Across the day, a wide range of feedback sessions took place. Games industry experts offered individual feedback to registered participants who could map out their game projects and test their pitching skills in a confidential setting. 

This year’s industry experts included:

• Valentina Birke, Director Indie Arena Booth
• Sören Lass, Games Consultant
• Michael Krosta, Biz Dev & Game Scout, United Games
• Max Kübler, Biz Dev/Game Scout, Daedalic Entertainment
• Nina Müller, Senior VP of Products, Goodgame Studios
• Jasmin Oestreicher, CEO, Sidekick Publishing
• Steffen Rühl, Games Consultant
• Margarete Schneider, Project Manager, Gamecity Hamburg
• Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg
• Kristin von der Wense, Publishing Producer, Daedalic Entertainment

Thank you so much for giving feedback and insights! 

Talk Program and Fireside Chat

Complementing the feedback sessions, the talk program offered additional perspectives on pitching, publishing, and the realities of the games industry:

Jasmin Pfeiffer (DigiTales Interactive) shared parts of the pitch deck that secured one of their game‘s publishing deals, along with practical guidance on structuring a compelling pitch and improvements.

Dennis Strümpel (ShoulderByte) provided a personal look into his solo-dev journey with Drill Keeper, discussing why he initially planned to self-publish, how publisher conversations eventually became part of the process, and what he learned along the way.

Max Kübler (Daedalic Entertainment) joined for a Fireside Chat, offering the publisher’s perspective: what makes a collaboration successful, what are the key issues for deciding on signing a game, and what the work as a game scout looks like. 

Simon Ledder (DLR) hosted an informative Q&A session on the German Federal Computer Games Funding (Computerspielförderung des Bundes), offering clarity on eligibility, processes, and what teams should prepare when considering federal funding options.

Networking and Peer Exchange

Beyond the formal program, participants exchanged experiences, discussing pitch strategies and connecting with peers. Many developers used the opportunity to test parts of their pitch in conversations and gather additional feedback.

A warm thank‑you goes out to all experts, speakers, and participants who made Pitch Level Up 2026 such a worthwhile event. We hope everyone took home new insights and confidence for their next pitches.

We’re already looking forward to the next edition in 2027 and to seeing how some of your projects grow!