Press Start Evolution
Description
Founded 15 years ago, Press Start has established itself as a specialist company in the design and development of augmented reality experiences and video games for educational, advertising, and entertainment purposes. With extensive global experience, we offer technological solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients. By utilizing artificial intelligence, we optimize development times and enhance the quality of the final product, enabling us to successfully tackle innovative projects. In the past, we have closely collaborated with our clients to transform and digitalize their processes. We have developed multiplatform solutions, including web and mobile applications, web/mobile and PC combinations, as well as 3D platforms, educational sites, and Fintech solutions. We excel at creatively blending technology and innovation. We specialize in bringing your vision to life through advanced technological solutions. Our Strengths: • Highly skilled team proficient in the latest technological trends. • Extensive experience in development across various environments and digital platforms. • Interdisciplinary team capable of handling all phases of a project.
Service Focus
Portfolios: 8
Gameit
Drive me Bananas videogame
AR videogames
AR Brew
Brilla Madrid Zoo App
Augmented Reality Business Cards
Executive Interview of Press Start Evolution
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Please introduce your company and describe your role within the organization.
Press Start Evolution has established itself as a specialist company in the design and development of augmented reality experiences and video games for educational, advertising, and entertainment purposes. With extensive global experience, we offer technological solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients. By utilizing artificial intelligence, we optimize development times and enhance the quality of the final product, enabling us to successfully tackle innovative projects. Over the past 7 years, we have specialized in cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and motion capture. We have developed mobile applications that use AR for various purposes, including consumer products, business cards, and interactive events where users can discover and collect 3D animated animals. We have also applied AR in entertainment video games with globally recognized IPs and other innovative solutions. We implement advanced technologies such as motion and object recognition, facial and body tracking, color detection, and AI model training. Additionally, we integrate our AR applications with web content management systems, allowing real-time updates of assets and objectives used in AR activations. We also specialize in projects that capture audience attention at trade shows and public spaces like shopping malls or supermarkets. In these settings, users engage with augmented reality experiences triggered by a product or interact with a video game. In both cases, they enjoy the experience, learn about our clients, and optionally share their contact information to receive updates on promotions, new products, and more. As CEO, my primary role is to steer the company’s strategy in the medium and long term, ensuring we focus on the right opportunities with clients and in our R&D efforts. After 15 years in the industry, I’ve witnessed the rise and fall of platforms, hardware, and trends—it’s easy to get swept up in the latest innovation, but that’s not always the smartest move. Beyond strategy, I remain deeply involved in R&D and maintaining strong relationships with our clients.
What inspired the founding of your company, and what is the story behind its inception?
Since I was very young, around 10 years old, I have had a good relationship with technology and loved video games. It was after playing WarCraft 1, 2, and 3, which I received as a present from my father, that I decided I wanted to create video games for a living. This decision initiated a long journey to first learn how to create them and then how to build a company and a living based on them. Press Start was born out of my need to create something of my own and at the same time fulfill the youthful dream of a group of friends to have our own company. As the company progressed, people have come and gone, and none of the initial members remain, as maintaining a company over the years is exceedingly challenging. Currently, it is a family-operated business, with my wife Johanna Merchán and I being the owners. Throughout the years, we have learned about the complexities of working with friends and family, as well as the benefits that occur when company leadership shares common goals, as is the case for us now. The company has established itself in Colombia, the USA, Australia, and Uruguay. Through this journey, we have gained significant insights into conducting business across different cultures, as well as understanding legal and accounting regulations in each of the countries where we have a presence. As of today, we have legal entities in Colombia and Uruguay. Press Start has been in the market long enough to acquire experience in various digital platforms and trends. We began developing games for publication on Facebook at the height of FarmVille and have since sustained our involvement in mobile, web, PC, and currently, we are heavily invested in AR and its various deployment platforms.
What are the core values and principles that drive your company's culture, and how do you ensure alignment with these values across your team?
