Games and Investment Salon

​A Curated Capital–Creative Gathering

​A curated, high-signal salon during GDC Week designed to connect investors, senior operators, studio leaders, platform builders, and select creators in a relationship-first environment.

​This is a GDC Week satellite event, complementary to the conference and independently produced, built for people who want real conversations, not crowded mixers or pitch-stage theatrics.

​Who Should Attend

​Investors

• ​Exploring games and the broader creator / attention economy

• ​Seeking early visibility into disciplined teams and studios with real market fit

• ​Interested in why games are increasingly investable using SaaS-like operating models

​Operators & Builders

• ​Senior studio leaders and platform operators

• ​Founders building scalable, live-ops–driven products

• ​Infrastructure and tooling leaders shaping the ecosystem

​Select Creators

• ​Creators with meaningful audience scale or ecosystem gravity

• ​Those able to speak to the business realities of attention, IP, and durability at scale

​Attendance is intentionally constrained to preserve signal quality.

​What Makes This Event Different

​This event is designed around structured dialogue, not performance.

​The evening includes:

• ​A featured executive panel to anchor the room with operator-led insight

• ​A salon-style reception built for real conversation (not crowded networking)

• ​Intentional curation to ensure meaningful alignment between attendees

​Rather than maximizing volume or exposure, the event is designed to function as a live intelligence environment: helping participants compare perspectives, test conviction, and surface where real interest and insight concentrate.

​The panel exists to ground investor understanding of the creator and attention economy in operational reality, using games as the clearest bridge between creative industries and Silicon Valley capital.

​Agenda

​5:00 – 6:00 PM
Check-in, networking & Creative Ventures Exhibition (See Below)

​6:00 – 6:45 PM
Executive Games Panel
(Senior operators discussing scale, live operations, and why games are increasingly investable)

​6:45 – 8:30 PM
Networking & Creative Ventures Exhibition

​8:30 PM
Wind down

​What This Is (and Is Not)

​This is:

• ​A curated, high-trust environment

• ​A place for first contact and ecosystem-level insight

• ​A room designed for people who value signal over spectacle

​This is not:

• ​A pitch stage

• ​An open mixer

• ​A demo floor

• ​A party-first event

​Creative Ventures Exhibition

​A curated group of studios, platforms, and ecosystem leaders will be exhibiting throughout the evening.

​This is not a convention floor.
It’s a structured, conversation-first showcase integrated into the salon environment.

​Dre Rodriguez

​Crooked House Productions | Animation

​Featuring Double Smooth, an independent animated film rooted in emotionally grounded storytelling and creator-driven production.

​• Looping footage presentation
• Original art assets
• Studio one-pager + materials
• Direct discussion on animation financing & audience-building strategy

​A modern, community-forward model for independent IP.

​Chris Hui

​Former crew of Emmy-winning Star Wars: The Clone Wars building the defining interactive entertainment brand for women.

​Upgrading a $4B mobile-heavy category to premium PC and console platforms.

​Showcasing:

​• Premium PC and console expansion of a proven category
• AI-powered narrative platform enabling scalable storytelling
• Cross-platform strategy designed to extend beyond mobile

​Focused on long-term franchise value and technology-enabled worldbuilding, not one-off releases.

​Tim Cullings

​Seattle Indies | 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

​Representing the independent developer ecosystem of the greater Seattle region.

​• Demo reel of select indie titles
• Playable games on-site
• Insight into how regional developer communities scale

​A structured creative pipeline beyond traditional studio models.

​Cesar Diaz

​Toad Turf | 3D Platformer Party Shooter

​Four-player competitive setup inspired by early 2000s console games.

​• 4-monitor PvP live demo
• Competitive local gameplay
• Founder-led product discussion

​No microtransactions. No live-service model. Built for replayability.

​Hugo Castro

​BC Media Lab | LATAM Accelerator

​President of Game Devs Mexico and head of BC Media Lab, a game accelerator and production house.

​Representing:
• Portfolio studios from across LATAM
• Emerging-market game ecosystems
• Cross-border accelerator models

​Strategic ecosystem exposure rather than a single-title showcase.

