGC studio building on Epic Games’ UEFN. Pete’s team built their first game, Bank Heist, in his most recent role as the Chief Product Officer at 100 Thieves. We discuss his career in game development, how UGC is changing the gaming landscape, his studio’s latest hit, Bank Heist, UEFN, the Gen Z and Alpha audiences, and much more.

Pete Hawley is currently the Founder & CEO of Joa. Prior, Pete was at 100 Thieves, where he oversaw the creation and launch of the smash hit Bank Heist. Prior to 100 Thieves, Pete held positions at companies such as Mythical Games, Telltale Games, and Zynga, building a proven track record of launching and growing successful mobile and video game franchises across multiple genres and platforms.

Play Bank Heist on Fortnite with Island Code: 3339-4063-3278

Follow Pete: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Chapter Notes:

(00:00) Pete’s Background and Career in Gaming

(08:30) Building Bank Heist on UEFN

(15:50) Challenges of Building UGC Content

(24:00) New Beliefs to Adopt for the Gen Z and Alpha Audience

(27:15) Shortening Attention Spans and Vying For Time

(34:00) The Power of Unreal Engine 5

(37:40) Bringing Women into Gaming on UEFN

(45:05) Epic’s Long-term Plan

(53:05) Pete’s Industry Prediction

(58:30) AI Systems and Building Games

(01:06:20) Goodbyes

Signum Growth operates at the intersection of mass market culture and new economies that are bubbling up in new digital communities. Areas of expertise include video gaming, entertainment, digital payments, blockchain protocols, AI and social media. The firm believes that emerging technologies will continue to be born in games and that ‘gaming’ will reach an increasingly broader swath of people, until it is simply known as entertainment. The firm focuses on creators and developers who are moving to the front of the line, where they will garner a greater slice of value creation. Signum Growth comprises Signum Growth Capital, a FINRA-registered broker dealer founded in 2018, licensed in M&A, capital raising, and public markets, and Signum Growth Advisors, the firm’s investment business. 

Learn more about Signum Growth Capital here.

Follow Angela: LinkedIn | Twitter 

Learn more about Visible Realms here.

Follow Eliza: LinkedIn 

Explore the creative power of generative AI with Marguerite Decourcelle, CEO at Blockade Labs. Angela, Evan, and Marguerite cover Blockade Labs' Skybox AI, a tool for generating panoramic, game-engine-ready worlds, as well as the landscape of AI tooling and its growing influence across creative spaces.

Marguerite Decourcelle (aka coin_artist)

Marguerite has committed her career to the democratization of creativity. Over 10+ years, she has cast a vision of a more egalitarian creative world which enable the everyperson to unlock their unique creative gifts.
Currently Founder & CEO of Blockade Labs, Marguerite leads a talented group of purpose driven technologists and futurists aiming at allowing creatives to summon AI generated digital environments without the encumbrances of cost and speed. Their award winning technology is the future of digital environment development.

Blockade Labs

Blockade Labs is a leading AI Generative Environment Engine for creatives. A team of 15+ from around the world, Blockade has attracted the best and brightest to build a more egalitarian future for creatives.
Blockade Labs aims to on-board millions creatives across the globe by enabling them to create digital environments with a few words and one click.

Check out their tool Skybox AI here (and at 10:18 in the episode!)

Signum Growth

Signum Growth is a registered broker-dealer member of FINRA, headquartered in New York. The firm provides M&A advisory services and engages in placements of both private and public company securities.  Focused on mass market applications underpinned by Bitcoin & other blockchain protocols, video gaming, tokenized digital art, and social networks, Signum Growth strives to be at the forefront of the emerging technologies and digital economies in the metaverse. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

Signum Growth's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SignumGrowth⁠⁠⁠

Angela's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/daltonan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Signum Growth's Newsletter: ⁠⁠Bits of Signum⁠⁠ 

Angie, Evan, and surprise co-host DJ are joined by gmoney -- futurist, disruptor and the CEO & Founder of clothing company 9dcc and community Admit One. The conversations explore gmoney's first impressions of crypto and NFTs, his identity both online and IRL, and his experience building brands and communities in this new technological frontier.

gmoney

gmoney (@gmoneyNFT) is a renowned NFT cultural thought leader and educator – best known for anonymously sporting his iconic orange beanie, CryptoPunk, and establishing his metaverse community Admit One. gmoney sold Visa and Galaxy Digital the CryptoPunks they purchased for their collections, and he is the founder of 9dcc, the first crypto-native fashion luxury house to exist on the blockchain. gmoney was recognized by nftnow’s 2022 ‘NFT100,’ the Vogue Business Disruptors 100, and featured on Fortune as one of the 50 most important people in NFTs, thanks to his work educating people on why the largest global corporations – like adidas, Meta, Nike, Visa, or Pepsi – are rushing into crypto, and how blockchain and metaverse strategy will be critical for future success and monetization. gmoney has become an iconic symbol of success with consciousness in the blockchain arena who has cemented his reputation through multi-faceted business endeavors, investments, partnerships, collaborations, and transparent communication across various social channels, all while working to prominently uplift the voices of women, POC, and other minorities in the space. 

