Tell me what exactly is GameFounders?

GameFounders is a global startup accelerator program that focuses solely on game studios and start-ups.

What is in your program?

The program is 3 months long and provides mentoring for your team to improve their business and game quality skills by over 60 top industry mentors, weekly pitch practice, playtesting, field trips to successful game studios and at the end of the program, demo days where you will get the chance to pitch to our global network of investors and publishers.

What do you mean by accelerator, what are you accelerating?

It’s our goal to develop your studio’s skills and solve more problems through our 3-month program than you would do by yourself in a year or more. We will give you access to resources that you might never be able to get by yourselves.

 What’s all this about a Mentoring program?

The mentoring is carried out by our pool of 150 experts drawn from the games industry and covers all aspects of game development including but not limited to: user acquisition, monetization, UI design, launch marketing, technical optimization, business models and choosing the right platform. Each program is tailored to the studios involved, and you will typically get mentorship from 60 mentors in a program.

Do I have to move somewhere permanently to come to GameFounders?

No, but you do have to send at least two team members to live and work in the program’s location for three months. But that’s it.

 What do I need to Apply?

You need a team of at least two people (more is preferable), game in development that is at least at the playable stage, and a desire to build a business not a hobby. Ideally, you have released a game but it is not a requirement.

 We’ve released games but we don’t have one in development, can I still apply?

YES. There are lot of ways that we can help you to get the most out of your games already on the market and lay down effective growth plans for the future.

 I just released a game, got lots of downloads and users but not making any money from it, can I apply?

YES. We can absolutely help you by giving you actionable advice on how to better monetize your games and how to plan better monetization for future releases.

 We are a team, but we don’t have a company. How much of a problem is this?

NONE. We will help you form a legal company entity and help you formulate your business plans. You do need to be committed to making this a proper business and not a part-time hobby.

 Do you prefer some kinds of games, like Mobile, PC, Social, VR etc.?

We are interested in all platforms and genres. We are most interested in studios who know how to create original IP and characters. We are also specifically interested in mobile, VR and AR studios, since there is tremendous market growth in those areas.

 Ok Great! How do I apply?

There is a big friendly red button that says “Apply Now”. Click on that, register your profile and fill out the form. Don’t worry if you can’t fill all of it out at one time, you can save drafts and come back later. Once you are done with the form, hit submit and wait for us to get in touch!

 How many companies get into a program?

We take up to 10 studios per program.

 My team is based really far away from your program, should we even apply?

YES. We have taken teams from all over the globe, 16 different countries in fact including: Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Finland, India, China, Georgia and Germany. We have had applications from 67 different countries and we have considered them all! We don’t believe geography should stop you!

 How do you select the teams?

We have a rigorous process that takes about a month from the deadline, depending on number of applications, to select the teams. We use a panel of experts drawn from our pool of mentors to evaluate the applications and select the best for the program.

 I want to know the status of my application, can you tell me?

Our selection process has a number of stages. We will do our best to keep you proactively updated on the status of your application.

 I don’t speak good English, should I still apply?

YES. While the program is in English, you should still consider applying. We have had many successful people come through the program who didn’t think they were good English speakers.

 I’m having difficulty describing my game in the Application Form, is that the only criteria you base your decision on?

We base our decisions on a combination of your team members’ track record, your ability to communicate, previous and current game quality, and any other information that you can provide. We will also interview you on Skype which will give you another chance to explain anything that is difficult to put on paper.

 How much Investment will GameFounders give us?

You get $25k per founding team (minimum of 3 people). This money is more than enough to get your team through the 3 months of the program. However, the money is probably not enough to also finance all of business and development costs, thus should definitely not be your primary reason to apply. The most important investment comes in the form of mentors, knowledge and contacts to publishers and investors.

 How much Equity do you take?

We take a dilutable 9% stake of your company.

 Do you put someone on our Board of Directors?

No. We act as advisors through the program and afterwards. You are still in full control of your company.

 Is there a contract involved?

Yes. We agree an Investor Agreement before the program begins. It contains the typical rights of such an agreement and protects us both from any misunderstandings.

 What happens when we arrive?

We will provide you with a “starter pack” that will help you to get settled. The starter pack includes a few goodies plus information our location, transportation, accommodation, best places for eating, working out, leisure and everything else you need to know to feel yourself comfortable in a new environment.

 How do we establish a company?

We will provides services that will make that very easy and will assist you through the entire process.

 How do we find accommodation?

If you need some help with accommodation, let us know in advance. We can recommend you some options and help you when needed.

 Is it safe to come out there?

Of course! However, we will provide information to help you feel more settled and to avoid any potential problems.