Innovators Today and the Future of Play

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      "name": "Mitchel Berger",
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      "details": "Mitchel Berger oversees all consumer products, merchandise, content sales, and \rtheatrical businesses for Crunchyroll. \r\rBerger is credited for managing the distribution of 10 of the top 20 highest-grossing \ranime releases of all time in North America, including Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No \rYaiba Infinity Castle in 2025, which has become the highest-grossing international \rfilm ever released in North America and the highest grossing anime film of all time in \r56 territories including North America. Other hit films include Demon Slayer - \rKimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train in 2021, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO \rin 2022, and JUJUTSU KAISEN 0 in 2022. Berger also managed the global distribution \rof the award-winning director Makoto Shinkai’s film Suzume, which garnered a \rGolden Globe nomination. \r\rWhile at Funimation, Berger was responsible for instituting the “next-day” Electronic \rSell-Through (EST) strategy, bringing both subtitled and dubbed episodes of new \ranime shows to major EST platforms within 48 hours of their premiere. Berger has \ralso helped establish the e-commerce storefront Funimation Shop as the premier \rhub for Funimation merchandise, home entertainment, and collectibles. \r\rPrior to joining Funimation and, post-merger, Crunchyroll, Berger spent 21 years with \rUniversal Pictures Home Entertainment. During his time at Universal, he handled a \rwide range of retail, rental, and distribution accounts, including spending three years \ras the Vice President of Sales and Walmart team lead. For the last two years at \rUniversal, he served as the Sr. Vice President of Sales, Category Management, and \rCustomer Marketing for North America. \r\rBerger holds a degree from the University of Miami. He is based in Dallas. ",
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      "name": "Valerie Vacante",
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      "details": "Val Vacante is an award-winning global innovator pioneering intelligent products and breakthrough experiences across AI, emerging technology, gaming, retail, and play.\r\rShe has led and launched products and experiences across gaming, toys, retail, and immersive platforms for more than 50 global brands, including Meta, Microsoft, Roblox, IKEA, Mattel, Hasbro, Disney, Bandai Namco, PepsiCo, Galderma, Mercedes-Benz, and MINI. \r\rVal helps organizations identify whitespace and create market-first platforms and connected experiences—pioneering shoppable gaming and live-stream commerce, launching first-of-their-kind brand experiences on platforms like Roblox and Twitch, and designing fan-first activations that blur play, entertainment, and community.\r\rShe is the visionary behind Intelligent Messaging, an award-winning AI-powered multimodal messaging solution showcased at CES, SXSW, and Cannes Lions. In collaboration with Meta, Val founded the Global Meta Messaging Alliance, giving brands early access to emerging messaging products. \r\rShe also co-created Dentsu NXT Space with Microsoft, LinkedIn, and HeadOffice.AI, named Best of CES by PSFK, and led the development of ShopNXT patented retail technologies focused on personalization, loyalty, and customer joy. Val also architected NXT Intelligence, a modular innovation platform leveraged by Fortune 500 brands across gaming, anime, entertainment, retail, and emerging tech.\r\rVal is the Founder of Collabsco, a strategy and innovation firm building award-winning products across AI, IoT, AR, VR, voice, robotics, and connected play ecosystems.\r\rHer work has been featured in Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, VentureBeat, Adweek, and Digiday, and presented on global stages including CES, SXSW, Cannes Lions, Comic-Con, and Games for Change.\r\rShe has been named a Top 25 Woman in Tech, VentureBeat Woman in AI, Product Management Leader of the Year, and one of the Most Powerful Women in Technology. Val serves on the SXSW Advisory Board and the Fast Company Executive Board, and mentors future creators and technologists at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).\r",
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  "description": "For generations, play has shaped how we imagine, connect, and create. Today it spans toys, gaming, anime, sports, and emerging tech, blending physical and digital worlds into shared experiences. As new technologies, platforms, and global fandoms accelerate, play is being redefined in real time. \n\nPlay is no longer confined to a toy aisle, a console, or a screen; it now unfolds across worlds, driven by creativity, community, and connection. \n\nJoin industry innovators exploring how breakthrough technologies, powerhouse partnerships, and mixed-world experiences are shapin g the future of play, creativity, and culture.",
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