9dcc

Built for innovators, change-makers, and disruptors. 9dcc subscribes to the familiar ideals of historic luxury fashion houses and simultaneously reinterprets the codes of luxury and sophistication. The name reflects the web3 spirit at the heart of the brand - the cryptic letter and number set represents the last four digits of the Ethereum wallet of the House from which all product expressions of the brand will be born. While innovative from a tech perspective, under the creative direction of gmoney, the new label will subscribe to the architecture and ideals of iconic fashion houses: Uncompromising choices in designs, materials and craftsmanship, illustrative storytelling, and selective distribution that speaks directly to the luxury market. 9dcc simultaneously reinterprets centuries-old traditions of house codes and offers a fresh take on fashion for a digital-first consumer, whose views on fashion and design align with gmoney's own vision of timeless style. The brand promises to constantly innovate and develop past the binary and analog. Dancing between the digital vs physical realms through singular, surprising products and events, 9dcc will evoke an exciting and elevated experience. Let's reimagine the world of style.

Admit One

Admit One is your entry into the gmoney ecosystem. The journey begins here. See the full manifesto on g.money.

Signum Growth

Signum Growth is a registered broker-dealer member of FINRA, headquartered in New York. The firm provides M&A advisory services and engages in placements of both private and public company securities.  Focused on mass market applications underpinned by Bitcoin & other blockchain protocols, video gaming, tokenized digital art, and social networks, Signum Growth strives to be at the forefront of the emerging technologies and digital economies in the metaverse. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

Signum Growth's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SignumGrowth⁠⁠

Angela's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/daltonan⁠⁠⁠

Signum's Newsletter: ⁠Bits of Signum⁠ 

This episode of Bits of Signum brings in Jason Chen, the former Executive VP of Digital at BRON Studios, an expert in movie production and visual effects. Jason describes how BRON is building out their Gossamer franchise using Epic Games' Unreal Engine and Fortnite creative platform, UEFN, as well as how Unreal Engine is changing the film/TV industry as a whole.

About Jason Chen

Jason Chen is a highly experienced industry veteran with a remarkable 15-year career in visual effects. His journey began at the age of 17 on the groundbreaking film Avatar, where he worked for Weta Digital and Lightstorm Entertainment, honing his skills in virtual production and live action integration. Throughout his career, Jason has collaborated with legendary creatives such as James Cameron, Peter Jackson, Stephen Spielberg, JJ Abrams, and Marvel Studios, contributing his technical expertise to projects like Jojo Rabbit, Real Steel, Star Wars: Episode VII, Bumblebee, and Thor: Ragnarok. His most recent role was executive producer and leading figure at BRON Digital, pioneering real-time digital workflows and remote virtual production animation techniques. With a passion for innovation and technology, Jason continues to shape the future of creative endeavors in the digital entertainment space.

⁠About BRON

BRON Media Corp. (“BRON”) is the parent to two main operating hubs – BRON Studios and BRON Digital. Co-founded in 2010 by Aaron L. Gilbert and Brenda Gilbert, BRON is the prolific and award-winning studio behind some of the most high-profile films of the last decade, in both the independent and studio worlds. BRON has produced or executive produced more than 125 productions, and BRON companies have received hundreds of honors including 38 Academy Awards nominations (6 wins), 39 BAFTA Awards nominations, and more than 250 Film Festival Award nominations. BRON is well known for many culture-shifting and history-making productions over the years and the Company’s focus is on live-action and animated film and television production, leaning in heavily with interactive gaming, music, and culture.

BRON Studios' creative team develops and produces live-action scripted and nonscripted film and series television content for global release including a direct-to-consumer model. BRON works with some of the industry’s top creators, filmmakers, and on-screen talent, leveraging its relationships across the film, television, music, and fashion space to build community-led content offerings. BRON has been a financial backer, back-office studio, and co-producing partner to some of the most notable start-up production companies, such as Kid Cudi’s Mad Solar, the team behind HBO’s EUPHORIA and HBO’s THE IDOL (starring the Weeknd), Apple’s BLACK BIRD and Focus’ TAR, Apple’s THE MORNING SHOW, and A24’s X.

BRON Digital is a state-of-the-art virtual production company that uses Epic Games’ Unreal Engine at its core. We provide a comprehensive breakdown and development of IPs – matching them with the appropriate virtual production tools (motion capture, digital facial performance, and real-time shot production, etc.) to provide a seamless journey for creatives into the digital future across a variety of mediums and platforms.

⁠Signum Growth⁠

Signum Growth is a registered broker-dealer member of FINRA, headquartered in New York. The firm provides M&A advisory services and engages in placements of both private and public company securities.  Focused on mass market applications underpinned by Bitcoin & other blockchain protocols, video gaming, tokenized digital art, and social networks, Signum Growth strives to be at the forefront of the emerging technologies and digital economies in the metaverse. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

Signum Growth's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SignumGrowth⁠⁠

Angela's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/daltonan⁠⁠⁠

Signum's Newsletter: ⁠Bits of Signum⁠