In this episode of Capital Class, Strategos Partner Adam Giery sits down with Hunter Moore, Founder and CEO of Plasma Games, to explore a bold idea with real classroom stakes: video games aren’t a distraction from learning they are learning when designed with intention.
Moore, an engineer by training, shares how his career across Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Sandia National Labs, and IBM revealed a troubling reality: the U.S. is falling behind in STEM outcomes, even as demand for STEM careers keeps rising. Rather than build another “gamified” quiz product, Moore set out to design what he calls a true fusion of gameplay and instruction where students learn science by using it to win. In Plasma Games’ flagship experience, Sci-Ops: Global Defense, learners apply real chemistry and physics concepts—like atomic energy levels, thermochemical properties, and the ideal gas law—as core mechanics for strategy, equipment upgrades, and problem-solving.
Giery and Moore unpack what it takes to introduce this kind of innovation into schools, including teacher training needs, procurement realities, and the tension between traditional classroom structures and experiential, game-based learning.
Beyond product, the conversation becomes a founder’s journey mission, doubt, and big decisions. Moore reflects on building Plasma Games through uncertainty, measuring success through student impact, and staying grounded through faith and family. The result is a candid look at how play, purpose, and engineering rigor can reshape how students engage with STEM and imagine their futures.
Timestamps
06:23 "Learning Chemistry Through Gameplay"
09:13 Balancing Education and Innovation
12:47 Games as Future Learning Tools
16:24 Student Engagement Challenges in Education
18:41 "Faith-Led Journey to Innovation"
20:23 "Faith, Stats, and Odds"
25:22 Education's Bureaucratic Financial Strain
29:57 Balancing Education Priorities
31:43 Lowering Standards Hurts Education
33:59 "Naivete Meets Harsh Realities"
37:48 Federal Cuts Spark Ripple Effect
Connect with Hunter Moore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterryanmoore
Website: https://play.plasma.games/
