Jani Anderson's Three-Decade Journey from Founding Internet Solutions to Gamification Through Elephant & Falcon

Growing up in 1980s Detroit, Jani Momolu Anderson didn't have a computer at home. What he had was curiosity and determination. As an African American kid drawn to art and technology, he felt the chasm of the digital divide early. While some of his classmates had computers by the time it was introduced to the world, he had to hustle for screen time, sneaking moments of exploration at friends' houses.

Today, Anderson is the founder of Elephant & Falcon™, a creative studio based in Chicago, Illinois. After more than 25 years in design, spanning graphic design, UX, 3D graphics, and web development, he's embarking on a new journey: transitioning into game design with a bold vision to gamify civic engagement. His story is one of self-taught mastery, early digital curiosity, and a passion for democratizing access to technology through joy and play. "What we're really going for with gamification," Anderson says, "is just a tiny bit of joy in your day. Something that makes you want to come back."

But it was his life in Detroit that made him what he is today. Once the world's automotive capital, Detroit had suffered massive economic and racial upheaval in the late 1960s. Suburban sprawl drained the city of wealth, opportunity, and infrastructure.

"My mom got my brother and I into the best schools in the city," Anderson recalls. "But even then, tech access was limited. Friends of mine had computers in their kitchens. I'd go over there just to use them to play with desktop publishing, pixel drawing, and photo manipulation. That's how I learned."

It wasn't until he earned an art scholarship at a university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that Anderson had sustained access to state-of-the-art equipment. There, he discovered 3D animation, multimedia design, and the early web. He recalls, "That's where I caught the digital art bug."

At Michigan, Anderson met three classmates with complementary skills: a business student, a programmer, and another creative technologist. Together, they launched a pioneering design and tech company in Detroit in 1994, at a time when few, if any, startups were choosing to base themselves in the city center.

The company even caught the attention of major automotive clients seeking authenticity and urban relevance. The team's web and multimedia work for Fortune 500 companies helped redefine what was possible for a Black-led creative tech firm in Detroit. Eventually, they sold the company as part of a larger roll-up strategy, marking the height of its influence. But Anderson's personal mission was just getting started.

Afterward, Anderson returned to corporate life, working for large organizations and sharpening his skills in UX, product design, and client strategy. But something never quite clicked. "It was tough," he admits. "Corporate life didn't fit me. I felt a pull back toward entrepreneurship."

That pull intensified after a conversation with a fellow Detroiter, a technical expert exploring the powerful software behind many modern video games. His friend told him that while technical skills are important, what the engine needs is creative vision. "He said, 'We need people like you; designers, artists, storytellers.' That instinct gave me a new direction," Anderson shares.

Anderson realized that game design wasn't just about code; it was about crafting immersive, emotional, and engaging experiences. In other words, everything he had already been doing, just in a new medium.

Through Elephant & Falcon™, Anderson is now channeling his creative and technical skills into a new software platform centered on gamifying civic engagement. His theory: "If you want to close the digital divide, you have to make people want to engage."

"We used to think the divide was all about access," he adds. "But kids today have tablets, smartphones, and Wi-Fi. The divide now is about motivation."

He points to research dating back to the early 2000s, showing that simply giving people hardware doesn't change outcomes unless they're inspired to use it meaningfully. And that's where gamification comes in.

"Gamification is about creating positive feedback loops," he explains. "If you can make digital experiences feel rewarding, even in small ways, you kickstart a virtuous cycle. More engagement leads to more input, which leads to more meaningful output. That's the flywheel we're trying to create."

Anderson is also on the verge of launching a gamified mobile platform. But this forthcoming software isn't a game in the traditional sense. It's more like a playful layer on top of everyday civic tasks. Whether it's contacting a local representative, signing up for a neighborhood event, or completing a voter registration form, his platform aims to make those experiences feel less like chores and more like wins.

Ultimately, this graphic designer's end goal is: "to put just a tiny bit of joy into people's everyday digital experiences. That's what gamification really is. And that little bit of joy might be the very thing that motivates someone to learn more, to engage, to participate."