Upaya Services

Ben Simon-Thomas is the founder of The Verse, where he builds game-based therapeutics that heal, connect, and inspire. His journey began after witnessing the transformative power of FDA-approved video games, validating his belief that play is our most powerful tool for transformation. At The Verse, Ben leads the creation of immersive experiences like WalkXR, Adventures in Breath, and Karma: The Six Realms Game—an ecosystem of games that use breathwork and prosocial mechanics to improve mental health and human connection. Ben is a visionary who sees the potential for play everywhere, from scaling scientific research into engaging quests to prototyping new economic systems. He invites collaborators to join him in a simple, vital quest: to use the power of play to build a world of greater human flourishing. Let's PLAY together. Services-Consulting Package 1: Gamification & Playification Strategy: Integrate powerful game mechanics into health, wellness, and learning apps to drive engagement and behavior change-Consulting Package 2: Cultivating Communities & Culture: Design rituals and play-based experiences to build connection, reinforce values, and drive engagement for internal teams and external communities-Consulting Package 3: Transformative Play Blueprint: A collaborative sprint to design a proof-of-concept for a game or experience that tackles your specific challenge in health, wellbeing, or social impact-Advisor Game Based Therapeutics. Guidance for startups on product strategy, market fit, and the viability of game-based therapeutic interventions-Part-Time Leadership: Interim roles as Head of Product (Wellbeing) or Strategic Advisor for game based therapeutics and mission-driven startups. We work with-Digital Therapeutics & Mental Health Tech Startups**(PreSeed to Angel)-Wellness Brands** expanding into digital community or gamified experiences-Pro-Social Game Studios** and ed-tech companies-VC Firms** with a focus on health/wellness.