Michael Festa

Michael Festa Email and Phone Number

Chief Operating Officer @ SoundSelf
Los Angeles, CA, US
Michael Festa's Location
Los Angeles, California, United States, United States
Michael Festa's Contact Details

Michael Festa personal email

About Michael Festa

​I​'ve spent most of the last decade in business ​development & operations for the ​video ​games​ & ​virtual reality industries. ​I​ was one of the first to create the location-based VR ​movement in the West, started the industry’s first VR publishing initiatives, led the exit of SpringboardVR in 2021, and ha​ve taken ​1​0+ VR titles to market​. ​When I'm not doing that, I​ volunteer as a mentor for early stage startups​, and spend my remaining time traveling the US in my self-built campervan.

Michael Festa's Current Company Details
SoundSelf

Soundself

View
Chief Operating Officer
Los Angeles, CA, US
Website:
soundself.com
Employees:
12
Michael Festa Work Experience Details
  • Soundself
    Chief Operating Officer
    Soundself
    Los Angeles, Ca, Us
  • Clique Games
    Advisor
    Clique Games Dec 2023 - Present
    ​Clique Games is a VR ​video game ​publisher that aims to make publishing easy & accessible​ for all developers​. I informally advised on their pivot from VR arcade to VR publisher, and joined officially to help launch Dragon Fist: VR Kung Fu & to set up operational infrastructure for IP-based game development.
  • Outset
    Advisor
    Outset Jan 2024 - Present
    A New Way to Buy, Manage, and Sell Your Possesions
  • Plug And Play Tech Center
    Startup Mentor
    Plug And Play Tech Center 2024 - Present
    Sunnyvale, Ca, Us
    Driving the future forward with corporations, governments, startups, investors, and universities.
  • Foundersboost
    Startup Mentor
    Foundersboost 2021 - Present
    Santa Monica, Ca, Us
    Foundersboost is a global tech startup pre-accelerator that educates and drives early-stage startups to the next stage of funding and development. I advise founders in the Los Angeles program on best practices from storytelling & pitching to cap table management to product go-to-market.
  • Andromeda Entertainment
    Advisor
    Andromeda Entertainment Apr 2021 - Present
    Austin, Texas, Us
    ​Andromeda is a VR publisher that specializes in helping ​video game developers reach domestic & international audiences​.​ I advise on title sourcing, marketing services, platform partnerships, and distribution strategy.
  • Entheo Digital
    Chief Operating Officer
    Entheo Digital Jun 2021 - Present
    Spun SoundSelf out of Andromeda Entertainment​ as a new company to ​c​reate B2B products for mental health practitioners, and ​t​o keep Andromeda focused on being a transformative video games publisher. Appointed COO to define & execute the product & distribution roadmap. Led the early sales program that generated the company’s first $100k in revenue.​ I oversee day-to-day operations including Fulfilment, Finance, HR, Legal, and GTM strategy for different market segments. Own the P&L, cap table, and manage investor relations.​ I moved into a fractional role when I went to LAI Games in April of 2022, and have been in a fractional capacity since.
  • Lai Games
    President & Chief Operating Officer
    Lai Games Apr 2022 - Dec 2022
    The Colony, Texas, Us
    LAI Games is a leader in physical arcade attractions & location-based virtual reality. After supporting the build out of the consumer games team as a consultant, I was brought on as President & COO to lead global ​Operations​, Marketing, and HR across the US, England, Singapore, and Australia teams. My primary goals were to write the playbook for consumer VR game distribution, lead IP acquisition for consumer and arcade game teams, and to streamline US operations for games & parts sales.
  • Lai Games
    Gtm Consultant
    Lai Games Jan 2021 - Apr 2022
    The Colony, Texas, Us
    Created & oversaw execution of the GTM strategy for Arcade Legend, the studio’s first consumer VR game, and supported the build out of LAI Games's first consumer games team. Advised the team on best practices for working with platform partners, IP holders, and press
  • Springboardvr (Acquired By Vertigo Games)
    Chief Business Officer
    Springboardvr (Acquired By Vertigo Games) Jan 2020 - Feb 2021
    ​SpringboardVR provides arcade management software & a commercial marketplace for licensing games from developers. As product and P&L owner, I oversaw 500+ venues, 400+ developers, $2+MM in ARR, and a team of 21 across Product, Engineering, Sales, Support & Success, Marketing & PR, HR, and Legal. ​When COVID shut the industry down, I secured PPP & EIDL loans to continue operations, led customer relief programs, revamped our product offerings, and guided the market with data-driven PR. As the market rebounded, I negotiated SpringboardVR’s acquisition by Vertigo Games, and led the transition of staff, customers & technology.
  • Survios
    Director Of Distribution
    Survios Jul 2018 - Jan 2020
    Marina Del Rey, Ca, Us
    ​Survios is a startup Virtual Reality studio focusing on IP-based consumer & LBE VR games. I ​founded & led a "Special Forces" team across BizDev, Marketing, Support & Product to drive new business initiatives. We 1.) distributed our first party games to over 2,500 worldwide VR venues, 2.) secured & grew brand partnerships with AT&T, National Amusements, & Caesars Entertainment, 3.) built & grew the publishing unit to include Sony (Jumanji) & HBO (Westworld), and 4.) built & operated the Survios VR Arcade. ​My team drove 200% c​u​stomer & 150% revenue CAGR, generating over $1MM in subscription​ & royalt​y ARR by the end of 2019.
  • Survios
    Business Development Manager
    Survios Aug 2016 - Jul 2018
    Marina Del Rey, Ca, Us
    Started a new B2B unit for 1.) licensing & distributing our games to location-based VR venues and 2.) publishing games from indie VR developers. Spun-up a new SaaS product team to support brand activations & increase distribution capabilities. Partnered with Marketing on go-to-market for Sprint Vector and Creed: Rise to Glory. Published our first 3rd party title, Smashbox Arena.
  • Survios
    Talent Acquisition, Events, And Operations Manager
    Survios Oct 2015 - Aug 2016
    Marina Del Rey, Ca, Us
    Wore all of the hats. Recruited across all disciplines, more than doubling headcount in nine months with no attrition. Introduced the first company handbook, onboarding guides, & interview processes. Lead VR demos for new hires, partners, and investors. Helped launch our first VR title Raw Data. Produced all external events and conferences such as E3 & GDC. Made sure the snack cabinet was fully stocked.
  • Aerotek
    Lead Technical Recruiter
    Aerotek Apr 2014 - Mar 2015
    Hanover, Maryland, Us
    Led new-hire onboarding & training programs for technical recruiters & account managers, focused primarily in the West and Northwest regions of the US. Helped grow Embedded Systems into the highest revenue-per-hire division of the company.
  • Aerotek
    Technical Recruiter
    Aerotek Jan 2013 - Apr 2014
    Hanover, Maryland, Us
    Recruited engineering disciplines for the Strategic Recruiting Center, which focused on growing new markets. Focused on niche engineering roles in consumer electronics, aerospace, and medical device industries. Won performance & culture awards in 2013 & 2014.
  • University Of California, Los Angeles
    Lead Software Engineer
    University Of California, Los Angeles 2009 - 2011
    Los Angeles, Ca, Us
    Developed a noninvasive, inexpensive medical device to wirelessly monitor blood perfusion and blood pressure in diabetic patients. Responsible for signal processing code (MATLAB), creation of blood pressure/pulse waveform correlation algorithm, GUI, and designing/assembling circuit boards.
  • University Of California, Los Angeles
    R&D Engineer
    University Of California, Los Angeles 2008 - 2009
    Los Angeles, Ca, Us
    Designed and implemented the L.U.C.A.S medical imaging system for viewing shadow images of cells via a very inexpensive and easy to use lens-free camera integrated in cell phones and webcams. Responsible for research and development of hardware, integrating the camera with the phone/webcam, and fabrication of the device.
  • Ymca
    Total Health Counselor
    Ymca 2007 - 2008
    Chicago, Il, Us
    Total Health Counselor/Personal Trainer; offered physical training and mental conditioning. Responsible for membership sales and integrating the Fitlinxx computerized tracking system into members' training regimens
  • Fry'S Electronics
    Sales Associate
    Fry'S Electronics 2006 - 2007
    Salesman in Computers, Video Cards, and Accessories. RIP Fry's Electronics February, 2021

