ABOUT RIZWAN
A pioneering entrepreneur, investor, futurist, and bestselling author whose work bridges virtual worlds, AI, gaming, consciousness, and the deeper questions shaping our future.
Exploring the Future of Reality Through Technology, Science & Imagination
Rizwan (“Riz”) Virk is a futurist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author, video game pioneer, and film producer whose work sits at the crossroads of cutting-edge technology and timeless human questions. With roots at MIT and Stanford and ongoing doctoral research at Arizona State University, Riz studies the metaverse, AI-driven virtual worlds, simulation theory, and the nature of consciousness itself.
Across startups, academia, investing, film, and publishing, his mission is simple: to understand how emerging technologies reshape our reality — and how imagination shapes the future we create.
Advancing Research on AI, Virtual Worlds & the Metaverse
Riz is currently completing a PhD at ASU’s College of Global Futures, where he researches virtual ecosystems, intelligent NPCs, metaverse design, and simulation theory at the Center for Science and the Imagination. He teaches courses in the Fulton Schools of Engineering and previously served as a visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence.
His academic work explores what happens when AI, interactive media, and digital consciousness converge — and how these technologies will shape the decades ahead.
Building Startups & Investing in the Future
As the founder of Play Labs @ MIT and a veteran of the gaming and mobile revolutions, Riz has helped launch, invest in, and advise dozens of groundbreaking companies. His portfolio includes household names like Discord, Tapjoy, Pocket Gems, Funzio, Theta Labs, Moon Express, and many others.
He leads Bayview Labs, serves as a venture partner at Griffin Gaming Partners, and works with startups and institutions exploring next-generation gaming, AI, blockchain, and immersive technologies.
Sharing Ideas Through Books, Film & Global Media
Riz’s bestselling books — including The Simulation Hypothesis, Zen Entrepreneurship, The Simulated Multiverse, and Startup Myths & Models — have inspired readers worldwide and helped mainstream the discussion about simulation theory and virtual reality.
As a film producer, he has worked on feature films, documentaries, and television projects based on the works of Philip K. Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin. He is a frequent guest on major media platforms including The Joe Rogan Experience, BBC, Scientific American, Gaia, Inside Edition Digital, and the History Channel.
Through writing, speaking, and The Simulated Universe podcast, Riz brings complex ideas to life for audiences around the world.