Our core values—our DNA—are built on 15 years of experience, remote work, punctuality, and trust. Each member of our team is a specialist in a specific area, such as video game development, augmented reality, web development, and more. We ensure that each team member’s background and expertise add value to the organization. Our team operates entirely remotely. Since the company's inception, remote work has been our standard, and we firmly believe that if someone prefers working in an office, they would not align with our team ethos. In the fields of video game and augmented reality development, missed project deadlines are commonplace. At Press Start, our Project Managers maintain separate schedules—one for the team and another for the client—to effectively manage deadlines. This ensures that we consistently meet our commitments with punctuality and reliability. Trust is fundamental at Press Start Evolution. We don’t track the exact number of hours each team member works; instead, we rely on their estimations of the time required for tasks, which we trust based on our extensive experience in the industry. The quality of work and the results delivered by each team member allow us to assess time management naturally, minimizing the need for micromanagement.
Can you highlight some of the key achievements or milestones your company has accomplished since its inception?
From the beginning, through hard work, a bit of luck, and the talent of our team, we developed a game in just three weeks that attracted 175,000 players in under two weeks—officially making it a viral hit. That game became the foundation for the next five years of our work, leading us to secure angel investment in Silicon Valley and sign a publishing deal with Chillingo, the world's leading mobile publisher at that time, having just released Angry Birds. Our second major milestone was successfully transitioning from a product-based company funded by external investment to a service-based organization generating revenue from client projects. This strategic pivot was crucial, as we recognized the limited chances of success with our own games and made the decision to evolve into a self-sustaining business. That transition wasn’t easy, yet nearly 12 years later, we’re still thriving. This pivot placed us on a path that enabled us to work with some of the biggest brands and companies internationally, while also experiencing the unique challenges and rewards of living and working in various countries—insights I will detail in subsequent paragraphs. Establishing the company in different markets such as Colombia, the United States, Australia, and Uruguay has provided us with substantial legal and cultural knowledge relevant to our client interactions in each location. Throughout our 15-year journey, we have had the privilege of collaborating directly with world-class clients across diverse industries, including toys and games, beverages, fintech, and more.
Could you explain your company's business model? Do you primarily operate with an in-house team or utilize third-party vendors/outsourcing?
Our clients engage us on a project basis, encompassing specific time frames within which we are expected to complete deliverables. In instances where we work on second or third iterations of a project, we also provide technical support post-completion. For the past four years, we have adopted a licensing business model, particularly influencing the event industry through our product called Gameit. At Press Start, our primary operating model involves using an in-house team. When additional personnel are needed for specific projects, we hire them directly through our company for a defined period.
How does your company differentiate itself from competitors in the industry?
We possess a unique combination of expertise that distinctly sets us apart. Our thorough understanding of games is underscored by my 16 years in the video game industry and my academic credentials, which include a Master of Fine Arts in Game Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA, experiences I have imparted to our team. This foundation, along with our strong technical proficiency in software, particularly concerning cloud, mobile, web, AR, and immersive technologies such as body recognition, empowers us to tackle highly complex projects. Over the past three years, our game development efforts have emphasized the integration of augmented reality and other immersive technologies with both 3D and 2D games, creating interactive and engaging user experiences.
How would you describe the dynamics within your team, and how do you foster collaboration and teamwork to achieve common goals?
The dynamics within our team are characterized by specialization, clear communication, and a shared passion for innovation. Each member is an expert in their particular field, which enables us to leverage diverse skills and perspectives in every project. To promote collaboration and teamwork, we prioritize the following elements: transparent communication through regular meetings and open discussions to ensure alignment, agile methodologies that guide structured workflows to keep projects on track, mutual support that encourages knowledge sharing and cross-functional collaboration, and a collective focus on delivering high-quality results that align with our clients' objectives. This approach guarantees efficiency, creativity, and a productive working environment.
What measures do you take to support the professional development and growth of your employees? Do you offer training programs or opportunities for skill enhancement?
