Faduma Ahmedali: Founder
Faduma, founder of RikaVR Studio Design, believes that creative ideas can be universal and have the power to transcend cultures, markets and technology. She has a drive to unlock the truths behind ideas, a passion for exploring and identifying new ways of thinking, and creating fresh ideas. Faduma's passion has lit a fire challenging her to work as a creative leader in multiple markets and across the advertising landscapes of PR, Brand, Digital, Product and Traditional. This allowed her to define goals and bring stores to light while exploring products and platforms. Through the advancement of technology, Faduma sees a future where virtual reality can truly shift how we tell stories and create connection. She descends from years of creative expertise in digital story telling. Faduma is one of a kind as a creative leader; she exudes creative excellence. A masterful storyteller with superb strategic and design sense, she leads with thought and innovation.
Taiseer Zarruk: Co-founder
A 3D artist, designer, and futurist. With an innate ability to envision possibilities that others might overlook, Taiseer has been an invaluable member of the team that has built a successful VR experience over the last six years. His fresh perspective and cutting-edge ideas have been crucial to the project's success.
Taiseer's expertise lies in visualizing photo-realistic environments and experiences optimized for VR and AR, which has helped our clients to achieve their goals. He combines visionary thinking with a deep understanding of our clients' needs to create a product that exceeds their expectations.
Michael Franz: Executive Producer
An Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer, Entrepreneur, and imaginative thinker. Michael has worked with several prolific brands including, Sports Illustrated, Major League Baseball, Time Magazine, The Olympics, Microsoft, and Intel. In March 2014, his collaborative image from the top of the One World Trade Center was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, the first image in TIME’s 91-year history to ever expand the Red Border to three pages. In May of 2018, his work on Capturing Everest received a Sports Emmy for Digital Innovation. His work can be found on the LifeVR app, Amazon Prime, and several observation decks in the United States. His trusted skills have taken him around the globe where people rely on his expertise and creative vision to capture and create unique and compelling stories to share with the world. He is also cofounder of PANGOS a virtual reality company that specializes in creating VR Content.
Gavin Farrell: VR Filmmaker
An Emmy award-winning VR filmmaker, designer, illustrator, animator, and technologist. With ten years of interactive design and storytelling at Yahoo! and seventeen years overall in the tech industry. He’s played an integral part in the development of many cutting edge technologies including gigapixel photography and 360º cinematic video. He was on the Board of Directors of the International Virtual Reality Professionals Association the oldest and longest-running international VR organization. In 2008 he partnered with xRez Studio (& team) to capture the Yosemite Extreme Panoramic Imaging Project; the largest continuous gigapixel image of the entirety of Yosemite Valley. Gavin's expertise in gigapixel post-production made him invaluable in composing the final stitched image for TIME's One World Trade Center Panorama and he deployed the same technology under the request of the Dalai Lama capturing many of the ancient murals for the 2018 Taschen book Murals of Tibet. As the Director of Innovation at PANOGS Gavin has built and deployed hundreds of different spherical capture systems and dynamic movements systems; rovers, ziplines, and drones. He has also spearheaded R&D of the all-new VR Drone an in-air stabilized system that makes live 360º aerial VR possible.