A Maricopa man’s entrepreneurial push has gained another boost weeks after his Shark Tank audition in California.
Austin Lawrence, creator of the virtual reality game show concept Inches and Angles: The Ultimate Game of Ricochet, said he has advanced to the final rounds of the Entrepreneur of Impact contest, a competition hosted by “Shark” Daymond John.
As of Thursday, Lawrence said he was in seventh place in his group with two rounds remaining.
“I truly feel I can win this,” Lawrence said.
The update comes after Lawrence traveled to Cabazon on March 12 for a Shark Tank casting call, where he pitched his game show concept and came away convinced he needed to build a working prototype.
He later launched a fundraiser seeking $15,000 to create a Meta Quest 3-compatible VR demo and film a pilot episode.
Now, Lawrence said a potential $25,000 prize from Entrepreneur of Impact could help move that effort forward.
According to his contest profile, Lawrence said he would use the money to complete production of the VR game show prototype and pilot for Inches and Angles.
“The money would pay for the costs to have a software engineer develop the game prototype and film the pilot episode with a dedicated film crew,” Lawrence wrote. “The game show is amazingly fun and will bring people of all ages and backgrounds closer together and help improve social skills and bonds in youth.”
On his Entrepreneur of Impact page, Lawrence said his late mother remains his biggest business inspiration.
“She passed away in 2012, but before she did, she taught me so many amazing things and lessons about commitment, sacrifice, compassion and empathy towards others,” Lawrence wrote.
He added that her advice continues to shape how he approaches his goals.
“She always told me to never give up on your dreams, even if they seem impossible, just keep trying and eventually you will cross the finish line,” Lawrence wrote.
Lawrence also credited his wife, Holly, and son, Bryson, as his main motivation.
“I know they need and depend on me, that alone gives me enough motivation to move mountains,” he wrote.
Voting for the top five in Lawrence’s group ends April 23 at 7 p.m. PDT.
