David Kaye

Current

VP Business Development at Meteor Games
Co-Founder, Partner at Iron Realms Entertainment

Past

Consultant at Transpera
VP Business Development at Sparkplay Media
Advisory Board at Software.com

Consultant at Transpera
Consultant at Disney
Consultant at Viva! Vision
Consultant at Infospace
Consultant at Encore Software
Consultant at Online Gaming Services Company
Consultant at USA Wireless
Producer at Mforma
Founder, Managing Director at Mobilista
Head of Mobile at Lycos Europe

see less...

10 more...

Education

University of Oxford

Recommended

12 people have recommended David

Connections

395 connections

Industry

Computer Games

Websites

My Company

David Kaye’s Summary

Digital media veteran with deep operational experience leading product and business development everywhere from big media companies to startups on both sides of the Atlantic. My core focus and interest is online games.

David Kaye’s Specialties:

Rapid product development, lean startups, game design, business development. Virtual goods, microtransactions, games as a service, social games.

David Kaye’s Experience

VP Business Development

Meteor Games

(Privately Held; Entertainment industry)

October 2008 — Present (10 months)

Meteor Games is an online games developer and publisher founded by Adam and Donna Powell, creators of the hugely successful online phenomenon Neopets.

We make games you can play on social networks and the open Web. Our first title is Vikings, Pirates, Ninjas, which you can check out at http://www.vpnwars.com or on Facebook (search for Vikings Pirates Ninjas).
Co-Founder, Partner

Iron Realms Entertainment

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Computer Games industry)

February 1996 — Present (13 years 6 months)

I co-founded this publisher of massively multiplayer online games, and acted as lead designer on the company's flagship product, Achaea (www.achaea.com).

The business has been profitable since 1997, generates seven figure annual revenues and has grown to become the #2 company in its space.

We pioneered a business model based exclusively around the sale of virtual items, which we have developed to become much more profitable than the industry standard $15/month subscription.

We publish multiple titles as original IP, and recently acquired the exclusive rights to produce games based on the work of bestselling fantasy author Raymond E. Feist.

I am a non-executive partner in the business today.
Consultant

Transpera

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Wireless industry)

July 2008 — August 2008 (2 months)

Designed UI and feature set for Transpera's iPhone client.
VP Business Development

Sparkplay Media

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Online Media industry)

September 2007 — May 2008 (9 months)

I joined shortly before the company started to raise its Series A. I accomplished the following:

• Co-wrote (with Sparkplay’s CEO) Series A investor materials and attended all VC pitch meetings.
• Closed $4.25m in funding from Redpoint and Prism Ventureworks.
• Produced extensive game design/product documentation for the company’s upcoming MMO, Earth Eternal, and its user-controlled environment product, Groves.
• Designed several social network applications.
Advisory Board

Software.com

(Privately Held; Computer Software industry)

March 2007 — February 2008 (1 year)

I advised on product development and market strategy.
Consultant

Transpera

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Wireless industry)

March 2007 — July 2007 (5 months)

I managed product development on an interim basis for the initial months of this fast growing, Intel-backed mobile media startup. This included defining features, writing product documentation and working with partners to successfully bring Transpera's innovative technology to market.
Consultant

Disney

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; DIS; Entertainment industry)

January 2007 — March 2007 (3 months)

Advised on product strategy for an unannounced project.
Consultant

Viva! Vision

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Online Media industry)

May 2006 — August 2006 (4 months)

I provided interim product management leadership to Viva! Vision, a Los Angeles-based startup focused on the creation and distribution of made-for-mobile video programming.
Consultant

Infospace

(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Wireless industry)

February 2006 — March 2006 (2 months)

I assisted on a new product development project for the mobile division of Infospace.
Consultant

Encore Software

(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Computer Software industry)

June 2005 — December 2005 (7 months)

I was hired by the CEO of Encore Software, a top 10 publisher of consumer PC retail software owned by Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ: NAVR), to help them plan and execute their wireless product strategy. The work encompassed product design, business development and content licensing.
Consultant

Online Gaming Services Company

(Computer Games industry)

October 2005 — December 2005 (3 months)

I recently completed a strategy consulting engagement for an online gaming services company. The work comprised a series of C-level executive interviews and a detailed analysis of market dynamics. This project was lead by me, and conducted in partnership with RampRate (www.ramprate.com).
Consultant

USA Wireless

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Wireless industry)

August 2005 — November 2005 (4 months)

I recently completed a consulting assignemnt for USA Wireless, a new startup founded by wireless media pioneer Anthony Stonefield, who as the founder of Moviso (now Infospace Mobile) pioneered the U.S. ringtone market. I worked with them on the planning and design of next generation mobile content and applications.
Producer

Mforma

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Computer Games industry)

August 2004 — June 2005 (11 months)

I moved to Los Angeles with the global wireless entertainment publisher, Mforma.

I managed and oversaw all aspects of production across the company's portfolio of Marvel interactive titles including the Fantastic Four mobile game, which recently won a nomination for Best Mobile Game in GameSpot's E3 2005 Editor's Choice Awards.
Founder, Managing Director

Mobilista

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Wireless industry)

January 2003 — July 2004 (1 year 7 months)

I founded this business, which was the first company in Europe to commercially launch a Java based, carrier-independent mobile content portal.

I designed and managed all aspects of production, including the design of the J2ME client software and user interface, content management and server infrastructure. I also secured relationships with content partners for the service.

I brought the service to market by signing deals with media owners including Lycos Europe and Freeserve (now Wanadoo), the UK’s largest ISP.
Head of Mobile

Lycos Europe

(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Online Media industry)

March 2001 — August 2002 (1 year 6 months)

I was hired by Lycos to pinpoint new business opportunities in the mobile space. Here my major accomplishment was to initiate and lead the execution of Lycos’ mobile marketing initiative, establishing the company as the leader in wireless media sales among European portals.

Specifically, I created and grew a permission-based mobile marketing database from Lycos media properties, trained sales teams and assisted in the development of client relationships, advised on the design and specification of the Lycos mobile marketing platform, and advised senior management to assist with the pan-European rollout of the project.

In addition to leading the mobile marketing initiative, I was also responsible for negotiating a variety of mobile content, services and e-commerce deals.