Kathie Flood, Managing Director & CEO, Cascade Game Foundry
Russ Glaeser, Development Director, Cascade Game Foundry
This presentation was given at the 2016 Serious Play Conference, hosted by the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Who are we?
• Long-time Game Makers
• People passionate about expanding the pool
of gamers & saving the planet
• Lifelong students
• Hat wearers
• Stubborn people
Why the tortoise?
• Tortoise is a symbol of longevity, peace,
patience, determination
• CGF Mission – Enable people to
explore the world (and hopefully be
inspired to protect it) from home
• Environmental factors can impact survival
• Tortoise vs. turtle?
Mutually Beneficial Relationships
• Ocean education, e.g. Mission Blue & Dr.
Sylvia Earle, Oceanic Society
• Software industry, e.g. Intel, IGDA
• Dive industry, e.g. DEMA, scuba gear makers
• Small Business Helpers, e.g. Accelerators,
Mentors, Adult Education, Conferences
• Underserved audiences
Our Strategic Partners
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue
» National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
» Time Magazine Hero for the Planet
» Inspiration for Google Ocean (TED ‘09 Winner)
Sustenance & Shelter
• Side contracts
• Minimal debt
• Cascade Game Foundry is a registered Social
Purpose Corporation (aka B Corp)
- Environmental education & STEM skills
• Virtual office
Walk the Talk
• A percentage of each Infinite Scuba
purchase goes to ocean environmental non-
profits
• First divers in the game are women
• Game is free to teachers and schools
• Gift cards are eco-friendly (e.g. Monadnock)
Evolution
• Grass-roots marketing (e.g. social media,
environmental events, game industry
events, school outreach, PR)
• VR!
• Expansion with more dive sites and with
above-water exploration, e.g. National Parks
Oldest Tortoise?
The oldest tortoise ever verified (Madagascar
radiated tortoise) was Tu'i Malila, who was
given as a baby to the royal family of Tonga in
1777 by the British explorer Captain James
Cook. Tu'i Malila remained in the care of the
Tongan royal family until its death by natural
causes on May 19, 1965, at the age of 188.