Accelerator

? ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Games London is launching the third edition of our FREE, accelerator programme for games studio founders. This long-term scheme will run from September – December 2022 and will help promising UK studio founders make significant strides in developing their business acumen as they take a product to market.

The programme will ultimately set studios up with a renewed focus and accelerated growth for their studio with a range of industry insight, practical training, and mentoring.

The 2022 Accelerator will continue to be a predominantly online scheme, but this year we will incorporate pre-planned in-person moments across the programme.

Hear from the 2022 cohort

?‍? WHO IS THIS FOR?

We will select up to TEN UK based studios to participate. Studios can be working on their debut or second game and are looking towards investment and launching their product over the next year or so.

The programme will be aimed at studio founders who want to develop their business strategy and gain a greater understanding of what type of partnerships they need to succeed going forward. Co-founders are welcome, but both team members need to commit fully to the programme if they both wish to participate.

Games London seeks and encourages founders from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
You CAN be a predominantly remote work/distributed team or based outside of London, but Games London may prioritise London based studios OR teams with a significant proportion of the workforce based in the city.

Our programme will help guide participants through a range of fundamental topics and areas of running a business, including:

strategy and company vision
budgeting and funding models
investor and publisher deals
pitching
managing production schedules
marketing plans and preparing for product launch

We’ll also offer advice on associated topics like video games tax relief, HR and team growth, legal and accounting.

? WHAT’S ON OFFER?

Participation in a cohort of games companies united via a dedicated Discord channel
Monthly online masterclasses and panels with experienced industry experts
Pitching advice and coaching sessions
One-to-one mentoring hours with a pool of industry experts
Regular group workshops and one-on-one catch ups with the Games London team
Meet-ups with other successful studio leaders for peer-to-peer insight
Collaboration with other international hubs for shared learning and networking
Involvement in a dedicated Accelerator Demo Day in December 2022, with the chance to present and demo your work to invited industry guests

PLUS

Games London will help each founder produce a short video showreel promoting their studio and game, to be presented at the December Demo Day
We’ll ask each founder to keep a dev diary of their time working through the programme
Inclusion in the 2023 London Games Festival programme
A guaranteed FREE spot at the 2023 Games Finance Market
If your game will be ready for early access or launch in 2023, you will be offered a FREE place in the 2023 LGF Official Selection (example feature – https://showcase.games.london)

STUDIO APPLICATION FORM

We assess and read each and every application. Use this form to tell us more about your studio and current work, and what stage your business is at.

We want to make this programme as useful as possible for participants so please do tell us what you are looking to get out of the programme and what areas of your business you need specific guidance on.

For shortlisted candidates, we’ll arrange a brief interview in late August before final selection.

Apply Here - Submission Deadline: 30 August

BECOME AN ACCELERATOR MENTOR

Games London is looking for business leaders ready to mentor startups for its third Accelerator programme. This is a great opportunity for those in the industry who have a deep understanding and knowledge of the games sector and who are now in a position where they can pass on their valued experience to promising early-stage founders.

If you’d like to become a mentor, please complete our expression of interest form here, or contact matthew.charlton@games.london for details

Expression of interest form

Accelerator FAQ

How many studios will be selected for the programme?

We will select up to TEN companies to participate, with the final number based on our application and assessment results.

Can more than one team member take part?

If you are co-founders of the studio, both/all can participate in the programme - but we expect that you all participate equally across all elements and events of the programme.

Does our studio have to be physically based in London to qualify?

This programme is open to all UK studios and you CAN be a predominantly remote work/distributed team or based outside of London, but Games London may prioritise London based studios OR teams with a significant proportion of the workforce based in the city.

What is the cost for participating?

It's completely FREE.

What is the format? How will the classes run?

The Games London Accelerator will be predominately run online, with masterclasses and workshop sessions taking place virtually through webinars and roundtable meetings.

A group Discord will also be set up to encourage regular contact and discussion between participants and Games London staff.

We aim to bookend the programme with an opening welcome event and networking day, with the scheme concluding in December with a Demo Day.

Arrangements for the in-person events will be discussed with the group in advance.

How much time do I need to commit to the programme?

We ask that the selected candidates commit to the full programme of masterclasses and mentoring, running from Sepetember to December 2022. We estimate this to amount to a minimum of 3 hours of meetings per month. A full schedule of the Accelerator programme will be provided upon selection.

What are the outcomes from the programme?

Games London will run a dedicated Demo event for the Accelerator cohort at the end of the programme where they'll have opportunities to network and discuss their work with potential and relevant business partners and investors.

Games London will work with the founders to create a short show-reel of their work to showcase at the event. Participants will be asked to keep a 'dev diary' to document their time and progress throughout the programme.

The cohort will also be included in the 2023 London Games Festival programme with a guaranteed spot at the Games Finance Market where they can pitch to investors and publishers.

What are the key benefits for me?

We offer one to one access to experienced industry mentors and course specific business insight sessions

The cohort structure encourages peer learning and support

The duration and intensity of the programme gives studios the chance to really develop their business

We'll provide opportunities to expand your network and connect with potential investors

We'll provide opportunities for studios to showcase their developed work through a produced and polished showreel at the end of the programme, which teams can use to promote their business and work beyond the scheme

Guaranteed Games Finance Market access at the London Games Festival means presence at an event attended by 45+ investors

If your game will be ready for early access or launch in 2023, you will be offered a FREE place in the 2023 LGF Official Selection (example feature - https://showcase.games.london)