The acceleration program has officially started of the 4 winning teams of the second edition of Bologna Game Farm

The acceleration program will last from January to May and will be divided into three phases.

Bologna, 21 February 2023 – The acceleration program for the 4 developer teams from Emilia Romagna that won the second edition of Bologna Game Farm, the project for the development of the video game sector promoted by Emilia-Romagna Region and the Municipality of Bologna, coordinated by the Municipality of Bologna in the context of support actions for cultural and creative industries in collaboration with IncrediBOL!, ART-ER S.Cons.p.A and IIDEA – Italian Interactive & Digital Entertainment Association.

The 4 teams chosen with the FARAFTER, MONSTER CHEF, THE FIRST HAND and RYOKO projects received – as for the first edition – a contribution of 30,000 euros each and are now actively starting their acceleration process at the suggestive Serre dei Giardini Margherita in Bologna, with the aim of developing video game prototypes that have an adequate marketing strategy and that can subsequently be presented to both Italian and international publishers.

Rosa Grimaldi, Delegate of the Mayor of Bologna for Cultural and Creative Industries, stated: “The attention to entrepreneurial dynamics in the world of video games is growing all over the world due to the wealth of applications, from entertainment to education to the fruition of cultural heritage . For the city of Bologna, BGF is an opportunity to support talented teams in the development of innovation in the videogame sector and in generating an impact on the local and wider territory”.

Mauro Felicori, Councilor for Culture and Landscape of the Emilia-Romagna Region, added: “The first edition was a success, so we are repeating it. The GAME market is too interesting to stay out of it!”

The acceleration path is divided into 3 phases:

  • the first linked to the analysis of any critical issues (technical or product) within the project and to the definition of roles within the teams, if necessary also with the introduction of new members, so that each of the components can make the most of the his own figure and enrich the group with his own expertise and experience;
  • the second, the more “technical” one, involves the production of a vertical slice that leads to the creation of a real playable demo, which will be presented to the public and the press in mid-May at the Demo Day;
  • the third phase, finally, which consists in the preparation of a pitch with a clear and defined structure of the entire project, which is as original and captivating as possible, to “attract” potential publishers on the occasion of Italian and international events (eg. First Playable, Gamescom, Gamesweek, Game Connection, etc.)

During the first phase of the acceleration program, mentorship sessions are also planned, on a weekly basis, with professionals from the videogame sector and with companies from other sectors to improve the technical and managerial skills of talents and support their growth. To mention just a few names: Andrea Basilio of Milestone, Nicola Zonca of Native Prime, Samuele Perseo of Reply Game Studios, Marco Ponte and Fabio Respighi of Nacon Studio Milan. Also scheduled are various interdisciplinary meetings with schools and universities in the area, such as the Academy of Fine Arts or the Bologna Conservatory.

Ivan Venturi, coordinator of the acceleration path of Bologna Game Farm together with tutors Luca Marchetti and Gerardo Verna, commented as follows: “Bologna Game Farm is one of the first video game accelerators in Italy, we strongly believe in this project and in new talents. After the success of the first edition, we continue with great passion on our journey towards the consolidation and professionalization of the video game sector in Emilia-Romagna, confirming the importance of this sector as a cultural factor and as an element of economic growth of the entire production system ”.

To learn more about Bologna Game Farm, and to explore interesting topics related to the world of video games with special guests, appointment on Neu radio with TRY AGAIN!: 5 podcasts to explore the universe of video games. It starts on Thursday 16 March with the first episode: “Introduction to the video game sector and BGF” (Guests: Ivan Venturi – BGF coordinator, Sara De Martini – BGF project manager, Luca Appio – Dreambits Studio).

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