by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill, Riot Games – Co-founders of Riot Games, the studio behind ‘League of Legends’, one of the biggest esports titles globally. Their forward-thinking strategies have revolutionized esports viewership, player welfare, and competitive structures.
Jens Hilgers, ESL and BITKRAFT – Hilgers founded the Electronic Sports League (ESL), a cornerstone of organized esports competitions. He’s also behind BITKRAFT, an early-stage investment company focusing on the esports ecosystem.
Emmett Shear, Twitch – Co-founder and CEO of Twitch, the leading live streaming platform for gamers. Twitch has become synonymous with esports viewership, offering both professionals and amateurs a platform to showcase their talents.
Mike Sepso, Major League Gaming (MLG) – Sepso co-founded MLG, one of the first and largest professional esports leagues in North America. His vision for structured competitive gaming was ahead of its time and paved the way for future leagues.
Suning and Tencent, Honor of Kings – Tencent’s “Honor of Kings” became one of the biggest mobile esports titles, especially in China. Suning, a key player behind its esports scene, has showcased the game’s global competitive potential.
Steve Arhancet and Victor Goossens, Team Liquid – Co-CEOs of one of the most successful and influential esports organizations. Their approach to team management, player welfare, and branding has made Team Liquid a model for other organizations.
Adam Apicella, Vindex – Formerly part of MLG, Adam’s expertise is in producing high-quality esports events. At Vindex, he continues to push for elevating the live event experience for esports aficionados.
Sam and Anne Mathews, Fnatic – Founders of Fnatic, one of Europe’s premier esports organizations. Their understanding of brand-building in the esports world has made Fnatic not just a competitive team but also a global brand.
Matthew Archambault, Riot Games – As the head of NA Partnerships and Business Development for Riot Games, Matthew plays a crucial role in liaising with sponsors, media partners, and teams, ensuring the League of Legends Championship Series remains a marquee event.
Paul Chaloner, Esports Host and Commentator – Often known as ‘Redeye’, Chaloner is one of the most respected figures in the esports broadcasting world. His insights into game dynamics, player stories, and event presentation have elevated the standard of esports commentary.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Robin Chase – Co-founder of Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing company, Chase has been at the forefront of shared mobility since its inception. Her vision and execution have redefined urban transportation. She often speaks about the potential of the “collaborative economy” in urban planning.
Emily Castor Warren – As a former senior director at Lyft, Warren played a crucial role in pioneering rideshare as we know it. Her passion lies in bridging the gap between new mobility solutions and traditional public transportation.
Tony Douglas – As the Head of Strategy and Marketing for BMW’s mobility services, Douglas has been instrumental in introducing shared mobility concepts, like DriveNow, into the traditional automotive world.
Julia Thayne – Working with Siemens Mobility, Thayne is a voice on urban development and the importance of sustainable transportation. She focuses on the integration of shared mobility into broader urban infrastructure.
Dr. Susan Shaheen – A co-director at UC Berkeley’s Transportation Sustainability Research Center, Dr. Shaheen’s research revolves around next-generation public transportation, and she’s an early researcher on the impacts of car-sharing.
Ryan Rzepecki – The CEO and founder of Social Bicycles (now JUMP Bikes, acquired by Uber), Rzepecki’s approach to bike-sharing led to the introduction of dockless electric bikes, adding a new dimension to shared urban mobility.
Tim Papandreou – Previously at Google X’s Waymo and Chief Innovation Officer at San Francisco’s transportation agency, Papandreou is a leading voice in integrating autonomous vehicles into shared mobility services.
Holger Weiss – As the CEO of German Autolabs, Weiss is delving into the world of voice AI for the automotive industry. His insights on shared mobility touch on user experience in a world where the majority of urban residents might not own a car.
Megan Brockett – Reporting on shared mobility for Bloomberg, Brockett’s analyses provide insights into the business and financial side of shared mobility, making her a must-follow for industry trends and forecasts.
Anya Babbitt – The founder and CEO of SPLT, an enterprise-first carpooling app acquired by Bosch, Babbitt’s platform emphasizes sustainable and efficient commuting for corporate employees.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Tony Xu – As the co-founder and CEO of DoorDash, Tony Xu has transformed the landscape of on-demand food delivery in the U.S. Xu’s vision and leadership have guided DoorDash in its rapid expansion and service diversification.
Will Shu – The man behind Deliveroo, one of Europe’s largest food delivery platforms. Will Shu’s insight into the logistics and nuances of the food delivery business has made him an influential voice in the industry.
Max Wang – As Vice President of Meituan-Dianping, the leading food delivery platform in China, Wang’s insights into the Asian market and large-scale operations are invaluable for anyone interested in global trends and challenges in food delivery.
Miki Kuusi – CEO and co-founder of Wolt, Kuusi’s expertise lies in expanding in challenging markets, as Wolt quickly rose to dominate the Nordic region. His take on the blend of technology and food delivery is unique.
Matt Maloney – The co-founder and CEO of Grubhub, Maloney’s contributions to online takeout food ordering have been significant. Under his leadership, Grubhub has navigated through mergers and expanded its reach extensively.