Michael Festa Skills

Technical Recruiting Recruiting Training Leadership Management Temporary Placement Applicant Tracking Systems Interviews Staffing Services Talent Acquisition Microsoft Office Internet Recruiting Matlab Networking Microsoft Excel Customer Service Sales Powerpoint Human Resources Microsoft Word Engineering Hiring Benefits Negotiation Research C++ Sourcing Screening Contract Recruitment Time Management Project Management Building Relationships Employee Relations Electronics Social Networking Data Analysis Screening Resumes Onboarding Cold Calling Program Management Resume Writing Medical Devices Public Speaking Html Labview Relationship Building Unreal Engine 4 Unity3d Interviewing Business Development Business Networking

Michael Festa Education Details

  • Ucla
    Ucla
    Electrical Engineering (Biomedical Option); Focus In Technology Management

Frequently Asked Questions about Michael Festa

What company does Michael Festa work for?

Michael Festa works for Soundself

What is Michael Festa's role at the current company?

Michael Festa's current role is Chief Operating Officer.

What is Michael Festa's email address?

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What is Michael Festa's direct phone number?

Michael Festa's direct phone number is +131046*****

What schools did Michael Festa attend?

Michael Festa attended Ucla.

What are some of Michael Festa's interests?

Michael Festa has interest in Children, Economic Empowerment, Politics, Education, Science And Technology, Health.

What skills is Michael Festa known for?

Michael Festa has skills like Technical Recruiting, Recruiting, Training, Leadership, Management, Temporary Placement, Applicant Tracking Systems, Interviews, Staffing Services, Talent Acquisition, Microsoft Office, Internet Recruiting.

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