Central Europe
Video Game Developers and Start-up Founders: Apply now for the Games Lift Incubator 2021
The Hamburg-based incubator program “Games Lift” starts its application phase for 2021. Five game developer teams will be supported in creating concepts for digital games with high market potential. The Games Lift incubator premiered successfully in 2020 and is now taking in its second batch of developer teams. In addition to financial support of up to 15,000 euros per team, participants can expect a workshop and mentoring program with international games industry experts as well as workspaces in a co-working space. The applications phase runs until July 26.
“The Games Lift Incubator program leverages a great strength of Hamburg as a games industry hotspot: a broad ecosystem of games companies with experts who actively share their knowledge with up-and-coming teams. Through mentoring, coaching and financial start-up support, the Games Lift Incubator enables young teams to take important leaps towards fleshing out their project ideas. We call to everyone who’s got a great game idea up their sleeve: Take this opportunity to advance your ideas and learn from some of the best in the games industry!”, comments Margarete Schneider, Project Manager for the Games Lift Incubator at the location initiative Gamecity Hamburg.
What happens after the application?
After the application phase, the best applicants pitch their projects to an awarding committee of industry experts. The five teams with the most convincing pitches are accepted into the incubator. For them, the intensive phase of the Games Lift Incubator follows from September to the beginning of December 2021.
After that, Gamecity Hamburg will continue to support the teams for another year with individual coaching by professional consultants and a PR agency specializing in indie games.
During the intensive phase, participants should be able to attend workshops and coaching sessions up to two days per week. Also, all teams admitted to the incubator must either already have their headquarters in Hamburg, or move it to Hamburg.
Until July 26, 2021, applications can be submitted online via https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/. All further important information for applicants can be found there as well.
The awarding committee
The awarding committee consists of five industry experts from successful games companies, the Hamburg Ministry of Culture and Media and Gamecity Hamburg:
Anne Beuttenmüller, Director Marketing EMEA Niantic, Inc.
After several positions at Google, Anne Beuttenmüller became the first employee of the augmented reality pioneer Niantic in Europe. As European head of marketing, she is one of the driving forces behind the success of titles such as Ingress Prime, Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
Wolf Lang, CEO Super Crowd
Wolf Lang is co-founder of Hamburg-based indie studio THREAKS and CEO of event agency Super Crowd, which specializes in the games market. Super Crowd was recently awarded a special prize by the jury of the German Computer Game Award (Deutscher Computerspielpreis) for its virtual trade fair concept Indie Arena Booth Online, which allows indie developers present themselves digitally at the largest European video game exhibition gamescom.
Margarete Schneider, Project Manager Gamecity Hamburg
As a former Senior Product Manager and Head of Sales Department for Hamburg-based publisher and developer Daedalic Entertainment until 2018, Margarete Schneider has built an international network in the games industry and has deep insights into the marketing and distribution channels of video games. At Gamecity Hamburg, she is in charge of the Games Lift program.
Jens Unrau, Head of Department Media and Digital Economy at the Ministry of Culture and Media in Hamburg
Jens Unrau has been accompanying and supporting the development of the media and digital economy in Hamburg for over 20 years. Since 2003, he has also been the contact person for the Hamburg games industry within the Ministry of Culture and Media. He contributes his accumulated experience as the initiator of the first Hamburg prototype funding program as well as a member of the awarding committee of the new Gamecity Hamburg prototype funding.
Ole Schaper, CEO & CTO Sviper
Ole brings his experience both from developer and management positions at development studios, and as founder and CEO of his own companies. Currently he serves as co-founder, CEO and CTO for the Hamburg-based studio Sviper, which specializes in mobile games. Sviper is best known for the successful game Super Spell Heroes and was recently able to raise a seven-figure sum from international investors.
“I am excited to contribute to the promotion of young developers from Hamburg’s games industry as a member of the incubator’s awarding committee. As a games industry entrepreneur who founded a company in Hamburg myself, I know how valuable support from experienced industry experts can be, especially in the early stages,” says Schaper, who joined the Games Lift Incubator awarding committee in 2021.
Positive summary of the Games Lift Incubator’s first season
Last year, five teams from Hamburg already went through the Games Lift Incubator program successfully, which was then offered for the first time. “We met a lot of great people and noticed how open and accessible everyone in the industry is. You always hear that the market is so highly competitive, but that’s not how it’s lived at all; instead, everyone supports this incubator so that everyone can benefit and develop good games,” reports Ole Jürgensen of his experience. Together with his team, Ole designed the virtual reality game Crumbling in the Games Lift Incubator in 2020. Gamecity Hamburg continues to support the team with subsequent prototype funding in 2021.
Further information
All information about the Games Lift Incubator, including the “How to apply” fact sheet, FAQs and the link to the online application can be found at https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/.
Further funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
In addition to the Games Lift Incubator, Gamecity Hamburg also runs the Hamburg Prototype Funding. In the first funding round 2021, six teams and companies will be supported with a total of 252,000 euros to further develop their concepts into game- and marketable prototypes through this program.
For the first time, there will be a second round of prototype funding this year, for which developers and companies can apply from August 30.
All information on the Prototype Funding program can be found at: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/.
SOFTSWISS, a global tech supplier of software for the iGaming industry, along with its employees, has actively aided communities affected by the recent flooding in Southern Poland.
In September, Storm Boris brought devastating floods to Central and Eastern Europe, causing widespread damage. Torrential rains left thousands of homes submerged, severely impacting numerous cities in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania. In Poland, the southern regions were hit the hardest, with dozens of towns requiring urgent evacuations and support for affected communities.
