A Maricopa man who traveled to California last week for a Shark Tank casting call is now taking the next step to bring his idea to life.

Austin Lawrence, 42, said his March 12 audition in Cabazon gave him a clear path forward: build a working prototype.

After pitching his concept to a casting director, Lawrence said he was asked whether he had a virtual reality version of his game ready to demonstrate.

He did not.

“That was the moment I realized I need to begin the official creation,” Lawrence said in a post Thursday announcing a fundraiser for the project.

Lawrence is now seeking $15,000 to develop his idea, Inches and Angles: The Ultimate Game of Ricochet, into a playable VR prototype and produce a pilot episode.

According to Lawrence, $13,000 would go toward building a Meta Quest 3-compatible VR demo, while $2,000 would fund filming a proof-of-concept episode.

The concept, first created and copyrighted in 2011, combines physics trivia with a virtual gameplay component designed to test contestants’ mental and physical skills.

Lawrence said the technology needed to bring the idea to life was not available when he first developed it.

“Fast-forward 15 years and now it is,” he wrote.

He described the casting experience as a three-day trip filled with support from residents in Maricopa and across Pinal County.

Lawrence said the project is about more than entertainment. He hopes the game’s team-based format will help reduce “technoference,” which he described as the disruption of in-person relationships caused by digital devices.

“The teamwork aspect of the show will force contestants of all ages to work together,” he wrote.

Lawrence is promoting the fundraiser through social media and his website as he works to develop the prototype and continue pursuing a future appearance on Shark Tank.