2019 Games for Change Festival: Full Schedule

6:00pm EDT

XR Brain Jam: Kickoff

As a 48-hour event prior to the Festival, the XR Brain Jam is a collaborative event that pairs STEM researchers and game developers to explore how XR prototypes can be leveraged in myriad research settings. The game jam, co-hosted by Games for Change and Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center, will take place June 14-16.

Learn more at xrbrainjam.org

Friday June 14, 2019 6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center

Advanced Registration Required, Workshop

8:30am EDT

XR Brain Jam

Saturday June 15, 2019 8:30am - 9:00pm EDT
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center

Advanced Registration Required, Workshop

8:30am EDT

XR Brain Jam: Conclusion

Sunday June 16, 2019 8:30am - 6:00pm EDT
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center

Advanced Registration Required, Workshop

12:15pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Kris Severson (HTC Viveport)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Kris Severson from HTC Viveport share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival/XR4C Summit.

Speakers

Kris Severson

Director, Global Content Partnerships, HTC Viveport

Kris Severson is head of VR for Impact for HTC Vive. She is also head of global partnerships for HTC Viveport, specializing in gaming content. She started her career at Sony PlayStation, curating third party content for both both PS1 and PS2. She spent 12 years at Rockstar Games and... Read More →

Monday June 17, 2019 12:15pm - 12:45pm EDT
7th Floor Teacher's Lounge

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

3:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Cezara Windrem (AARP Innovation Labs)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Cezara Windrem from AARP Innovation Labs share insights about Alcove VR and how your VR projects can meet priorities for funding and publication in Alcove. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival/XR4C Summit.

Speakers

Cezara Windrem

Innovation Catalyst, Head of VR, AARP Innovation Labs

Cezara is an emerging technologies leader, innovation and product executive employing immersive media and spatial computing to create valuable solutions to issues people face as they age. Creator of Alcove, the VR platform that brings together the intergenerational family connection... Read More →

Monday June 17, 2019 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
7th Floor Teacher's Lounge

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

4:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Justin Hendrix (NYC Media Lab/RLab)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Justin Hendrix from NYC Media Lab share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival/XR4C Summit.

Speakers

Justin Hendrix

Executive Director, NYC Media Lab and RLab

Justin Hendrix is Executive Director of NYC Media Lab, a public-private partnership between the City’s industry and its universities to drive emerging media and technology innovation and entrepreneurship, and the founding Executive Director of RLab, a new 16,500 square foot facility... Read More →

Monday June 17, 2019 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
7th Floor Teacher's Lounge

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

4:30pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Amy Coveny (G4C Accelerator/Quake Capital)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Amy Coveny from Quake Capital and the recently announced Games for Change Accelerator share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival/XR4C Summit.

Speakers

Amy Coveny

Managing Partner (NYC), Quake Capital

Amy Coveny has extensive experience building revenue, products, and market strategies for startup companies. Since the beginning of her career at the newly-launched Fox News Channel, she has contributed to six acquisitions, three IPOs, and two early-stage fundraising cycles. During... Read More →

Monday June 17, 2019 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
7th Floor Teacher's Lounge

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

2:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Edward Metz (US Dept. of Ed./SBIR)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Edward Metz from the US Department of Education share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet federal funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival.

Speakers

Dr. Edward Metz

SBIR Program Director, US Department of Education

Dr. Edward Metz directs the SBIR program at the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, which provides seed funding for the R&D of innovative forms of commercially viable education learning technologies. Ed specializes in working with industry leaders in... Read More →

Tuesday June 18, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 204

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

3:00pm EDT

Speed Networking

Speed Networking gives you an opportunity to network with leaders in the game world and experts in social change. Meet someone new and have a quick chat; after five minutes the bell rings, and you’re off to a new connection!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival.

Tuesday June 18, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 205

Advanced Registration Required, Workshop

3:00pm EDT

Speed Networking

Tuesday June 18, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 204

Advanced Registration Required, Workshop

4:15pm EDT

Meet the Funder: David Miller (NIH)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear David Miller from the National Institutes of Health share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet federal funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival.

Speakers

Dr. David Miller

Program Director, National Institutes of Health

Dr. David Miller is a Program Director at the NIH's National Cancer Institute, the federal government's principal agency for funding cancer research, training, and technology development. Dave has led multiple NIH programs supporting the development of data science software tools... Read More →

Tuesday June 18, 2019 4:15pm - 4:45pm EDT
Room 204

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

12:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Amy Coveny (G4C Accelerator/Quake Capital)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Amy Coveny from Quake Capital and the recently announced Games for Change Accelerator share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival.

Speakers

Amy Coveny

Managing Partner (NYC), Quake Capital

Wednesday June 19, 2019 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Room 204

Advanced Registration Required, Talk

12:30pm EDT

IGDA Mentor Café

The IGDA is thrilled to bring its Mentor Café to Games for Change 2019! Held at game industry events around the world, IGDA Mentor Cafés are designed to provide bursts of meaningful learning and each one is as unique as its participants. Open to anyone in the game development community seeking mentorship regardless of years of experience, IGDA Mentor Café topics range from advancing your career, indie studio start-up, diversity initiatives, and much more.

Apply to be a Mentee*
Interested in being mentored? Want to get advice and ask questions to industry? Apply for mentorship at Games for Change 2019!

Sign up to Be a Mentor*
We are looking for industry leaders interested in giving back and sharing advice to individuals at all stages of their careers in 25 minute mentoring sessions. Be a mentor at Games for Change 2019!

*Please note that access to this session requires registration to the G4C Festival. Passes can be purchased here.

Speakers

Lucien Parsons

Chairman/Interim Exec Dir, International Game Developers Association

Lucien is the Chairman of the IGDA and has worked in video games and AR/VR for the last 15 years. He runs MAVRIC (the Mixed/Augmented/Virtual Reality Innovation Center) at the University of Maryland and is interim ED for IGDA. He was a founder of Zenimax Online Studios, maker of Elder... Read More →

Tristin Hightower

Director of Global Chapter & SIG Operations, IGDA

Tristin Hightower brings more than 12 years of experience working in and around game development to her role as Director of Global Chapter and SIG Operations for the IGDA. She applies her production-focused approach to making an impact -- founding events like Philadelphia's first... Read More →

Wednesday June 19, 2019 12:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Schwartz Concourse (5th Floor)

Advanced Registration Required

2:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Luke Crane (Kickstarter)

In this intimate 30-minute session, attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear Luke Crane from Kickstarter share insights in crafting compelling proposals that meet funding priorities. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Space is limited, so reserve a spot in this session today!

*This session requires advanced registration; sign up here after purchasing your pass to the G4C Festival.

Speakers

Luke Crane

Head of Games, Kickstarter

Luke Crane is the Head of Games at Kickstarter. During his tenure, he has help creators launch more than 44,000 projects to which backers have pledged over $1 billion. He is also a creator himself and has designed and published 20 titles since 2002.

Wednesday June 19, 2019 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 204

Advanced Registration Required, Talk