Ritesh Agarwal – The young entrepreneur behind Ola, which has its food delivery subsidiary, Ola Foods, in India. Agarwal’s approach to integrating transport and food delivery insights offers a comprehensive perspective on urban mobility and delivery services.
Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty – Vice President of Uber Eats. Given Uber’s dominance in the ride-hailing sector, Gore-Coty’s management of its food delivery arm and understanding of logistical challenges is of paramount importance in the industry.
Bastian Lehmann – CEO of Postmates. Lehmann’s journey of growing Postmates from a small startup to one of America’s top food delivery services offers insights into entrepreneurship, innovation, and the future of on-demand services.
Barney Harford – Former COO of Uber and advisor for Uber Eats. With a background in both tech and travel (he was formerly CEO of Orbitz), Harford brings a diverse perspective to the table in the realm of logistics and delivery.
Evan Moore – Formerly at DoorDash and now a venture capitalist, Moore’s insights extend beyond just the operational side of food delivery. His understanding of the market, trends, and what the future holds for on-demand services is deeply informed by his experiences.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Vitalik Buterin – While best known as the co-founder of Ethereum, Buterin’s creation has been the basis for countless decentralized applications (dApps), including gaming platforms. Ethereum’s smart contract capability has ushered in a new era of gaming experiences.
Benny Giang – A co-founder of CryptoKitties, one of the earliest and most well-known decentralized games on Ethereum. Giang’s work demonstrated the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the gaming world.
Roham Gharegozlou – As the CEO of Dapper Labs, the company behind CryptoKitties, Gharegozlou played a pivotal role in the rise of decentralized gaming, showcasing how blockchain can revolutionize the way we perceive in-game assets.
Philip Rosedale – Founder of High Fidelity and Second Life, Rosedale has been exploring the realms of virtual worlds for years. High Fidelity delves into decentralized spatial audio, crucial for immersive decentralized gaming environments.
Sam Englebardt – A co-founder of Galaxy Digital, he has been instrumental in investing and fostering several decentralized gaming platforms, highlighting the fusion of gaming and blockchain technology.
Xiahong Lin – Founder of Bodhi, a decentralized prediction market platform on the Qtum blockchain. It’s a game-changer in gaming, where players can predict outcomes in real-time.
Jason Cassidy – CEO of CasinoCoin, Cassidy delves into the world of decentralized casinos, an offshoot of the gaming industry, where blockchain ensures fairness and transparency.
Tron Black – Principal Developer for Ravencoin, a platform optimized for transferring assets, like in-game currencies or tokens. Black’s expertise lies in ensuring that decentralized gaming assets can be securely and seamlessly transferred.
Gabby Dizon – Co-founder of Yield Guild Games (YGG), Dizon is paving the way for “play-to-earn” models in decentralized gaming, where players can earn real rewards for their in-game efforts.
Sébastien Borget – COO and co-founder of The Sandbox, a decentralized virtual world offering players and creators a space to build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences.
by Ian Khan | Oct 10, 2023 | Futurist Blog
Brian Armstrong – As the CEO of Coinbase, Armstrong has significantly impacted the P2P cryptocurrency trading landscape. Although Coinbase began as a conventional exchange, it has integrated P2P features, making crypto transactions more decentralized.
Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky, and Joe Gebbia – Co-founders of Airbnb, they transformed the P2P platform world by allowing individuals to rent out their homes or rooms, revolutionizing the hospitality industry.
Fereshteh Forough – Founder of Code to Inspire, Forough has integrated P2P methodologies to aid Afghan women in learning how to code. The platform relies on peer learning and decentralized systems to promote education.
Michal Hudeček – As one of the brains behind Sharetribe, a P2P marketplace platform, Hudeček’s contributions allow businesses to easily create their own peer-to-peer platforms, democratizing the P2P landscape.
Ray Youssef & Artur Schaback – Co-founders of Paxful, one of the world’s largest P2P cryptocurrency marketplaces. Their platform empowers individuals to trade bitcoin directly with each other.
Bram Cohen – The genius behind BitTorrent, a protocol supporting P2P file sharing. Cohen’s system allowed for decentralized distribution of data across the internet, a concept that is foundational to many subsequent P2P platforms.
Matt Barrie & James Little – Founders of Freelancer, a global online freelancing and crowdsourcing P2P marketplace. Their platform has changed how businesses outsource tasks and find freelance talent.
Jeremy Allaire & Sean Neville – Co-founders of Circle, a P2P payments technology company. They’ve focused on leveraging blockchain technology to allow for instant, secure, and free money transfers.
Renaud Laplanche – As the founder of LendingClub, Laplanche has played a central role in pioneering P2P lending. LendingClub allows individuals to either invest in personal loans or borrow, bypassing traditional banks.
Daniel Gasteiger – Co-founder of Procivis, a P2P platform providing e-government tools and services. Gasteiger’s venture is designed to empower citizens to directly engage with their governments and vice versa.
