Gaming for a Greener Tomorrow
In a world where environmental challenges demand urgent attention, Settlopedia, led by co-founder and CEO Skye Wu, is leveraging the immersive power of gaming to inspire the next generation. Skye shares her journey from scientist to game developer and her vision for making climate education more engaging through interactive experiences.
Traditional environmental education can be dry, but we believe gaming can make it both engaging and impactful. 
What inspired you to create Low Carbon Hero?
"We're creating Low Carbon Hero to transform how young people think about climate change. Traditional environmental education can be dry, but we believe gaming can make it both engaging and impactful. Our goal is simple: help players understand their environmental impact while having fun. When you're immersed in a game, you reach this 'flow' state where learning becomes natural – that's exactly what we're aiming for with Low Carbon Hero."
How did your environmental journey begin?
"My environmental journey really began in Europe. I attended UN events and spoke with climate experts, and the gravity of climate change just hit me – it planted this seed in my mind. Later, I connected with friends who shared my values and had the technical skills to build games. That's how Low Carbon Hero was born. Games have been part of human culture for millennia, and they're incredibly powerful learning tools. They create this vivid, experiential environment that can actually shift how people behave in real life."
Your background isn't in gaming – how did you end up here?
"I'm actually a scientist by training! But I'm definitely a gamer at heart. My background is in science and engineering – I worked in drug development and food safety. That experience gave me a really analytical approach to problem-solving, which has been invaluable in game development. It's fascinating how different disciplines can come together in unexpected ways."
How has the Ministry of Awesome supported your journey?
"Ministry of Awesome has been transformative, especially in helping us validate our concept. Coming from large corporations, I had little startup experience. They connected us with industry experts and other startups, which really opened our eyes to the importance of concept validation. We've since started collaborating with CODE, a sustainable game development ecosystem in Aotearoa – New Zealand, which has been incredible for refining our game."
What's it like being part of the startup community?
"Being a founder can be incredibly isolating, but Ministry of Awesome changed that for me. The network of other co-founders has been invaluable – we support each other through the challenges. Having this community around you makes such a difference."
How has mentorship shaped your journey?
"The mentorship through Ministry of Awesome has been game-changing. Finding the right mentor is crucial, and I struck gold with Lexi Thorn, who came from Meta to the gaming industry. She really gets what we're trying to achieve and has shared incredible resources on game design. Sometimes the right mentor just clicks – that's exactly what happened with Lexi."
Bridget Unsworth from the Angel Association has been incredibly helpful as well. She guided me on improving my pitch deck, providing tons of ideas on making it more convincing. It really helped me shift my perspective to think more from an investor's side.
Being a founder can be incredibly isolating, but Ministry of Awesome changed that for me.
What surprised you most about the Founder Catalyst program?
"The depth of strategic thinking really caught me off guard – in a good way! During our think-tank sessions, we dove into things like fundraising strategies and SAFE notes, concepts I'd never encountered before. These sessions planted so many seeds for future growth. I'd love to see even more diverse perspectives in these think tanks, especially from founders at different stages of their journey."
What's next for Settlopedia?
"Our immediate focus is launching a physical version of Low Carbon Hero in community libraries and schools. It's a perfect way to test our concept and market fit. Looking further ahead, we're planning a second game and building an advisory board. It's exciting to see our vision taking shape."
"In ten years, I see us pioneering a new kind of gaming company – one that seamlessly blends entertainment with ESG impact. We're not just making games, we're working to reshape the industry by demonstrating that entertainment can be a powerful force for meaningful change in the world.. It's ambitious, but that's exactly what drives us."
We're not just making games, we're working to reshape the industry.
The Future of Environmental Education
Skye Wu's journey from scientist to game developer shows how innovation can transform environmental education. Through Low Carbon Hero, Settlopedia is leveraging the universal appeal of gaming to create meaningful change, proving that entertainment and education can work hand in hand. As climate change remains one of our generation's greatest challenges, Wu and her team are doing more than creating games – they're reshaping how the next generation thinks about and responds to environmental challenges.