Nathon Gunn
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Nathon Gunn | |
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| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
Nathon Gunn (born November 4, 1973) is a Toronto-based Canadian serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Bitcasters Inc., Social Game Universe and LightningPlatform.com. His work includes writing, speaking, advising in the support of democratic development, civic engagement, democratization of technology and entrepreneurship at conferences such as Personal Democracy Forum [1] and Politics Online,[2] part of OpenCongress and Sunlight Foundation and in books[3] such as "Searching for the New Liberalism" [4]
In 2009, his philanthropic game History Game Canada,[5] won a MacArthur Foundation award for Innovation in Participatory Learning.[6] It was inspired by and created in partnership with Tom Axworthy. Gunn was a founding Director of the Board for Serious Games Canada.[7]
Gunn is a film and TV director, producer and editor, and has won awards for various commercial and artistic endeavors such as short films and major-label music videos, including PromaxBDA Awards for Games and On Air Promotions for his work with the Family Channel and MuchMusic Video Awards for videos like Our Lady Peace’s “In Repair” (Spiritual Machines).[8]
Gunn currently serves as CEO of Lightning Platform, which has developed software for entrepreneurs. Lightning derived from Social Game Universe, for which Gunn was credited as lead game designer.[9] The company was a pioneer in cross application interaction and created an ad banner system, IGAPI,[10] that leverages social media and game mechanics for product discovery.[11]
Career
Gunn is serving his third term as a Director of the Board of the Ontario Media Development Corporation under Ministry of Tourism and Culture (Ontario) and on the Audit Committee.[12]
In 1996, Gunn founded Bitcasters,[13] an early multimedia production studio that had offices in Toronto and New York.
In 2009, Gunn founded Social Game Universe in Toronto, Canada, with the stated goal of creating a network of interconnected small casual games such as Hollywood Tycoon[14] that in aggregate would form a digital universe of players interacting while playing diverse games.[15][16]
Lightning Ignite
In 2013, LightningPlatform / Lightning Ignite was spun out of Social Game Universe, and Gunn became CEO of the new company.[17]
Several innovative digital applications have been created with Lightning, including pioneering second screen applications for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television shows Over the Rainbow and Battle of the Blades.[18]
References
- ^ Lessons from the International Stage: England, Canada, Iran and the Middle East
- ^ Politics Online, part of OpenCongress and Sunlight Foundation
- ^ Searching for the New Liberalism
- ^ Whither Liberalism? Globe and Mail, Peter McKenna
- ^ Straight.com August 2007
- ^ Ars Technica June 2007
- ^ Globe and Mail June 01 2007
- ^ MuchMusic Video Nominees
- ^ TechVibes January 2010
- ^ VentureBeat November 2010
- ^ VentureBeat November 2010
- ^ OMDC Board of Directors Website
- ^ Globe and Mail Young Leaders
- ^ Ars Technica July 2011
- ^ Interconnected Games at InsideSocialGames.com December 2009
- ^ Playback Magazine August 2009
- ^ Canadian Film Centre Ideaboost Event
- ^ Mediacaster September 2012