Look for information coming soon about the schedule for GameON: Finance 2.0, taking place October 28th & 29th, 2008.

Opening Keynote  by Eric Zimmerman , Co-Founder, Gamelab

GAMING THE FUTURE: Possible Evolutions of the Game Industry
Predicting the future is never a good idea, but that's not going to stop Eric Zimmerman from spinning out a handful of scenarios for how our industry might evolve over the next several years. Tying together current developments in the technology, distribution, audience, design, and culture of digital gaming, Eric will present possibilities both sunny and stormy for the next stages in the evolution of gaming.

Richard Iwaniuk , Director of Business Development, BioWare  

Richard will reflect on the growth of an independent video game company and how BioWare was able to succeed at growing one of Canada's top game studios in light of changing and transformative markets.  Recently named one of Gamasutra's Top 5 Developers of 2007, BioWare, founded in 1995, has sold over 20 million copies of their popular game titles worldwide.

This visionary panel brings together leading voices for a state-of-the-industry conversation, looking at global trends, innovative business models and the prospects for growth within a dynamic economic and technological landscape over the next 2, 5 and 10 years.

Moderator:
Tom Buscaglia , The Game Attorney & President of Dev Biz Inc. 

Speakers:
Jamie Leece , President & CEO, Rainmaker Games
Eric Zimmerman, Co-Founder, Gamelab
Jason Della Rocca , Executive Director – IGDA
Bob Jacob , Founder & Partner, Interactive Studio Management

Nathon Gunn , CEO, Bitcasters 

Bitcasters' CEO Nathon Gunn will share his financing experiences, which include an adventurous $8m raise during web 1.0 as well as his recent and more successful efforts to secure millions in financing for a web 2.0 game initiative (from a mix of public, private and angel investors). Tips and tricks learned the hard way from Toronto to Silicon Valley will be shared, followed by a discussion to be based on questions from the audience. 

What’s happening under-the-radar in the industry, and who is pushing normal expectations in developing new platforms or technologies? Are developers overlooking opportunities to commercialize the tech IP they make to enable their creative IP? This panel presents some of the cutting edge innovations that could change the face of the industry, in Canada and abroad, as well as how they are funded. 

Moderator:
Nathon Gunn , CEO, Bitcasters

Speakers:
Vikas Gupta , CEO & President,  TransGaming Technologies
Sarah Dale-Harris , Lawyer, Davis LLP

Phil Giroux , VP Business Development, Magmic Games  

NETWORKING BREAK

How do you develop models for growth and sustainable practice in an increasingly competitive and changing market? This panel will draw upon the experiences of 4 leaders in the investment and games industry, at various stages of growth, presenting insights for negotiating new financial territory. 

Moderator:
Warren Currell , President, Sherpa Games

Speakers:
Margaret Wallace , Co-Founder & CEO, Rebel Monkey
Tom Frencel , Co-Founder & CEO, Capybara Games
Trevor Fencott , CEO, Bedlam
Randy Thompson , Managing Partner, Argon Venture Partners

ARGs, MMPORGs, Serious Games, Mobile, Locative, Machinima – only a few of the new models in the games industry that are gaining audiences, and revenues, against traditional platforms and models. What are the high-growth opportunities that are emerging inside these channels? 

Moderator:
Josh Druckman , CEO, Dark Matter Entertainment

Speakers:
Wojtek Kawczynski , SVP & General Manager, SilverBirch Studios
Jonathan Adair , COO, Distil Interactive
Asi Burak , Co-Founder & COO, ImpactGames
Jon Walsh , CEO, Groove Media

Vikas Gupta , President & CEO, TransGaming Technologies  

Video Game Industry 'Surthrival' In The Canadian Financing Wilderness.
In this case study learn about TransGaming's financings over time, their impact to the company at each stage, and how the company continued to 'surthrive' during some of its most enduring times.

What are the incentives that best create an environment for investment and growth? How does public policy support the games industry and how can it be improved? How are instruments like R&D and labour tax credits effective and what new tools should be considered? This panel identifies the organizations and opportunities available for developers, publishers and investors at all stages of growth. 

Moderator:
Jim Laird , Managing Director & CFO, Bedlam Games Inc.

Speakers:
Tim Gatland , Chief Executive, Funds4Games
Daniel McMullen , Sr. Account Manager, Media & Entertainment, RBC
Spence McDonnell , Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Richard Wah Kan , Consultant

What are the immediate next steps for investors and the games industry? How do we further create a climate that is conducive to a high-growth games industry? This panel will be a discussion of the business of games in Canada and the competitive environment globally. 

Moderator:
Saleem Khan , Editor, Technovica

Speakers:
Robert Shoniker , Principal, Courage Capital
Scott Steinberg , Managing Partner, digitaltrends.com
Phil Giroux , VP Business Development, Magmic Games