From Europe to Miami, this startup rides in with world’s first VR superbike championship race – Refresh Miami

By Krysten Brenlla

Rodolfo Saccoman has been at the forefront of technology his entire life – he witnessed the launch of the internet in the 2000’s, and even saw the price of Microsoft stock at $14 with his own eyes.

Born and raised in Brazil, Saccoman and his family immigrated to the United States when he was only 17. A Cornell graduate, Saccoman made the move to Florida to work for Breakers Resort in Palm Beach. Through hard work and determination, and with a passion for investing and entrepreneurship, Saccoman became an investor and multi-startup founder, and 15 years ago, he made his way to Miami for its multicultural diversity and entrepreneur community.

With the launch of the internet, he knew the world was on its way toward its biggest transformation yet – and he followed it every step of the way. 

“Anything you did that was connected to the internet, you could see revenue growth,” Saccoman said. “It was really exciting.”

Now, more than 20 years later with artificial intelligence startups like AdMobilize and MyTherapyJournal.com (which made it to Shark Tank!) under his belt, Saccoman has started a new venture.

Alongside a team of game developers, hardware experts, AI pioneers, and Italian espresso lovers,  Soccoman and his team launched VRAL Games, a games publisher and developer company focused on virtual (VR) and extended reality (XR) games.

 “Last year, I was approached by some friends that have been successful in the gaming industry for the past 20 years, and together we launched VRAL Games – Joe-Victor Behar, who is now our chief strategy officer, Massimo Colella, who is our chief commercial officer, and Giovanni Bazzoni, our chief gaming officer, ” Saccoman, CEO of VRAL Games, said. “They really understand gaming deeply – they understand the pulse of the industry.”

Originally from Italy, Colella and Behar were C-level executives, and the two were the driving forces behind GameStop’s rapid expansion in Europe, forging key partnerships with companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. On the other hand, Bazzoni, the engineer and creative game developer, has extensive experience creating and developing racing games for both consoles and mobile. In 2017, he dove into virtual reality gaming, and has forged partnerships with industry giants like Meta, Tencent, and Microsoft. Now, Bazzoni works with the team as the co-founder of FunnyTales, the creative force behind VRAL Games.

Hand-in-hand with the Miami Tech and gaming communities, VRAL Games plans to take the VR and XR worlds by storm. 

“We believe that immersive experiences is the future of gaming and entertainment,” Saccoman continued. “For us at VRAL, we want to be one of these companies that makes a difference in creating these games.”

A multifaceted gaming entity blending the roles of publisher, developer, investor, and technology innovator, VRAL Games empowers engineers and developers to bring their game ideas to life while offering investment opportunities. Additionally, VRAL Games extends its platform to external developers, providing avenues for publishing games through their network. And, their motion wellness technology, which has increased frames per second and an enhanced technology software to help with motion sickness, will be integrated with every published VRAL game – including their first title, VRider.

Developed by FunnyTales, VRider is the world’s first licensed superbike championship virtual reality game, which was launched on Meta on June 6.  It allows gamers to select their favorite motorcycle rider, circuits, and bikes, and gives gamers the real racing experience through immersive virtual reality graphics, spatial 3D sound, and more. And, it allows gamers from all over the world to compete, with leadership boards, joint circuits, and more.

“We create experiences that people are going to play,” Saccoman said. “The way that FunnyTales developed the game enables people that have never raced a bike before to feel the experience of motorcycle racing. That is the beauty of VR – going into immersive experiences that you wouldn’t otherwise, and matching emotion with motion. It makes the games fun.”

Saccoman offered valuable insights to both aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned startup veterans, drawing from his own experiences.  “For all entrepreneurs – serial and first time – be humble, and keep creating, no matter what.” Saccoman said. “Never stop building. Keep winning and advancing, and try to have fun along the way.”

Looking ahead, VRAL Games aims to cultivate a thriving community for immersive game developers, capitalizing on the burgeoning opportunities within the rapidly expanding virtual reality industry.

With VRAL Games’ headquarters in Miami’s historic MiMo neighborhood, Saccoman and his team think Miami is the perfect place to be to create this community and take immersive gaming to the next level.

“Miami is a great place to build – we’re lucky to be here,” Saccoman said. “Our goal is to continue building, both through VRAL Games and through community, because community is truly power.”

Krysten Brenlla is the Media Relations Specialist for Jackson Health System, where she manages media relations for the health system’s cardiology, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, and Miami Transplant Institute service lines. Prior to her role at Jackson, Krysten worked at Florida International University as an Account Manager for FIU’s Office of Engagement. In 2022, Krysten obtained her master’s degree in Global Strategic Communication from FIU.

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