Games Lift Incubator
Games Lift supports developer teams in creating and refining concepts for digital games. Up to five teams will be supported per year. During a three months long intensive program, the teams receive financing of up to €15,000, a workshop and mentoring program held by experienced industry professionals as well as office desks in a co-working facility. After the end of the intensive program, the teams receive additional individual coachings during the following 12 months to help them prepare their game for release.
What Games Lift offers:
During the intensive program (September - December 2021):
- Financial support of €15,000
- Talks, workshops and mentoring tailored to the needs of game developer start-ups
- Provision of office space in a co-working facility.
As additional follow-up support until December 2022:
- Individual coaching sessions with professional consultants
- Time budget with a PR agency specialized on indie games.
This year's application period for the Games Lift Incubator 2021 runs from Monday, June 21 until Monday, July 26.
Apply now
The application phase for Games Lift 2021 runs from June 21 to July 26. You can find all information regarding the application process on the Apply now page.
Timeline
June 21 - July 26Now
Online Application Phase
Online applications are open from Monday, June 21 (1 pm) to Monday, July 26 (11:59 pm). All information regarding how to apply can be found on the Apply Now page.
July 27 - August 13
Awarding Process
After careful consideration of all eligible applications, the Awarding Committee will invite a selection of applicants to pitch their projects online. The final decision on which teams will enter the Incubator will be made after the online pitches.
September 9 - October 20
Incubator Phase 1 | Foundations
The Gamecity Incubator program will start on September 9 with workshops, the first batch of financing and offering of co-working space.
October 21
Milestone Pitch
Teams will present a pitch to the awarding committee as well as their mentors based on the progress they made on their project and new knowledge they gained during the first phase. The second batch of financing will be provided to all teams who successfully completed the first phase as well as the milestone pitch.
October 22 - Early December
Incubator Phase 2 | Polishing
Further workshops and talks will deepen the knowledge gained during the first phase. Teams prepare their projects for a final pitch.
Early December
Graduation
Teams will present the results of their work in a final, public pitch. Watch the Graduation pitch of the 2020 teams here!
December 2021 - December 2022
Follow-up Support
After the end of the intensive program, Gamecity Hamburg provides a time budget with a selection of professional coaches as well as a PR agency specialized on indie games that the Games Lift teams can use to book individual sessions.
Watch the Graduation of the 2020 teams
FAQ
What are the goals of the Games Lift Incubator?
↓The Games Lift Incubator aims to enable young developer teams to create successful concepts for digital games and games related projects with high market potential. Its mission is to provide the developer teams with the necessary resources to allow them to work on their projects with high concentration accompanied by input from experienced industry professionals.
Who can apply for the Games Lift Incubator?
↓Eligible to apply are both natural persons as well as Small and medium-sized companies (SMEs); developers and developer associations, student teams, start-ups, and teams in the process of founding a company.
Please note:
- Team size should not exceed 5 members per team.
- All team members should be available to attend Games Lift events and workshops on approx. 2 days per week for the three-months intensive phase of the Incubator program (September to early December).
- The precondition is always that the team is already based in Hamburg or can prove that they will relocate their residence to Hamburg or open a subsidiary or branch establishment in Hamburg upon entering the Games Lift Incubator program.
When and how can I apply?
↓Gamecity Hamburg runs one application period for Games Lift each year. In 2021, the application phase starts on June 21 and ends on July 26 (11:59 pm). To make sure you are up to date with all deadlines regarding our funding programs, join our Discord Server and subscribe to our monthly newsletter. A detailed document on How to apply for the Games Lift Incubator can be found here and will take you through the application form step by step.
We strongly recommend a consultation appointment before submitting the application. Please contact us at funding@gamecity-hamburg.de to set up an appointment and include the following information:
- Short project outline (max. half a page of text or a slide) of the project
- Background of the team (max. half a page of text or a slide)
- All your questions regarding the application
What does the Games Lift Incubator offer?
↓During a three months long intensive program, Games Lift provides developer teams with a workshop & mentoring program, financial support, and office space in a co-working facility. After the end of the intensive program, the teams receive additional individual coachings during the following 12 months to help them prepare their game for release.