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

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

Greg — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:59:51 -0000

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.

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

Valley Waggers — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:28:41 -0000

Rumor has it that the key to their success in raising VC has been having the "right look".
http://smartstartup.typepad...

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

CK — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:21:01 -0000

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.

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

Matt Marshall — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:04:50 -0000

I've updated with a comment from Karl, Arjun's father.

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

Chris — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:39:23 -0000

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.

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

thestryder — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:27:16 -0000

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.

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

Truth — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:42:14 -0000

I GUESS IF THIS WAS A WHITE SKINNED 12 YEAR-OLD, EVERY BODY WOULD HAVE PRAISED HIM HUH?

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

rquist — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:40:23 -0000

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.

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

Matt Marshall — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:50:24 -0000

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.

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

Rafat — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:39:31 -0000

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.