Games Lift Incubator for Game Developers - Application Phase until June 10, 2025
May 2, 2025
Hamburg, May 2, 2025 Gamecity Hamburg launches the application phase for the Games Lift Incubator 2025. Studios and developers can apply from May 2 until June 10, at www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/ and benefit from the Incubator program's many advantages. The Incubator has been successfully providing industry-specific expertise and valuable contacts to start-ups since 2020. Five teams will receive financial support of 15,000 euros, a wide-ranging workshop program and access to international experts in the games industry.
In the past five funding rounds, Gamecity Hamburg has already supported 25 start-ups and developers in the Games Lift Incubator in the development of video games. Graduates of the program have received numerous awards. By now the first games from the Games Lift Incubator have been released.
Five years of Games Lift Incubator - Achievements and Releases
Three games from the first Games Lift year 2020 have already celebrated their release: “Crumbling” by Ole Jürgensen, “Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero” by OneManOnMars, and “Ninja Brigade” by Impawsible Games offer a diverse mix of genres from VR games to 2D adventures and Metroidvania.
At the prestigious “Deutscher Computerspielpreis” and “Deutscher Entwicklerpreis” awards, Games Lift teams received prizes for Best Newcomers/Best Prototypes, including “Light of Atlantis” by Duck'n'Run Games, “Misgiven” by Symmetry Break Studio, and “Map Map - A Game About Maps” by Pipapo Games.
"We are delighted that the outstanding work of the Games Lift teams is not only appreciated by us but also by award juries, other funding bodies, publishers, and the press - and of course by the fact that the first funded projects have been successfully released. This is a great confirmation for us: the Games Lift Incubator works!” comments Margarete Schneider, Project Manager at Gamecity Hamburg.
Games Lift Features
Indie developers who are accepted into the incubator can expect one year of support in the form of knowledge transfer, the providing of resources, and a strong network.
Specifically, the participants will receive:
- 15,000 euros in financial support
- An additional coaching budget of 1,000 euros
- A comprehensive workshop program tailored to the needs of indie developers
- Individual mentoring from five experienced industry professionals
- Space for exchange and collaboration
- Joint trip to an international industry event
- Access to the Games Lift Network with 30 industry experts
- Playtesting sessions and other internal and public events
Industry experts form the Awarding Committee for selecting the participating teams: Kristin von der Wense (Publishing Producer Daedalic Entertainment), Ole Schaper (Gaming Industry Executive & Founder Kyna Games), Tobias Graff (CEO and Co-Founder of Mooneye Studios), Heiko Gogolin (Managing Director Rocket Beans Entertainment) and Margarete Schneider (Project Manager Gamecity Hamburg).
Since 2024, Gamecity Hamburg has included a mandatory diversity checklist in the application process, inviting applicants to examine their own structures when developing projects.
“Games Lift Insights” info event on May 8 with Cassia Curran
The online event “Games Lift Insights” on 8 May at 2 pm will give a first insight into what the participating teams can expect in the incubator's workshop program. Cassia Curran, strategy and business development consultant for indie games and part of the Games Lift Network, will give an introduction to market analysis for indie games. In addition, the Gamecity team will provide information about Games Lift and the application process.
Further information and registration for the event:
Find additional information on the Games Lift Incubator at: www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator
Photos for editorial use:
Photo 1-2: Jan-Marius Komorek
Photo 3: Oliver Reetz
Graphic: Gamecity Hamburg
For further information and questions please contact:
Anna Jäger
Gamecity Hamburg
PR Manager
T +49 – 40 – 23 72 435 78
anna.jaeger@gamecity-hamburg.de
About Gamecity Hamburg
Gamecity Hamburg supports, connects and makes the gaming hub Hamburg visible. The aim is to improve the general conditions for companies and founders of the games value chain in the city, to support them in their further development and to anchor Hamburg in the public perception as one of the leading games locations in Germany. Gamecity Hamburg is the contact point for Hamburg's games funding as well as the Games Lift Incubator and also offers programs, events, and services in close cooperation with the games industry to strengthen local developers. At the same time, the exchange of knowledge within the sector and with other industries is promoted. The promotion of young talent, the development of new formats that activate the strong network of games companies in the city, and internationalization are the focus of the location initiative's activities. Gamecity Hamburg is part of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.
About the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
Since its foundation in 2010, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft has seen itself as a central contact point for all players in Hamburg's creative industries from the eleven sub-markets of architecture, visual arts, design, film, literature, music, press, radio, software/games, theatre/dance, and advertising. It supports creative professionals with contemporary services and promotes innovation within the framework of the "Cross-Innovation Hub" project. Since 2017 the industry-specific initiatives Gamecity Hamburg, nextMedia.Hamburg and Design Zentrum are part of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft mbH.
