Startup develops video games to assist firms work on range and inclusion

In eight months of operation, Cubic Jogos Digitais, founded by Lizi Quadros, earned US$ 120,000

take the theme of diversity and inclusion within companies it is not a simple task. But for the entrepreneur Lizi Quadros, it can be done in a lighter way. It was with this proposal that she founded Cubic Jogos Digitais, a startup that creates games for companies to discuss the issue with employees. In eight months of operation, the startup made $120,000.

Even while working as a banker, the founder says that she always had the hobby of developing games. Then, an eSports course teacher suggested that she participate in the Campus Party Game Jam.

In November 2021, Quadros won the game creation competition with Empathy, which featured three characters: a blind person, a wheelchair user and a hearing impaired person. “All of them must interact with each other and fulfill their tasks individually”, explains the entrepreneur.

After the event, large companies contacted Quadros expressing interest in buying the games. “Then I noticed that there was a gap within the industry and that there weren’t many games focused on this theme of inclusion and diversity”, he says.

So, already in January 2022, she started Cubic Digital Games. “It was all very fast. Usually, companies that start up need to keep going after customers, but with me it was the opposite. That was really cool,” she says. The interest of organizations, says Quadros, was due to the fact that the games allowed them to speak more lightly about diversity.

“We know that disability, racial diversity and sexual orientation are heavy issues. And we are talking about large companies with many employees, with many different thoughts. But through games, the process becomes more fun and easier to teach.”

Before offering the service, the startup asks companies how their attitude is in relation to these matters and what has already been done internally. “This is very important for when I’m going to assemble the game’s script, since it’s possible to adapt some parts depending on the need”, he says. Games are delivered after about 60 days, and companies can decide how to use them in training.

Currently, the startup has a diverse team to evaluate all aspects within the projects. “Today, I no longer have time to develop the games, but the people on the team make the scripts and show me for validation”, says Quadros, who is responsible for connecting with other companies and looking for more diverse professionals. Among the startup’s clients are Yara Fertilizantes, MagaluGames and IndieHero.

The company is now developing a project to bring virtual reality to classrooms with a sustainable design. “Through a partnership with Equipe Group, we developed low-cost virtual reality glasses, using items discarded by large retail companies, such as MDF sheet and buriti fibers”, he explains. “The glasses reduce the carbon footprint of companies while allowing greater inclusion of low-income students.”

The forecast is that the games will be present in schools in Amazonas and Rio Grande do Sul in September this year.

Source: PEGN Magazine