Rizwan Virk, Executive Director of Bayview Labs talks ‘Play Labs Accelerator’ at MIT
Play Labs Accelerator, hosted at MIT, Announces Second Annual Open Submissions, Adding Digital Currency and Blockchain to its List of “Playful Tech” Eligible Startups
Applications are open now until March 15 for the second batch of incubated startups to be held Summer 2018 on campus with the MIT Game Lab, with focus on Blockchain/Bitcoin and eSports Technology, with investment option in Bitcoin.
Following a successful inaugural year for Play Labs Accelerator, the program’s expansion to include Blockchain/Bitcoin and eSports startups in this second year portends what might become the next figurative oil strike! As far back as the 1973 Warner Brothers Entertainment blockbuster Soylent Green, by Richard Fleischer, starring Charlton Heston, a form of cryptocurrency, as well as VR/AR applications, have been on the minds of mankind.
With that reference in mind, The Hype Magazine got Rizwan Virk, Executive Director of Bayview Labs who runs the Play Labs incubator, to weigh in on a few things:
Rizwan Virk, Executive Director of Play Labs @ MIT
With the aggressive advance of the digital revolutionaries like VR/AR and cryptocurrency, what steps should next-generation creatives and entrepreneurs prepare themselves for to be successful in the digital space?
Next generation creatives need to be aware that digital content may be used in multiple places – not just on a 2D screen. VR and AR, in particular, share 3D models with video games, and learning to design for 3D spaces (whether virtual or physical) is important. Entrepreneurs will see that AR, in particular, can augment any industry. Crypto is creating a whole new ecosystem for the ways that companies are funded, and many industries are ripe for disruption using a de-centralized blockchain approach, including entertainment.
Arts and entertainment, especially music creators and media are moving almost exclusively into the digital space. Is the MIT incubator system a case study for society itself moving, at some point, into a world that excludes interpersonal relationships in business and entertainment?
In a way, you could use our incubator at Play Labs as a model. We allow startups that are focused on any industry (entertainment, gaming, finance, esports, healthcare) using “playful” technology. Playful tech has made its way into every industry – music and entertainment apps are trying to gamify their user base just like games. Esports is the next version of sports; This doesn’t exclude interpersonal relationships.
What are some of the benchmark moments in this decade that sparked the MIT Incubator program?
The success of mobile devices created a whole new way for people to consume information 24×7 and created millions of new gamers. The rise of VR and AR is still being felt, and the rapid increase of cryptocurrency and blockchain has thrown the whole venture capital ecosystem into a flurry.
Here’s the official line from Play Labs
Play Labs, LLC and the MIT Game Lab, announced that applications are now open for the second batch of startups within the playful technology accelerator, which will run from June through August 2018 on campus at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Startups that are accepted into Play Labs will each receive an initial investment of $20,000 in either cash or Bitcoin in return for common stock. Startups that graduate from the program and meet certain criteria will be eligible for up to $80,000 in additional funding from the Play Labs Fund and its investment partners.
Deadlines for applications are due March 15, 2018, after which time, finalists will be selected, and a subset of those finalists will be given offers to participate in the program. Applications are open to both MIT-affiliated startups, and startups with no MIT affiliation that wish to come to MIT for the summer to participate.
Play Labs provides mentoring, facilities, and funding for early-stage startups that utilize “playful technology.” The areas of technology for this second batch of incubated startups include:
● Digital Currency/Blockchain: The explosion of digital currencies like Bitcoin and the underlying technology, blockchain, have created a new virtual economy and opportunities for decentralizing many industries.
● eSports/Video Game: Video games have moved into the competitive era, and esports is seen as one of the biggest opportunities for expansion.
● VR/AR: A big focus for the first batch of incubated startups in Play Labs, now VR and AR are categories that continue to evolve and will revolutionize any industry.
● Machine Learning/AI: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning software and hardware (i.e., robotics) have advanced to the point of many practical applications.
Candidate startups may apply these technology areas to any industry, including video games, esports, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and more.
As before, the program will be run by Bayview Labs (www.bayviewlabs.com) and its executive director, Rizwan Virk, an MIT alumnus (MIT ‘92 BS Computer Science & Engineering), and a prolific Silicon Valley angel investor, advisor, and mentor. Virk and Bayview have been early investors in Bitcoin and blockchain startups, as well as a long list of successful gaming-related tech startups including Tapjoy, Discord, Funzio, Pocket Gems, Telltale Games, and Sliver.tv.