Every member of our team has been afforded the opportunity for professional growth since joining Press Start Evolution. Regardless of their role, we continually challenge them with complex projects. Even if a team member is unfamiliar with a specific technology or programming language, we encourage them to learn, explore, and find solutions to unfamiliar challenges. Additionally, we provide training on relevant topics and encourage participation in courses during working hours.
Could you share a notable success story or case study that exemplifies the impact your company has had on a client's business?
Drawing on our extensive experience, we have developed numerous educational video game projects that assist our NGO clients with their social initiatives, impacting thousands of individuals in need. These developments are executed with the understanding that many rural areas lack both internet connectivity and educational materials, thereby mitigating these challenges through our work. Additionally, recognizing that internet connectivity at events is frequently unreliable, the majority of our video games and interactive experiences are designed to function without an internet connection, which helps our clients achieve their objectives in the events they attend.
What industries do you primarily cater to, and do you have a significant percentage of repeat clients? If so, what is the ratio of repeat clients?
Over the last five years, we have engaged extensively with the events industry, particularly collaborating with companies that exhibit at trade shows and design and build booths. This sector has a significant demand for software and digital experiences that effectively capture attendee attention and collect their contact information—where video games serve as an excellent tool. We also partner with the entertainment industry, developing innovative experiences that captivate users in unique ways. Approximately 85% of our clients engage with us on more than four projects, with many maintaining long-term partnerships over several years. Beyond delivering successful projects, our principal objective is to cultivate meaningful, trust-based relationships with our clients, fostering a positive work environment that allows us to produce exceptional digital products collaboratively.
What initiatives does your company undertake to foster innovation and stay at the forefront of industry trends? Do you invest in research and development projects?
We excel at building digital products from the ground up, which facilitates the development of our own apps and video games, as well as experimentation with new concepts and boundary-pushing ideas. Currently, we have two self-funded products serving as both R&D platforms and functional offerings for users. 1. Gameit – An innovative platform that transforms how businesses engage with their audience at events, conferences, and trade shows through customized video games. It comprises a cloud-based web admin for game creation and customization, and an application for downloading games on mobile devices, large screens, or PCs. Key features include a No Code approach, so no programming knowledge is required to create customized video games. The platform functions both online and offline, particularly advantageous for events facing connectivity issues, allowing for the creation of offline databases. Our games have been utilized at events spanning various industries, including sports, fintech, alcoholic beverages, personal care, food, medical insurance, and tourism. 2. AR Brew – An augmented reality app with a cloud-based system that recognizes up to 350 beer labels, offering information about the beer and brewery. Users can create a digital album of the beers they have tried, connecting directly to the brewery’s website and social media. The app continually expands its database with new labels every month, available on the App Store and Google Play. Furthermore, we consistently develop rough demos to explore new technologies and game mechanics. Our latest prototype turns smartphones into controllers for local multiplayer gaming experiences on smart TVs, tablets, or laptops, essentially recreating a game console experience for shared play.
Please share some of the most sought-after services that clients approach your company for.
Our clients primarily reach out for digital and entertainment experiences tailored for events, which may include a custom video game or a license from our product Gameit. Additionally, we receive substantial requests for the development of video games or digital experiences that leverage immersive technologies with a strong emphasis on AR and motion, object, and color recognition.
How do you build and maintain strong relationships with your clients, and what mechanisms do you have in place for gathering and acting upon client feedback?
We cultivate and sustain robust relationships with our clients through clear communication, transparency, and a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes. From the outset, we establish trust by understanding their needs and ensuring alignment with their goals, particularly regarding deadlines. To gather and respond to client feedback, we employ various mechanisms: regular check-ins and meetings to maintain open lines of communication, agile methodologies that incorporate feedback throughout the project lifecycle, post-project reviews to gather insights for future enhancements, and direct communication channels that facilitate easy feedback sharing through emails or dedicated meetings. By actively listening to our clients and adapting to their needs, we forge long-term partnerships built on trust and collaboration.
How has your company adapted to changes and challenges in the business landscape, and what strategies have you employed to ensure resilience and sustainability?
