Lisette Titre-Montgomery: "We Will Persist in Our Search for the Ideal Partner"

Securing VC support for a studio is a complex endeavor, which becomes even more challenging when seeking a partner that shares the studio's values and culture. This difficulty is further exacerbated when the studio's founders do not belong to the demographic groups that investment firms typically support. Cornerstone Interactive Studios co-founder and CEO Lisette Titre-Montgomery is currently navigating this situation as she and her team seek funding. Since launching her studio, Titre-Montgomery has been learning the ropes of her new executive role, having previously focused on the production side of the industry. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic, citing the support of her peers and colleagues as a positive factor. However, when it comes to finding venture capital partners, Titre-Montgomery notes that the problem lies in connecting with the "money people" and overcoming the hurdles of validation. Alongside her co-founders, Raymond Graham and Marcus Montgomery, she highlights the value of their collective decades of experience in the interactive entertainment and games industry. The CEO acknowledges that her co-founders, as an all-Black professional-founded studio, face unique challenges, including bias and racism. Titre-Montgomery emphasizes that she and her team are aware of the current economy and shrinking investment pool, but this has not deterred their efforts. Instead, it has made finding the right VC partner easier, as they seek partners who share their vision and values. The goal, according to Titre-Montgomery, is to create a studio, games, and culture that will appeal to a more diverse consumer base. She believes that by building a studio that reflects their values, they will attract a specific market and consumer. Titre-Montgomery also highlights her work with Gameheads, an organization that helps low-income youth and youth of color get hired into the industry. While she acknowledges the progress made, she remains skeptical about the games industry's work on diversity, citing the declining numbers of Black game professionals. Despite these challenges, Titre-Montgomery and her team will continue their search for the right partners, prioritizing good money over bad and seeking partners who share their vision and values. The journey for Cornerstone Studios is just beginning, with the team having spent the last two years building their ideas and refining their pitch. They are now ready to take their vision to the next level, seeking the right partner to help them achieve their goals.