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Ukie’s 2024 Video Games Growth Programme – this year taking place in partnership with Tencent Games – has a new key partner.
Joining this year’s cohort is the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), a move designed to show the government’s commitment to supporting growth for British business.
The annual programme aims to support the UK’s video games industry and today also marks the reveal of this year’s cohort featuring 30 founders and leaders of “the next generation of UK video games startups and scale ups”.
“A comprehensive curriculum”
Ukie’s Video Games Growth Programme offers both an accelerator track for emerging companies and a scale-up track for high-growth-potential businesses. Each company taking part will be given an comprehensive curriculum covering essential topics such as business strategy, access to funding, management, international market expansion, and more.
“This collaboration with DBT marks a significant milestone, as it is the first time the department has directly supported the video game industry though a business accelerator programme,” said Ukie. “Over the years, Ukie and DBT have provided support to over 1,000 UK games businesses, and the additional support of the DBT will extend these opportunities, enabling companies to develop strategies for substantial growth and expansion.”
Nick Poole, CEO of Ukie, commented: “We are delighted to see the launch of our flagship Video Games Growth Programme to nurture the next generation of UK video game business leaders. The video games industry has the potential to supercharge economic growth by bridging the UK’s creative and technology sectors, and our programme has a proven track record in helping video games businesses achieve their growth ambitions.
“It is also fantastic to team up with Tencent Games for this year’s programme, which has been in the UK for over a decade and brings a wealth of experience and support to these businesses.”
The UK games industry is a home for the creative, high-tech, knowledge-intensive companies that the country needs to succeed in the 21st century.
Supporting the UK’s talent
Over the previous 12 months the Ukie and DBT partnership has generated over £90 million in business deals for UK companies. “The UK games industry is a leading example of the UK’s reputation as a home for the creative, high-tech, knowledge-intensive companies that the country needs to succeed in the 21st century.”
Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas said: “Growth is at the heart of this government, so I’m delighted we have played a key role in facilitating the Video Games Growth Programme, helping provide essential support and create new internationally successful UK video game developers.
“Supporting this Programme shows our commitment to boosting growth by upskilling and delivering expert advice to the next generation of creative developers in a key industry worth nearly £8 billion.”
Mark Maslowicz, Vice President, Partnerships, Tencent Games, said: “Through this unique programme, this year’s cohort will be able to tap into Tencent Games know-how and expertise as well as our unrivalled and global network in the industry. Having been in the UK for over decade, we know very well what an incredible hotbed of gaming talent and creativity this country is. We are excited to play our part in helping to nurture that and give up-and-coming studios the opportunities their work deserves.”
That full list of particpating companies:
Accelerator Companies:
Scale-Up Companies:
