Following an in-depth visit to Japan’s world-renowned gaming ecosystem earlier this year, Techscaler is hosting a special event in Edinburgh to share invaluable insights, lessons, and opportunities for Scotland’s games sector.
Techscaler Japan Takeaways: Accelerating Scotland’s Global Gaming Ambitions, is a free event will take place on Tuesday, June 24th, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM BST at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, The University of Edinburgh.
Between April 3rd and 19th, 2025, Techscaler led a cohort of eight promising Scottish gaming startups on a deep dive into Tokyo’s dynamic gaming hubs, including visits to coworking spaces like Tunnel Tokyo (a collaborative space run by SEGA Sammy and Pegasus Ventures), industry events such as Bitsummit, and engagements at the Osaka World Expo UK Pavilion. The mission aimed to build lasting international connections, showcase Scotland’s creativity, and learn from Japan’s globally influential games industry.
This upcoming event offers the wider Scottish games community a chance to benefit from the cohort’s experiences. Attendees will hear directly from three founders who participated in Techscaler Japan during a fireside chat, gaining firsthand perspectives on what it takes to localise and scale Scottish gaming ventures in a market like Japan.
Lara Findlay, Head of Regional Partnerships at CodeBase (the organisation delivering the Scottish Government-funded Techscaler programme), will also present key learnings from the Japanese tech ecosystem. Her presentation, Japan: The Gateway for Scottish Gaming, will unpack what Scotland can do to create a dynamic cluster for its gaming studios, companies, and support networks.
What to Expect:
The evening is designed to be insightful and interactive, with the following agenda:
- 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Arrival and Networking
- 6:00 PM – 6:10 PM: Introduction to Techscaler Japan and Scotland’s Role in the Future of Games
- 6:10 PM – 6:25 PM: Presentation by Lara Findlay, CodeBase – Japan: The Gateway for Scottish Gaming
- 6:25 PM – 7:15 PM: Fireside Chat – From Indie Roots to Global Reach: Scotland is Ready to Lead (featuring three founders from the Techscaler Japan cohort)
- 7:15 PM – 7:25 PM: Q&A Session
- 7:25 PM – 8:00 PM: Networking and Wrap-up
Who Should Attend?
This event is open to all, but will be particularly valuable for:
- Local gaming studios and companies
- Technology providers
- Startups in the games sector
- Game design educators and students
- Businesses interested in the role of gamification
The discussions will focus on localising games, indie game development, and the key drivers shaping the gaming sector. Even though Japan was the focus of the trip, the insights shared are expected to underscore the export potential, industry leadership, and strategic technology present within Scotland’s own gaming companies.
How to Join
The event will be run in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person attendance in Edinburgh and online participation. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
This is a prime opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from Techscaler’s pioneering trip, connect with peers, and reflect on how Scotland can further solidify its position as a world-class gaming cluster.
To register for your free ticket and for more details, please visit the Eventbrite page: