The Rise of Virtual Communities: In Conversation with Virtual World Pioneers

Uncover the fascinating history of virtual communities and how we connect to each other online. The Rise of Virtual Communities, explores the earliest online community platforms, mapping the technological evolutions, and the individuals, that have shaped the culture of the internet.

Read in-depth interviews with the visionary founders of iconic online platforms, and uncover the history of virtual communities and how the industry has developed over time. Featuring never-before told stories, this exploration introduces new ideas and predictions for the future, explaining how we got here and challenging what we think we may know about building online communities.

Readers will:

• Learn what a virtual community is and how it has become an integral part of modern society
• Review key insights into building virtual communities and platforms from the founders and pioneers who created them
• See what the current developments and the potential challenges are related to the future of virtual communities

Who is this for:

Community managers, company founders and those who want to know more about the origins and future of virtual communities.

interviews Include:

• Randy Farmer & Chip Morningstar - Lucasfilm Games ’Habitat’ and creators of the modern Avatar
• Howard Rheingold - Community expert and member of the WELL
• Stacy Horn - Founder of Echo NYC
• Jim Bumgardner - Founder of The Palace
• Philip Rosedale - Founder of Second Life
• Sampo Karjalainen - Co-founder of Habbo Hotel
• Lance Priebe - Co-Founder of Club Penguin
• Angelo Sotira - Co-Founder of Deviant Art
• Caterina Fake - Co-Founder of Flickr
• Alexis Ohanian- Founder of Reddit
• Kevin Rose - Co-Founder of Digg & PROOF Collective
• Jason Citron - Founder of Discord
• Trevor McFedries - Founder of FWB & Brud
• Cherie Hu - Founder of Water & Music
• Michelle Kennedy - Founder of Peanut

Amber Atherton is a British Entrepreneur and Angel Investor based in Silicon Valley. A community building expert, Atherton began coding as a child, starting various internet businesses before joining Y Combinator in 2018 with her community software business Zyper, which was later acquired by Discord where Atherton led Community Growth before joining Web3 investment firm Patron as Partner in January 2023.

Amber frequently appears as an expert on television (BBC, CNBC) radio (Bloomberg) and at global conference (Davos, Web Summit), and has written for publications including Forbes, Harpers Bazaar and Vogue Business.