π Welcome π
One of the great things about doing this newsletter was the feedback I'd get at conferences from people letting me know they'd won business because of it. So in absence of those returning just yet, thanks to Rachel Clancy who emailed to let me know about their success - including her note below to encourage others to keep applying for opportunities. Let me know any other good news stories!
"After finding out about the Sky Women In Tech Scholarship from the Games Opportunities newsletter in 2019, we won funding from it for a project called A Hero's Guide To Gardening (an interactive novel for kids that talks about emotional literacy & mental health) that we're hoping to launch next month. Massive thanks for setting events in motion!"
π² Funding π²
[π¬π§] Innovate UK Creative Industries Fund
Briefing event 14th May. Funding of up to Β£25k out of total Β£2.5 million for innovation projects.
[π¬π§] Innovate UK Smart Grants
Deadline 26th May. Opportunity for UK registered organisations to apply for a share of up to Β£25 million from Innovate UK to deliver game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy.
[π¬π§] Developing your Creative Practice
Deadline 27 May . Β£2-10k available for individual practitioners.
[π¬π§] Games developers invited to apply for UK Global Screen Fund from May
Applications not open yet, but should be sometime during May.
[N.Ireland] Future Screens NI Open Calls
No deadline. Up to Β£20k/50k for collaborative partnerships with Queenβs University Belfast and Ulster University
π Awards π
[π] Academy of Interactive Arts Scholarships
Deadline 31st May. For AIAS Foundation Student Scholarships, AIAS Foundation Early Professional Scholarships, WomenIn Scholarships (Supported by Intel) & Girls for Gaming Scholarship.
[π] #PitchYaGame
June 1st. The #PitchYaGame Awards recognises independent video games around the world pitched live on twitter.
[π] Gee Learning Games Award
Deadline 1st June. Finalists will showcase their games online during the virtual Play Make Learn conference.
π Events π
Funding Assistance
![May 2021 Games Jobs Live report](https://dxj7eshgz03ln.cloudfront.net/production/link/image/655256/twenty_by_nine_extra_large_fb4026ff-256d-4740-af63-4cbaac669c60.jpg)
May 2021 Games Jobs Live report
New report details 1,988 open positions across UK games industry, available to download for free here.
πΈ Showcase πΈ
[π¬π§] Innovation Challenge - MSDUK
Deadline 30th June. For ethnic minority businesses/founders.
π¬ Speaker Calls π¬
π€ Housekeeping π€
- Please forward this to anyone else you think may appreciate it, and they can subscribe here
- If you know of any funding/award/speaker call that should be included in the future, please email me at colin@indiechampions.com
- I also have a weekly newsletter that simply lists the top six stories from the games industry each week, subscribe here
- And if you're interested in recruitment I also run Games Jobs Live, get in touch if you'd like to see one run in your local area!