We have navigated changes and challenges in the business landscape by remaining agile, embracing innovation, and continuously learning from industry trends. As a video game and augmented reality development company operating in a rapidly changing sector, flexibility and proactivity are essential. To ensure resilience and sustainability, we have implemented several core strategies: diversification of services that expands our expertise beyond game development to include augmented reality experiences, which enables us to serve a wider range of industries; adopting a global market approach that reduces dependence on singular markets while providing insights into various business environments; practicing agile development methodologies that empower our team to respond quickly to emerging challenges, technological advancements, and client needs; fostering continuous learning and upskilling through investments in training and professional development to keep our team at the forefront of new technologies; and forming strategic partnerships within business networks and with government entities to enhance our capabilities and expand opportunities. By remaining flexible and forward-thinking, we have built a company that not only responds to challenges but thrives in an evolving industry.
What payment structure do you typically follow when billing clients? Is it Pay per Feature, Fixed Cost, or Pay per Milestone (phases, months, versions, etc.)?
Every quote we issue delineates the payment structure as well as the project's execution phases. In 90% of cases, an advance payment is required before work begins, with the deposit percentage varying based on the project's duration. The remaining payments correspond to the completion of each phase, ensuring that payments align with project milestones. Should additional features be requested during the development phase, they may necessitate separate payments.
Do you accept projects that meet your basic budget requirements? If yes, what is the minimum budget requirement? If no, what is the minimum budget you have worked with in the past?
We maintain strict budgetary standards for our projects, as experience has shown that compromising on budget results in suboptimal outcomes. When a project's budget does not align with our standards, we prefer to forgo the opportunity. To provide high-quality and cost-effective solutions in the gaming/events sector, we have developed our own casual game engine, Gameit, which enables us to deliver excellent results efficiently. Gameit offers businesses a platform to interact with their audiences through customized video games during events, conferences, and trade shows. This platform includes a cloud-based web admin for game creation and customization, and an application for game downloading on a range of devices. Key features include a No Code approach, which requires no programming knowledge to utilize. Additionally, the platform is designed to operate both online and offline, making it particularly advantageous in situations where connectivity is an issue. Companies can develop a full game with a database collection for as little as $250 USD.
Can you provide an overview of the price range (minimum and maximum) of the projects your company worked on in 2024?
Our projects typically range from $10,000 to $250,000. The licensing model for Gameit begins at $250 USD. Exceptions may exist based on project specifics, but this range generally provides a good benchmark.
What technological capabilities does your company possess, and are there any ongoing or planned investments in technology infrastructure or tools to enhance your services?
We are currently developing applications utilizing the latest technologies, including motion recognition, body recognition, and object recognition, alongside augmented reality experiences and video games for web and mobile platforms. Additionally, we are beginning to explore spatial computing and have plans to create applications for the newest VR/MR see-through devices, thereby expanding our expertise into next-generation immersive technologies.
Where do you envision your company in the next 10 years? What are your long-term goals and aspirations for growth and development?
In the next decade, we envision our company as a global leader in video game development and augmented reality experiences, recognized for our commitment to innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge technology. Our aim is to create immersive, high-quality interactive experiences that engage users worldwide while expanding our footprint in international markets. Our long-term goals and aspirations for growth include: expanding into new markets—solidifying our presence in North America, Europe, and other key regions to reach a broader audience; developing proprietary intellectual properties—creating original video games and AR experiences that establish our brand within the industry; investing in emerging technologies—remaining at the forefront of advancements in AI, AR, MR, and cloud gaming to enhance our offerings; forming strategic partnerships with leading industry figures and government entities to drive innovation and expand opportunities; and growing our team and expertise to attract the best talent while fostering a culture of creativity and continuous learning. Ultimately, we aspire to not only adapt to industry trends but to shape the future of interactive entertainment. Our vision is to become the leading company in Latin America for video game and augmented reality development outsourcing, offering innovative solutions that transform how businesses interact with their customers and establishing benchmarks for augmented reality trends and products to drive mass adoption with accessible and high-impact solutions for entertainment and information.
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