GAMES LONDON LEADS MAJOR INTERNATIONAL VIDEO GAMES TRADE MISSION TO FINLAND

Ukie :

 - Mayor of London-backed programme will support 50 games companies at Slush in Helsinki
 
- Games businesses from the capital and across the UK will be supported by Games London at world’s biggest tech investment gathering
 
- Trade mission includes cohorts supported by UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, part of Levelling Up agenda, and DCMS & BFI’s UK Global Screen Fund

A major international trade mission for UK video games will take place at the end of the month, as Games London leads a delegation of 50 games businesses to Finland.
 
Slush is the world’s biggest event for tech investment and takes place on Thursday 30 November and Friday 1 December in Finnish capital Helsinki. Games London’s delegation will attend the event and meet with a range of global investors and partners - with aims to secure investment, grow their businesses and sign games publishing deals.
 
Games London, supported by the Mayor of London, is an initiative from Film London, the capital's screen industries agency, and video games trade body Ukie (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment). Since it started in 2016, Games London has helped generate nearly £100m for games businesses that have participated in its programmes, which include the annual London Games Festival every April. Games London’s mission is to make London the games capital of the world - the UK capital is already the biggest games cluster in Europe, home to over 500 games businesses. Games London has run a Slush trade mission nearly every year since 2016, with outcomes including multi-million pound investments in games studios and software partnerships.
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “The Mayor and I are delighted to be supporting Games London’s trade mission to Slush where they will be showcasing 50 promising games businesses. London has always been a thriving hub for talent, innovation and creativity and is home to many leading games studios. By supporting our great games industry, bringing in investment and creating jobs, we are strengthening our position as a games capital and helping build a more prosperous and better city for everyone.”
 
Games London’s 2023 delegation to Helsinki consists of two cohorts, all underpinned by the body’s support from the Mayor of London:
 

An official side event at Slush is dedicated to showcasing the cohort, ‘Meet new UK Games start-ups’, takes place at 8am to 10am on Thursday 30 November, Day One of Slush, on-site at the event’s Messukeskus convention centre. More details can be found via the Slush platform (link: https://platform.slush.org/public/slush23/side-events/fc6e46e0-29f5-418e-b1ee-6df7b77238d1) Investors from across the world are invited to attend. Sign up via the platform or contact [email protected] if you have questions.
 
“We’re very excited to be showcasing 50 upcoming UK businesses at Slush this year including a large number of founders from underrepresented backgrounds who are often unable to participate in international games events,” said Michael French, Head of Games London. “It’s more crucial than ever to secure investment for sustainable games start-ups and we’re proud to be facilitating more ways for these talented developers, publishers and service providers to develop their businesses. With games now the world’s leading form of entertainment we are looking forward to connecting these companies to Slush’s attending investors.”
 
Games London partners include Taylor Wessing and Alliotts. For regular updates from London Games Festival and Games London, sign up for the weekly newsletter at www.games.london or follow @londongamesfest.
   
   
For further press information, please contact:
Caroline Miller, Indigo Pearl
T: 020 8964 4545
E: [email protected]
   
   
 
About Games London
 
Games London is a groundbreaking programme delivered by Film London, the capital’s screen industries agency, and UK games industry trade body Ukie. The project is backed by the Mayor of London with funding worth of £1m+ over three years.
 
The Games London programme includes a number of initiatives to make London the games capital of the world. It re-established the London Games Festival in April 2016. Other areas of activity include inbound and outbound trade missions and work connecting and supporting games development skills in London.

About Film London
Film London is the capital's screen industries agency. We connect ideas, talent and finance to develop a pioneering creative culture in the city that delivers success in film, television, animation, games and beyond. We work to sustain, promote and develop London as a global content production hub, support the development of the city's new and emerging filmmaking talent and invest in a diverse and rich film culture. Funded by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery through the BFI, we also receive support from Arts Council England, Creative Skillset and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
 
Film London's activities include:
 

 
Film London also manages the British Film Commission (www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk) through a public/private partnership which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the BFI, and the Department for International Trade.
www.filmlondon.org.uk
@Film_London