CEO at Shockwave
Bill Kara
Bill is the CEO / Cofounder of Shockwave where he oversees the company's operations, growth strategies and product development. As a lifelong gamer and entrepreneur, Bill has been in the gaming industry for over 20 years with a passion and love for blending gaming, education technology and now exploring web3 and AI powered gaming. Bill previously co-founded Hallpass Media which was acquired in a roll up to create Jam City in 2011. Prior to Hallpass Media, Bill founded the original Addicting Games which was acquired by Atom Entertainment and then purchased by Viacom shortly afterward in 2006. Bill holds a Bachelor of Technology Degree from N.A.I.T, an MBA from Smith School of Business and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Questions & Answers
Why are you excited about your company/product?
I love building games that can be played and shared by everyone, from gamers to non-gamers, from your friends to your grandparents great games bring people together. Daily games have become a global sensation and there is so much room to build amazing products in this space.
How is your team uniquely positioned to solve the problem you're tackling?
Our team is comprised of gamer players / developers that are deeply passionate about daily games. We have the grit that comes from decades long experience of building in this space, combined with a deep builder culture. Creating games people love and want to share with others comes from building games you love to play yourself and then sharing them with the rest of the world.
What sets you apart from others in your industry?
We have a track record of founding three successful gaming companies - the first acquired by Viacom, the second rolled into mobile giant Jam City, and the third sold to Enthusiast Gaming - we’ve generated over $250M in revenue by pioneering new genres, platforms, and monetization models, from ads to subscriptions to blockchain integrations. Our knack for transforming underserved niches, like educational and daily casual games, into global successes stems from a deep understanding of player behavior and cutting-edge tech - now super charged with AI. I have a deep love for the full business of gaming. I find even the most mundane areas of the gaming industry are filled with innovation and opportunity - that is what has kept me in this space for so long and what sets me and my team apart.