Virk said: “MIT has been the starting point for many successful startups over the years. We had a successful first batch, and we are excited to see what exciting technology projects MIT students, alumni and the greater community will come up for this second batch. We started the accelerator because a lot of focus for these areas has been on the West Coast, but I believe that the eco-system around MIT in Boston has great talent and startup ideas in these areas.”
Virk added: “When I graduated from MIT and thought of doing my first startup, I wish I had this kind of accelerator program, with support from both MIT staff and industry entrepreneurs and mentors. That’s why I designed the program in this way.”
Bayview will run Play Labs in conjunction with the Seraph Group (www.seraphgroup.net), a seed stage, venture capital investment firm, founded by Tuff Yen. The teams will be supported by a group of successful mentors and partners, including Rajeev Surati (MIT Ph.D. ‘99 EECS), co-founder of Flash Communications (sold to Microsoft), Photo.net, and Scalable Display Technologies, based on his Ph.D. research at MIT. Also participating is VR@MIT, a student organization on campus dedicated to fostering VR/AR/MR entrepreneurship at MIT (vratmit.com).
The MIT Game Lab (gamelab.mit.edu), a research group in MIT’s Department of Comparative Media Studies/Writing and Ludus, the MIT Center for Games, Learning, and Playful Media, will host and conduct the educational program for Play Labs. Teams will be given workspace on the MIT campus for the duration of the program.
Scot Osterweil, Managing Director for Ludus, the MIT Center for Games, Learning, and Playful Media, said: “MIT students thrive on innovation and creative exploration. We are pleased that through Play Labs we will help them move their most imaginative ideas into the realm of the possible.”
Tuff Yen, the founder and President of Seraph Group, a seed stage technology investment firm, said: “We see tremendous opportunity to invest, support and partner with the MIT community of outstanding people, which is why we are supporting Play Lab’s second batch. Our network of successful investors will bring valuable experience, access, and resources to startups.”
Full information on the program, eligibility, and benefits can be found here: www.playlabs.tv
About Bayview Labs, LLC
Bayview Labs, LLC was started to help entrepreneurs build great startups. It was founded by Rizwan Virk (MIT BS Computer Science & Engineering, Stanford GSB SM Management), a prolific Silicon Valley angel investor, advisor, and mentor. Mr. Virk has been a co-founder, angel investor, and mentor to many successful startups including Gameview Studios (makers of Tap Fish, sold to DeNA), Funzio (sold to GREE), Tapjoy, Service Metrics (sold to Exodus), CambridgeDocs (sold to EMC), SLIVER.tv, Telltale Games, Free Range Games, Intelligize (sold to LexisNexis), LitIQ, Reactor.ai, North Bay Solutions and Auxenta.
Mr. Virk did his undergraduate thesis at the MIT Media Lab in the Interactive Cinema group, was in one of the first group of finalists in the MIT $100k competition (which was then called the MIT $10k Competition), and after graduation worked at one of the first startups spun out from the MIT Media Lab, DiVA. More at www.bayviewlabs.com.
About Seraph Group
Seraph Group is a seed stage, venture capital investment firm, that invests in technology startups. Founder Tuff Yen invented Structured Angel Fund™, a venture capital fund designed for angel investors to have a diversified portfolio of 20+ startups and the right to co-invest on a deal by deal basis. Since inception in 2004, Seraph invested approximately $50 million in over 90 companies. This invitation-only firm brought together over 300 successful individuals including Fortune 500 C-level executives as well as entrepreneurs, scientist, engineers, inventors, technologists, consultants and others who share a passion of investing and backing promising founders. Mr. Yen previously worked at Chemical Venture Partners and received his undergraduate degree from the University of California Berkeley and the Master of Business Administration from Yale University. www.seraphgroup.net
About the MIT Game Lab
The MIT Game Lab has a proven track record of developing games and tools that demonstrate new research concepts and build on cutting-edge technology, from artificial intelligence, graphics technology, educational technology, player research, narrative design, and games tackling complex and controversial subjects. The MIT Game Lab has received awards for their game development from the Independent Game Festival, Games for Change, and Indiecade, as well as other academic and industry-focused conferences and festivals. More at gamelab.mit.edu.
About Ludus, The MIT Center for Games, Learning, and Playful Media
Ludus, the MIT Center for Games, Learning, and Playful Media coordinates the efforts of MIT labs and research groups exploring games and play with a community of member practitioners. Research groups include the MIT Game Lab (gamelab.mit.edu); The Education Arcade (education.mit.edu); the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory (icelab.mit.edu); the Trope Tank (tropetank.mit.edu); the Creative Communities Initiative (ccimit.mit.edu); and the Open Documentary Lab (opendoclab.mit.edu).
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About the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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