2025 Speakers

John Cheng is the Founder and CEO of PlayAbly, a gamification platform transforming how e-commerce brands engage and build loyalty with their customers. With a strong foundation in gaming, John co-founded Playnomics, an AI-driven platform designed to predict player behavior. Following its acquisition by Unity Technologies, John joined Unity's executive team to lead Unity Analytics, providing data and machine learning solutions to over 20,000 game developers and reaching more than a billion players. This role reinforced his expertise in combining gaming mechanics with data-driven strategies to drive growth.

Earlier in his career, John held leadership positions on Wall Street with firms such as Broadview, Bank of America, and Credit Suisse, advising early-stage software companies. His unique ability to merge financial insight with creative problem-solving continues to shape his innovative approach to business.

After Unity’s IPO, John realized the opportunity to bring his team and expertise to the e-commerce space, leveraging their AI technology to help brands create deeper customer connections. He also remains an active angel investor and mentor, dedicated to fostering innovation among e-commerce founders.

Speaking on:

Startup Pitch Round I (Part 1)
Date & Time: Tuesday — March 25, 4:05pm — 4:45pm PT