Erez Yerushalmi

Erez' extensive professional experience encompasses the Gaming and New-Media industries, leading companies in the North-American and Central European territories to success through top-industry business and product direction.
Erez is the founder of several start-up companies, (Momento, Inter-Canel) and consults to numerous others (Funtactix, DAS-IP, JCaC, Human Error, Trilili, etc') providing intricate business planning, fund-raising, marketing overview, publishing and product post-roll-out of several interactive platforms and gaming worlds.

Through a widespread network of developers, publishers and distributers, Erez has launched numerous titles and platforms. Online Publishers such as Gamigo, Vector Japan, SVG, BigPoint, Zogo (Brazil), GameForge and TGC are a mere part of the list.

Some of the most prominent products include: Moondo (cross-gaming world), Warfare, Impero-Galactica, ALMMAA (cross platform virtual world), Venice Chronicles (virtual world), Il-Can 360 (Social network), PainTunes (iPhone app) and numerous others.

Erez applied elaborate business-models on various platforms, ranging from subscription based products and up to complex microtransations in games and virtual worlds. He possess multi-disciplinary knowledge in methodology, business and multi-language skills in English, Italian and Hebrew.

Erez possess an extensive educational background including a Master’s Degree in Product Design from Italy, with specialization in Interactive development and UX design, as well as postgraduate work in team management.

Experience

2009-2010 CEO, Smite Entertainment
Online and Social Gaming (Tel-Aviv/SF)
Smite is a cutting-edge entertainment company, destined to become a leader in the operation and creation of online interactive entertainment franchises. Its focus is on developing technology (and content) that allows it to rapidly deploy and run titles that reach the underserved market of mid-core gamers.

At the heart of the company’s strategy is its core technology platform, Glyph, a real-time web-based CMS for rapidly deploying games and monetizing content. The Glyph platform is an integrated infrastructure which features tools for all aspects of online game operation, including content creation, community management and monetization.



2008-2009 VP Marketing, Funtactix ltd
Online video-game studio (Tel-Aviv/California)
Funtactix is an innovative gaming company, offering a full white-label action game solution, hence enabling companies to deploy branded 3D multiplayer action games in a matter of 2-3 month cycle.
The company's "proof of concept", a colorful multiplayer game called Moondo, was a massive success, encompassing a closed beta community of more than 200k players. The company is currently developing a series of titles for various corporations.
In Funtactix, Erez is responsible for international partner's relationship, recruitment of publishers and community mass rallying. Eres is also responsible for business analysis, using profound experience of different online business models and monetization channels.
www.funtactix.com


2006-2008 President/Founder, Inter-Canel
Social Gaming and Networks (Toronto, Canada)
The company provides virtual world platforms to the North American and European mass-market, with focus on kid franchises (e,g, - Gogos).
The position included numerous activities: Business plan development, fund raising (from Angel to Venture capital), web-based software development from conceptualization to launch, Developers and Art/Content team management, content development in various segments (Fashion, Dating, Culture, Gaming, etc’), GUI design, Third party integration, and pre-sale / marketing activities.
Inter-Canel has merged with the Canadian software company Giant steps and continues to successfully provide virtual worlds and rich online experiences for international clients.
www.inter-canel.com


2004-2005 CEO, Momento ltd
Product design studio, (Bologna, Italy)
Momento conducted full concept-to-production cycle for numerous mass consumed products. winning several international prizes. Momento ltd enjoyed a productive portfolio encompassing fashion accessories, watches, housewear and industrial products.

Momento also served as the first jumping ground into the gaming and New-Media landscapes, providing advanced GUI designs content development, sale-kits, mediation with industrial factors and secondary suppliers. Among Momento's clients: Zeon (London), the giant accessory corporation.

Education

Masters Degree from the High Academy of Design, Faenza, Italy (ISIA, Faenza). 4 years of Distinction.
2004-2005 Masters degree, Product Design (Specialization: Team Management and Interactive design)
2004 Exeter, England, University of Design
2001-2003 Bachelors degree, Industrial design (Specialization: Industrial products and technological materials)