To provide immediate relief, SOFTSWISS made a financial donation to the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy, a well-known Polish charity organisation. SOFTSWISS has two development offices in Poland, allowing employees to quickly join the relief efforts and offer their assistance during the flood.
Under the company’s coordination, Polish employees packed boxes of over 100 kilograms of essential items, including food, hygiene products, and necessities such as matches, candles, and batteries. SOFTSWISS handed these supplies to Caritas Polska, a charitable organisation spearheading relief efforts for the affected areas.
Earlier this year, SOFTSWISS also organised a large-scale charity and awareness campaign to support flood-hit regions in Brazil.
“Unfortunately, natural disasters happen, and we don’t want to stand idly by. We strive to help in any way we can. This aligns with one of our core values, We See People, which applies not only to our employees. We always see the people beyond the business, and I believe our ESG initiatives reflect this,” said Natalia Perkowska, Deputy Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS.
The aid campaigns in Poland and Brazil are part of SOFTSWISS’ broader global strategy focused on social responsibility and sustainable development (ESG). The company also dedicates to long-term social and environmental projects, with notable initiatives such as participation in World Environment Day, Pink October, Movember, and various environmental protection efforts.
Recently, SOFTSWISS was recognised as The Best Employer of 2024 at the SBC Awards.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Steps In to Assist Southern Poland After Severe Flooding appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has enhanced its European presence by making its debut in Switzerland with leading operator Grand Casino Luzern and its online platform, mycasino.
This partnership with Relax will see the supplier’s award-winning portfolio of games including Banana Town, Money Train and Wild Chapo now available to Swiss players with more titles to follow.
Founded in 2019, mycasino is operated by Grand Casino Luzern, a renowned casino operator in the heart of Switzerland.
The country’s leading online casino boasts a cutting-edge offering with exclusive titles regularly being added, as well as seamless deposit and withdrawal functionality. With its commitment to safety, innovation, and superior customer experience, mycasino offers a secure and enjoyable online gaming experiences for Swiss players.
The Swiss market marks the twenty-third global jurisdiction that Relax Gaming now operates in after passing the stringent regulatory processes and obtaining approval from Federal Gaming Board (FGB).
This is Relax’s latest step in extending its reach across Europe with further plans to increase its footprint with additional partnerships planned over the continent in the near future.
Martin Stålros, CEO of Relax Gaming, said: “Our continued growth across the globe is something we are all incredibly proud of. The Swiss market presents many interesting opportunities and I believe we have the right content to appeal to the passionate audience.”
Alexia Smilovic Rønde, Chief Regulatory Officer at Relax Gaming, said: “Entering the Swiss market through our prime partnership with Grand Casino Luzern marks another significant step in expanding our presence in high-profile regulated markets.
“Switzerland is truly a staple of European jurisdictions and is known for its high regulatory standards, which we are pleased to have successfully met. We will be looking forward expanding our presence in the coming months.”
Wolfgang Bliem, CEO at Grand Casino Luzern, said: “The partnership with Relax Gaming marks an important step for mycasino.
“Their innovative approach and diverse game portfolio perfectly align with our commitment to maintaining our leadership in the market. We’re thrilled to be the first online casino in the Swiss market to partner with Relax Gaming and continue providing top-tier entertainment to our players.”
Established as one of the industry’s leading B2B suppliers, Relax Gaming was awarded GGA’s Product Launch of the Year in February 2023 for Dream Drop Jackpots. Money Train 3 names the 2023 CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards amongst its 6 Slot of the Year titles, while the brand also won the award for Skill Games Supplier at the 2023 EGR B2B Awards along with the Innovation in Mobile award at the 2023 SBC Awards.
Relax Gaming provides more than 4,000 online casino games, from its high-performing proprietary slots to a significant, varied library of content from hand-picked third-party studios via its partnership programmes.
The post Relax Gaming partners with Grand Casino Luzern to launch in Switzerland appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Partnership marks studio’s first foray into Hungarian market
Independent slots studio Thunderkick has launched its games with Vegas.hu, an online casino operated by Las Vegas Casino (LVC) Diamond, marking its debut in the Hungarian iGaming market.
Hungary is the third new market entered by Thunderkick in 2024 – following the announcement that its games would go live in Canada and Colombia – highlighting the provider’s commitment to targeted global expansion.
Vegas.hu is a pioneering platform having become the first legal online casino established in the country in 2017 and has since established itself as one of the most successful and highest-grossing brands in Hungary.
The partnership, which commenced in early August, saw a collection of Thunderkick’s games integrated onto Vegas.hu, including fan-favourites Midas Golden Touch 2, Beat the Beast: Dragon’s Wrath, and Gods of Rock! Reborn.
The game developer has already reported early success among its titles, with this strong performance emphasising the quality of Thunderkick’s product portfolio, which continues to resonate with players across the globe.
Fredrik Ekholm, Head of Sales at Thunderkick, said: “We are dedicated to enhancing Thunderkick’s presence on our home continent, and the debut of our slots in Hungary reaffirms this.
“Since becoming the nation’s first regulated online casino, Vegas.hu has built a reputation as an industry leader, and we are excited to partner with the prestigious brand as we look to expand our European player base.”
Brigitta Szenczy, Head of Gaming and Studio at Vegas.hu, added: “At Vegas.hu, we have a history of providing exciting gaming experiences to Hungarian players through a portfolio of best-in-class titles.
“Thunderkick’s cutting-edge slots are sure to resonate with Vegas.hu players as we continue diversifying our content offering.”
The post Thunderkick enters Hungary with LVC Diamond brand Vegas.hu appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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