Nate Martin
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{short description|American entrepreneur, game designer, and software executive}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nate Martin
| image =Nate Martin Puzzle Break.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|1|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Beaver, Pennsylvania
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| occupation = CEO
| spouse =
| awards =
| website = http://www.puzzlebreak.com
| birthname = Nathan Burk Martin
| alias =
| notable works =
}}
Nate Martin (born January 13, 1983) is an American entrepreneur, game designer, and software executive. He is the co-founder and CEO of the escape room company Puzzle Break.{{cite web |last1=Kornelis |first1=Chris |title=Unlocking the Business Secrets of Escape Rooms |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/unlocking-the-business-secrets-of-escape-rooms-1524838226 |website=The Wall Street Journal}} He is often referred to as the "Founding Father of Escape Rooms."{{Cite web|last=ESTATENVY|title=Nate Martin's Puzzling Design Theory|url=https://estatenvy.com/nate-martins-puzzling-design-theory-1305|access-date=2021-06-10|website=ESTATENVY {{!}} Home Industry News|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2018-05-21|title=Escape Room Blogs, Conferences, Groups, and Podcasts|url=https://blog.xola.com/escape-room-community-resources/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Xola University|language=en-US}} {{Cite web|title=Nate Martin Broke Out By Locking People in Rooms|url=https://mag.jewishinseattle.org/community/2017/08/nate-martin-broke-out-by-locking-people-in-rooms|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Jewish in Seattle Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-03-02|title=How Escape Rooms Made Me a Better Traveler|url=https://www.thediscoverer.com/blog/how-escape-rooms-made-me-a-better-traveler/XvHyVpKgiwAG5a07|access-date=2021-06-10|website=The Discoverer}}{{Cite web|last=Tady|first=Scott|title=Beaver grad pioneered escape rooms and now leads the pivot to digital|url=https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2020/08/21/beaver-grad-pioneers-escape-rooms-leads-pivot-virtual-escapes/3383882001/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=The Times|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Malki|first=Jason|date=2020-06-22|title="How to create a fantastic work culture" with Nate Martin Co-Founder & CEO of Puzzle Break|url=https://medium.com/strtupboost/how-to-create-a-fantastic-work-culture-with-nate-martin-co-founder-ceo-of-puzzle-break-e541342fc766|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Medium|language=en}}
Early life and education
He is an alumnus of the DigiPen Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation and Computer Science.{{Cite web|last=Tady|first=Scott|title=Beaver grad pioneered escape rooms and now leads the pivot to digital|url=https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2020/08/21/beaver-grad-pioneers-escape-rooms-leads-pivot-virtual-escapes/3383882001/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=The Times|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://news.digipen.edu/alumni/graduate-entrepreneur-brings-people-puzzles-together/|title=Graduate Entrepreneur Brings People and Puzzles Together - News & Events - DigiPen Institute of Technology|date=2015-04-06|work=News & Events - DigiPen Institute of Technology|access-date=2017-03-17|language=en-US}}
Career
Martin was recruited by Microsoft early in his career and also worked as a software executive for Electronic Arts before founding Puzzle Break, the first escape room company in the United States, in 2013.{{cite news |last1=Okeson |first1=Christina |title=We've got 60 minutes to figure out how to escape the room |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/life/weve-got-60-minutes-to-figure-out-how-to-escape-the-room/ |publisher=Hearld Net |date=29 April 2016}}{{cite book |last1=Miller |first1=Carolyn |title=Digital Storytelling 4e |date=4 November 2019 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9780429801839 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yvm7DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nate+Martin%22+%2B+%22puzzle+break%22&pg=PT375}} Martin funded the company with an initial $7,000 investment and grew the company yearly revenue into $1 million by 2016.{{cite book |last1=Headon |first1=Abbie |title=The Power of YES |date=7 June 2018 |publisher=Octopus Publishing |isbn=9781781576137 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bb9BDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nate+Martin%22+%2B+%22puzzle+break%22&pg=PT68}}
Martin is a frequent lecturer and podcast guest on the topics of escape rooms, interactive entertainment, and entrepreneurship. His interviews have appeared in the New York Times,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/travel/when-get-out-is-just-a-game.html|title=When 'Get Out!' Is Just a Game|last=Glusac|first=Elaine|date=2016-08-05|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-03-17|issn=0362-4331}} Entrepreneur Magazine,{{Cite news|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/285116|title=How To Make Money In Trendy Businesses-And Survive When The Trend Ends|last=Halpern|first=Ashlea|date=2016-12-05|work=Entrepreneur|access-date=2017-03-17|language=en}} and Forbes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zarastone/2017/01/17/escape-the-startup-is-a-terrifying-twist-on-silicon-valley-culture|title=Escape The Startup Is A Terrifying Twist On Silicon Valley Culture|last=Stone|first=Zara|work=Forbes|access-date=2017-03-31}} In 2017, he spoke on the future of experiential storytelling at the Sundance Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/7/14534230/virtual-reality-future-of-storytelling-immersive-theater-sundance|title=How escape rooms and live theater are paving the way for VR|date=2017-02-07|website=The Verge|access-date=2017-03-17}}