​Johnny Monsarrat

​Games for Life | Augmented Reality Experience

​Founder & CEO bringing a live AR game installation.

​• Immersive AR experience
• Dedicated installation footprint
• Founder-led walkthrough of the technology

​Brandon Dean Johnson

Hoodlin Mania

​Transmedia franchise at the intersection of animation, games, culture, and community

​• Original culture-first IP spanning transmedia
• Cross-platform ecosystem connecting content into scalable flywheel

​Potion Slingers

​Indie physical + digital card game with proven traction and grassroots growth.

​• Sold out first card print run with ~$30K gross revenue and repeat expansions selling through
• 200% funded on Kickstarter, 100% in 12 hours, with 28% organic backers (no ads)
• Expanding into digital ports and DLC

​Exhibition Format

​• Limited installations
• Founder-present showcases
• No pitch stage
• No aggressive selling

​Designed to complement the executive panel and salon conversation — focused on signal, not spectacle

​Tickets & Access

​Attendance is primarily invite-only, with a limited number of premium public tickets available to preserve the quality of the room.

​For investors, there will be an optional post-event Investor Intelligence Exercise, designed for those who wish to engage more deeply with the curated companies and themes discussed during the evening.

​Participation is entirely optional and separate from attendance. It is intended for investors who value rigorous thinking, comparative judgment, and signal extraction rather than surface-level networking.

​Brought to You By

​About Bartko Pavia LLP

​Bartko Pavia LLP is a powerhouse litigation and transactional firm representing both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes commercial disputes, real estate transactions, class actions, antitrust matters, labor and employment litigation, and bet-the-company cases. The firm is known for combining elite legal talent with a client-focused, service-oriented culture that prioritizes practical business solutions over conventional law firm metrics. Bartko Pavia’s team includes numerous former in-house counsel and business leaders who bring real-world experience to their practice.

​For more information, visit www.bartkopavia.com.

​Press Contact

​Katy von Treskow | [email protected] | (310) 963-9037

​

​Kairos Dynamics
A research-driven investment and intelligence platform focused on identifying structural inflection points across markets, technology, and media. Kairos Dynamics applies systems-level analysis to understand how capital, attention, and innovation converge, with particular emphasis on emerging investment categories before they become consensus.

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​XG Capital Strategies
A strategic advisory and capital-focused consulting firm helping founders, operators, and investors navigate complex markets, capital strategy, and growth decisions. XG Capital Strategies emphasizes timing, structure, and execution, supporting decision-makers operating at the intersection of innovation and capital.

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​The Rodo Network
A creative-first network focused on surfacing early signal across media, storytelling, and culture. The Rodo Network connects creative projects with aligned capital and long-term ecosystem partners, emphasizing trust-based discovery rather than performative pitching.

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​​​​​​Funding Breakthrough Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-accelerator that helps founders strategize, fundraise, and grow their startups. With a mission to build a better tomorrow, we’ve created a thriving community of over 19,000+ subscribers where education, networks, and resources come together to unlock founder potential.

​​We specialize in helping early-stage entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of fundraising—whether through grants, venture capital, or alternative funding paths—while championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity.

​​Founded by Natalie Pan, an engineer, community builder, and executive coach, Funding Breakthrough Lab provides the tools and support you need to move from idea to investment.

​​Apply now for the next cohort and gain the credibility, connections, and confidence to secure funding for your startup: fundingbreakthroughlab.org

​Intelligence & Research Partner

​PitchIQ (SAGE)
PitchIQ supports the event as an independent intelligence and research partner. Following the event, PitchIQ may evaluate a small number of investor theses generated through the optional Investor Intelligence Exercise and provide SAGE Due Diligence Briefs to participants demonstrating exceptional clarity and rigor.

​This is not a pitch competition, and participation is not required. The exercise exists to elevate the quality of investor thinking and post-event analysis, not to rank companies or provide investment advice.

​Thanks to Our Sponsors

​Additional sponsors and partners will be announced.