DISQUS

VentureBeat: PlaySpan, run 12-year-old founder, gets $6.5M in venture capital

  • Rafat · 2 years ago
    Matt
    The story about 12 year old co-founder is a big oversell...I know because I broke the story on funding two days ago. The CEO Karl Mehta and Arjun's dad is the real guy behind it...arjun just came up with part of the idea for it, and is not really involved with the business per se. Arjun's mention on the site is a gimmick which will be rectified soon...the release doesn't mention him and for good reason.
  • Matt Marshall · 2 years ago
    Thanks Rafat. I sent a bunch of questions to the company about an hour ago to the PR person, because she said Arjun preferred email correspondence. I'll update if/when I hear back.
  • rquist · 2 years ago
    Given the low quality of VCs that have invested I would say that this is a waste of 6.5mm and the company will be gone within 2 years.
  • Truth · 2 years ago
    I GUESS IF THIS WAS A WHITE SKINNED 12 YEAR-OLD, EVERY BODY WOULD HAVE PRAISED HIM HUH?
  • thestryder · 2 years ago
    It's funny how someone always has to bring up race as a reason for criticism. I don't see any reference to race in any of the posts prior to TRUTH's. Regardless of color/race if the product is viable it can stand on it's own merits. Many of the online games consider the selling or buying of in game items in RL(real life) as a TOS violation so it will be interesting to see how WoW and other MMORPG's respond to this.
  • Chris · 2 years ago
    Dude - This is the most lame excuse for a 'pr strategy' to say that your kid is the CEO because it's a gaming oriented company. The cred of this company has just hit rock bottom (and they are just launching - what are they thinking). Who are the people investing in this company? Tighten up the noose on this loose cannon.
  • Matt Marshall · 2 years ago
    I've updated with a comment from Karl, Arjun's father.
  • CK · 2 years ago
    It's easy to tell if this is a gimmick. Does Arjun own shares in the company, and does he have a trustee to monitor his financial decisions (like a child actor)? If not it's a particularly noxious gimmick by Dear Old Dad. There's a line between Rascally and Retarded, and Karl appears to have crossed that line about a mile back.
  • Valley Waggers · 2 years ago
    Rumor has it that the key to their success in raising VC has been having the "right look".
    http://smartstartup.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/...
  • Greg · 1 year ago
    I read all of your comments which all were a year ago. So has this company proven itself or not? Forget about the father and son BS, do they have a viable technology or not? They have management from very well known and respected companies (Lucas Industrial Light and Magic etc.). These people are in high paying key management roles and would not have left their positions at companies with known staying power if they thought this was a wet dream.

    I would really like to hear from someone who has no axe to grind if he or she thinks thinks this company has a future?

    If this is possible, given all the negative (sour grapes?) comments I have seen so far I would really appreaciate an objective opinion from someone who cares about what is going on.

    Look forward to your thoughts.