Martin Horstman, a 2006 graduate of Stony Brook University, has seen his childhood passion for video games evolve into a global platform aimed at children. Horstman began developing technology to create his own video games during his senior year at Stony Brook. His interest in game programming was sparked by Professor Richard McKenna’s class, although he initially lacked the prerequisites to enroll.
“I really wanted to learn all about it, so I bought the book they used in class, and I read it end to end to teach myself computer science, data and structure,” Horstman said. “That was really the push that set off my career path in programming.” He later took McKenna’s course after meeting the requirements.
With skills developed during his studies—majoring in applied mathematics and statistics with a minor in computer science—Horstman and his wife Alysha, an art teacher, created Pixicade. The platform allows users to turn their drawings into playable video games.
Earlier this year, Pixicade was acquired by Abacus Brands. This acquisition is expected to expand Pixicade’s reach globally while keeping Horstman as chief technology officer overseeing operations. The development team includes several other alumni from Stony Brook University.
A Q&A with Horstman is available on Stony Brook Matters, where he discusses how his experiences at Stony Brook influenced his career path and what motivated him and Alysha to launch Pixicade.