Jonathan Lai is a former game designer and product leader from Riot Games, Tencent, and Dots who brings unusually deep, hands-on experience building and scaling hit games globally, including in China's complex games market. He systematically applies game design concepts like "time to fun" and retention loops to evaluate not only games but also consumer, enterprise, and fintech products, treating them all as interactive systems that must feel fun and socially engaging rather than just utilitarian.

• Strong thesis on AI world models and the emergence of new storytelling mediums. Believes the opportunity in generative AI isn't just recreating existing games like Fortnite, but creating entirely new interactive formats comparable to the invention of film or comics, such as 3D environments generated purely from text.
• Advocacy for founder-led sales in the early stages. Warns against hiring business development leads before achieving product-market fit, noting that technical founders should handle early customer networking to maintain focus and gather direct feedback.
• Appreciation for builders utilizing modern AI coding tools to move faster. Frequently highlights the shift away from the command line toward natural language programming, sharing a personal experience of using Claude Code to build a functioning app for tracking local Pokemon card tournaments.
• Emphasis on ambition when selecting startup ideas. Advises founders to choose the larger, scarier opportunity over the smaller, more knowable one, using the comparison of building an AI university versus a simple homework assistant.
• Value placed on resilience and the willingness to pivot. Views changing direction as a strength rather than a failure, citing successful companies that started as something else, and encourages founders to reapply to his accelerator after derisking their business if they are initially rejected.
• Preference for founders who maintain high energy and consistent communication. favors entrepreneurs who send regular updates like clockwork—even during holidays—viewing these updates as essential tools for recruiting talent and securing future capital.
• Focus on the intersection of gaming tech and other industries. Highlights companies using avatar technology or 3D foundation models not just for games, but for broader applications in commerce, media, and social platforms.