Press Start - Application Guidelines

Basic Information

• I am part of a team of game developers; can I apply solo / can only some team members apply?

  Applications are also allowed if the applicant is part of an existing team/project and/or not all team members are eligible to apply.

• In what form should the application be submitted?

  Applications are to be completed online in a form-based application. The required documents are to be uploaded digitally through the application form. Corrections to the given information are possible in the online form until submission. If submitted as a team, the registration must be completed by one person from the team, stating all team data.

• I did not receive a confirmation email after registering or submitting my application. What can I do?

  It may take up to a day for the confirmation email to arrive. If you do not receive the email within one day, please contact us briefly at stipendium[at]stiftung-digitale-spielekultur.de

• How can I prove my eligibility to apply?

  Game creators can demonstrate their qualifications by providing proof of studies or training in the field of games or a related area, involvement in game development, and/or relevant experience in game development. A panel of experts will decide on sufficient qualifications.

• What will be assessed?

  The overall evaluation consists of the individual founder’s profile, the team profile, and the game pitch. For solo developers, the team profile is not required.

  • Founders: Up to three founders per team can apply. Details of each person must be entered in the application form and individual CVs uploaded
  • Team profile: Team information can be entered in the application portal and the pitch deck. Relevant information includes the company’s vision, team synergies, and roles. We are also interested in whether games and projects have already been realized.
  • Pitch deck: The central aspect of the pitch deck is the description of the application which is supposed to be developed. This may include a game application (including serious games), a gamified application, a VR/AR/MR application, or UI/UX applications from the gaming sector. The development stage of the application can range from concept to unpublished game.

  Additionally, the submitted concept will be evaluated according to various criteria. The pitch deck must answer at least one of these questions. Responses to all points are not required.

  • Choice of topic and cultural relevance: Does the concept address significant cultural, social, or political themes? What is the relevance of these themes to today’s society?
  • Originality and innovation: Is the game concept creative and innovative in its approach to gameplay, storytelling, or interactive mechanics?
  • Potential for cultural impact: Does the concept have the potential to create a long-term cultural impact, for instance, by sparking discussions or reaching a broad and diverse audience?
  • Narrative depth and emotional resonance: How profound is the proposed narrative? Does it have the potential to elicit strong emotions and encourage players to reflect on societal issues?
  • Diversity and representation: Does the concept promote diversity and cultural representation? Does it consider different perspectives and life experiences?
  • Use of technology and media: Does the concept use technology and media in an innovative way to foster cultural expression? Are there new ways through which the game could influence social interactions?
  • Aesthetic and artistic vision: How strong is the concept’s artistic vision? Does the visual and auditory design contribute to creating a culturally significant work?
  • Accessibility and inclusion: Is the concept designed to reach a broad audience, including people with different abilities and backgrounds?
  • Potential for community building: Does the concept have the potential to build an active and engaged community around the game, encouraging cultural expressions (such as fan art, modding etc.)?
• Our team consists of more than three founders.

  If there are more than three founders in the team, a selection must be made independently by the applying team as to which (up to 3) persons apply.

• What are my responsibilities as a grantee?

  A framework program with professional workshops (online, approximately 10-14 topics) and individual coaching sessions (online, 3-5 hours per month) is offered to teams and solo founders. Additionally, there will be a kick-off, a mid-term, and a final event (in-person events). These appointments must be attended to the following extent:

  • Founder teams must attend 75% of the professional workshops (not all team members need to attend each session).
  • Solo founders must attend at least 65% of the offered workshops.
  • Both, teams and solo founders must take advantage of at least 50% of the coaching hours.
  • Attendance at the three in-person events (kick-off, mid-term and final event) is mandatory, with exceptions only in justified cases.
  • A website must be created for the existing or to-be-founded company within the first year of the grant.
• When can a grant be terminated or discontinued?

  Termination or discontinuation of the grant may occur for the following reasons:

  • Voluntary withdrawal of the grantee(s)
  • Taking up a paid part-time job exceeding 10 hours per week
  • Violation of the obligations outlined in the grant agreement, including:
    • Solo founders: attending less than 65% of the workshops
    • Teams: attending less than 75% of the workshops as a team (attendance can be distributed among team members)
    • Negative feedback from founding coaches, lack of continuity in team development
    • Disregard of the Safe Space Policy
    • Failure to submit the progress report on time. Grantees must submit a report by April 15, 2026, using a form-based questionnaire and possibly materials developed during the process.
    • No clear intention to found a company after one year of the grant.

  If the grant program is prematurely terminated, the grant amount must be fully or partially repaid. The decision will be made on a case-by-case basis by the project sponsor, considering the individual situation of the grantee.

• Regulations in case of illness, parental leave, or maternity protection.

  As grantees are not employees, they are not entitled to compensation during pregnancy, maternity leave, or illness. The grant can also be granted during pregnancy, maternity leave, or illness if the founder fulfils the grant agreement obligations. If not, a portion of the grant may be reclaimed. The decision will be made on a case-by-case basis by the project sponsor, taking the grantee’s individual situation into account.

• I'm receiving another grant (e.g. InnoStartBonus) but would like to switch

  • You can apply for the grant
  • In case of approval, the other program needs to be terminated until Dec 15, 2024

• My company has been founded before 15 June, 2023. Can I apply?

