Freeplay Executives | Leadership Team & Company Leadership

Date August 22, 2025
F

Freeplay

COMPANY INFO

Freeplay is a software development company officially named 228 Labs, Inc., founded in 2020 by Eric Ryan and Ian Cairns. It is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with approximately 14 employees. The company operates in the software development industry and provides prompt engineering, testing, and evaluation tools for product teams to build and optimize large language model (LLM) powered products. Their website is https://freeplay.ai. Freeplay offers collaborative, enterprise-ready tools that give visibility into every LLM response, manage prompts and version control, and automate testing and evaluation to enhance product development efficiency. (Tracxn, LinkedIn)

9 Key FreePlay LLC Executives

FreePlay LLC is an innovative mobile gaming and software development company headquartered in Miami, Florida. The company has earned recognition for its dynamic approach to developing mobile apps, prompt engineering solutions, and AI-powered productivity tools, enabling teams to optimize and streamline product development and testing.

The FreePlay LLC management team reflects a blend of deep technical expertise, visionary product leadership, and creative strategy. With backgrounds spanning AI, gaming, software engineering, operations, and marketing, the FreePlay LLC leadership consistently drives innovation and operational excellence. Together, the FreePlay LLC executives and founders have established an adaptable company culture, positioning the organization as a leader in both gaming and enterprise AI tool development.

Key Executives

Ian Cairns - CEO & Co-Founder

Ian Cairns is CEO & Co-Founder at FreePlay LLC, where he spearheads the company’s strategic vision and culture, focusing on advancing innovation in generative AI for product development. Ian has driven major initiatives, including fundraising efforts and expanding FreePlay LLC’s market presence as a provider of prompt engineering and evaluation tools for LLM-powered products.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder. His prior experience includes roles as VP of Product & Design at Firstbase and Director of Product for Developer Platform at Twitter, building a strong foundation in product leadership and AI-powered product innovation.

Eric Ryan - Co-founder & CTO

Eric Ryan is Co-founder & CTO at FreePlay LLC, responsible for shaping the technical vision and platform architecture. He leads engineering teams in building robust, scalable AI solutions that underpin the company’s product suite, playing a critical role in adopting state-of-the-art AI technologies and nurturing a high-performance engineering culture.

Eric earned his Bachelor of Science from West Virginia University and brings over 15 years of software leadership experience. Previously, he was VP of Engineering at MainStreet and Senior Director of Engineering at Twitter, in addition to co-founding several consumer startups.

Валерий Потапчик - Chief Technology Officer

Валерий Потапчик (Valeriy Potapchik) serves as CTO at FreePlay LLC, focusing on technical production, team efficiency, and managing flagship game development projects such as TankStars and BounceMasters. His contributions have significantly strengthened FreePlay LLC’s product offerings and tech infrastructure.

Valeriy holds a Master's degree in Technical Sciences from Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics. He brings extensive software development and technical leadership experience from previous roles at Playgendary and as a university lecturer.

Rick Barnett - President/CEO at FreePlay, Inc.

Rick Barnett is President/CEO at FreePlay, Inc., leading the company with strategic development and a culture of innovation for over 23 years. Under his leadership, FreePlay LLC has seen transformative improvements in talent management, particularly within medical sales enablement and sales team assembly.

Rick attended Elkins Institute and previously worked with Visteon Systems LLC in engineering and training. He is also the founder of Rep-Lite, a talent management consultancy revolutionizing medical sales recruiting and retention.

Dan Schreibman - Owner at Free Play

Dan Schreibman is Owner at Free Play and is recognized for his pioneering work in creative playground design. His vision and innovation have shaped FreePlay LLC’s unique product lineup and helped the company secure a notable market position in recreational innovation.

Dan earned an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and has substantial experience in executive coaching and management consulting, including previous roles at Laccel and A.T. Kearney.

Jaya Pahlajani - Building Freeplay

Jaya Pahlajani is a pivotal member of FreePlay LLC, focusing on business development, CRM, and brand management. She has played an instrumental role in driving FreePlay LLC’s growth trajectory through her strategic management expertise and operational excellence.

Jaya completed the Executive Management Program at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. She has a background in CRM and brand management at GIVO Pvt. Ltd. and wealth management consulting.

Ash King - Partner & COO at Syctron Freeplay Arena

Ash King serves as Partner & COO at Syctron Freeplay Arena, where he drives operational strategy and financial efficiency. Ash has a strong track record of enhancing team development, improving customer experience, and optimizing operations across entertainment and service sectors.

Ash holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University-Pueblo. He previously served as COO at Forward Family Services and Operating Partner at CircusTrix.

Anatoli Strazhevich - Product/Project Manager at FreePlay

Anatoli Strazhevich manages product and project development at FreePlay LLC, especially within the hyper-casual gaming segment. He has overseen the design and launch of successful games with significant global reach, advancing FreePlay LLC’s standing in the competitive mobile gaming market.

Anatoli’s expertise includes product management stints at BPMobile, Shance games, and FURYJAM. He is based in Warsaw, Poland, and is specialized in user-focused game development.

Jaroslav Nikitin - People Partner at FreePlay

Jaroslav Nikitin is People Partner at FreePlay LLC, tasked with talent acquisition, HR strategy, and fostering a high-performing culture. Jaroslav’s efforts support FreePlay LLC’s expansion and global game launches, ensuring the company sustains a top-tier talent pipeline.

Jaroslav holds a Bachelor's in Human Resources Management and has prior recruitment and HR management experience in IT and gaming sectors.

Company Leadership

The FreePlay LLC executives comprise a seasoned leadership team with complementary expertise across technology, gaming, product development, operations, and management. This balanced structure allows the company to push boundaries in both AI-driven tools and mobile gaming, with the FreePlay LLC founders establishing a mission-driven and collaborative culture. The FreePlay LLC management team fosters agility, continuous improvement, and innovation, driving the company's reputation as a forward-thinking leader in its fields.

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