The Hello World! Startup Summit isn’t a classroom exercise; it is a phase change for the way games students are supported in Scotland. While the country’s academic pipeline is world-class at teaching the craft of making games, the business of games is often a self-taught, high-stakes gauntlet. In 2026, the barrier to entry is low, but the barrier to sustainability is higher than ever.
We are seeking industry veterans, experts, and battle-hardened freelancers to lead three critical sessions that bridge this gap:
1. Funding & Finance: Beyond the Grant Application
- The Gap: Many emerging founders view funding as a “win state” rather than a tool for growth. They understand how to ask for money, but often struggle with runway management, tax efficiency (VGEC/R&D), and the long-term implications of equity.
- The Call: We need experts who can demystify the “Commercial Anatomy” of a studio. If you can explain how a banking facility, a private seed round, funding competitions, or a public grant actually work together to keep the lights on, we need you.
- Outcome: Attendees move from “hope as a strategy” to financial literacy.
2. Greenlight Lab: The Brutal Truth of Market Validation
- The Gap: There is a common misconception that a “good game” will find its audience. In reality, market validation starts before the first line of code is written. Portfolio-builders often lack the data-driven mindset needed to “fail fast” or pivot based on niche saturation.
- The Call: We are looking for product leads, publishers, and analysts who can show potential founders how to evaluate their own ideas. If you have experience killing a project because the data didn’t work – and saving a studio in the process – your insight is invaluable.
- Outcome: Attendees learn to treat their “vision” as a “product” that must acquire users and survive a competitive market.
3. The Professional Pitch: Selling the Business, Not Just the Art
- The Gap: A student pitches a story; a founder pitches an opportunity. Many newcomers struggle to articulate the commercial ROI or the strategic fit of their project within a publisher’s portfolio.
- The Call: We need those who have sat on both sides of the table. If you can help a freelancer or a new CEO translate their creative passion into a professional value proposition that resonates with 2026’s market realities, help us lead this track.
- Outcome: Attendees leave with the ability to speak the language of partners and investors.
Join the “Honest Architect” Movement We are looking for people who are willing to be candid about the mistakes they’ve made and the lessons learned. If you have real-world experience in the UK/Scottish ecosystem and want to help shape the next generation of studio leads and high-level freelancers, please get in touch.