  No.

• I am receiving game development funding from a federal state, e.g. Medienboard

  • Has the funding already been completed? You can apply
  • Is the funding ongoing? This would be a case of double funding, as e.g. living expenses would be covered by both the grant and the funded salary, which means this is
  not permitted
  • If you apply for and receive games funding during the program: Okay, but you need to terminate your participation, the grant amount must be payed back partially

• I'm currently employed, my notice period ends after Dec 15, 2024. Is it possible to apply?
  • A grace period is granted. Grant recipients must provide proof by the end of December that their employment contracts will be terminated, canceled, or reduced to 10 hours per week by March 31, 2025. Until then, participants are still allowed to join the educational program. The total grant amount will be proportionally reduced.

  • It is advisable to engage in early discussions with the employer. Options such as reducing weekly hours, signing a termination agreement, or taking a sabbatical for entrepreneurship may be feasible.
• What are the regulations regarding the use of AI/image generators/language models?
  • AI/image generators/language models may be used for the creation of the pitch deck.
  • However, their use must be clearly recognisable and declared by you. In particular, AI-generated or AI-adapted images/videos must be labelled as such, either directly on or in the very near vicinity of the image/video.
  • Violations of the requirement of labelling lead to exclusion from the application-process.

Eligibility and application requirements

• Am I eligible if I still own shares in an existing business?

  Yes, you may be eligible as long as you give up your management and shares in the existing company before the funding starts. This information should be disclosed in the letter of motivation. 

• Is a parallel application to other funding programmes permitted?

  Parallel applications are possible. If both funding programmes are approved and exclude each other, only one funding programme can be used. When concluding the grant contract, any other funding must be cancelled. 

• What proof do I need to provide for a valid application?

  Qualifications in games or related fields are required. Certificates or evidence containing sensitive data may be redacted. 

• Can part-time employees or people on notice also apply?
  • Yes, applying is possible.
  • A grace period is granted. Grant recipients must provide proof by the end of December that their employment contracts will be terminated, canceled, or reduced to 10 hours per week by March 31, 2025. Until then, participants are still allowed to join the educational program. The total grant amount will be proportionally reduced.

  • It is advisable to engage in early discussions with the employer. Options such as reducing weekly hours, signing a termination agreement, or taking a sabbatical for entrepreneurship may be feasible.
• Can I apply as a freelancer and set up a company during the funding programme, or does the business start-up have to be completed beforehand?

  If the business has not already been founded in the last 18 months, it must be founded within the next 12 months. 

• Are students also eligible to apply?

  Students can apply as long as they complete their studies by the summer semester 2025 at the latest. 

Requirements for the founding team and activities

• Can we apply as a team, and is there a limit to the size of the team?

  Yes, team applications are possible. The maximum team size is three founders who want to start a company in the games sector together. However, the development team can include other team members who are not co-founders. They are then not part of the application and cannot receive a grant. 

• What happens if a person in the team is rejected?

  If a member does not fulfil all the requirements, the rest of the team can still be considered for the grant. 

• Are international team members eligible?

  Only grant holders residing in Germany can participate in the workshops and coaching sessions. 

Funding programme conditions and obligations

• Are workshops and coaching sessions compulsory?

  Yes, participation in workshops and coaching sessions is compulsory. 

• Can I work as a freelancer during the grant programme?

  Yes, freelance work is permitted as long as it does not exceed 10 hours per week. 

• Must the project be completed within the 18 months?

  The start-up must be completed within the next 12 months, but the completion of the project (e.g. release of the game) is not mandatory within the grant period. 

Double funding and parallel projects

• Can I work on other projects in parallel during the funding period if they do not exceed my working time limit?

  It is recommended that you concentrate fully on your start-up. However, secondary employment is permitted as long as the weekly workload does not exceed 10 hours. 

• Can you use crowdfunding (such as Kickstarter) or Patreon?

  The use of Kickstarter, Patreon or other crowdfunding and social payment service providers is not a fundamental exclusion criterion for an application. However, in combination with other factors, they can have an impact on the applicant’s eligibility for funding. 

• Do expense allowances provided by state-level games network initiatives (e.g., GamesHub Bavaria) exclusively to mentors, lecturers, or workshop leaders for training young, aspiring games companies also fall under the prohibition of double funding?

  The parallel participation in purely content-focused programs, such as those offered by state network initiatives, without any financial transactions, is allowed concurrently.

Financial questions

• Is the grant taxable?

  Please clarify this directly with the tax office or a tax consultant, as the tax treatment may vary from person to person.

• Can additional grants be claimed?

  For legal reasons, double funding is not permitted. Any other funding must be cancelled when the grant contract is concluded. 

• How is the grant paid out?

  The grant is paid out in several instalments. The details are set out in the grant agreement. 

Application process

• Can you apply with several projects?

  The jury selects potential grant holders who would benefit most from the programme. Multiple applications for different projects are not permitted. 

• Can I work on my Bachelor's thesis in parallel with the grant programme?

  Yes, it is possible to work on your Bachelor’s thesis in parallel, as long as the workload does not interfere with the requirements of the programme. 

• Do all applicants in the team have to create their own account?

  One account must be created for each founding team. The data of up to three applicants for the grant will be collected in this account. All co-founders must sign the affidavit.