Irish Games Talent incubator

The Irish Game Talent Incubator (formerly Imirt Dublin Games Springboard and Wild Galway Games Initiative) aims to develop the creative and entrepreneurial skills that video game developers will require to navigate the professional games industry.

The programme will provide game developers with support in both Development and Business Modelling, participants will have access to dedicated working space at Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin and CREW in Galway for the duration of the programme, to work alongside like-minded, early-stage businesses. The programme will develop participants' entrepreneurial skills, game development skills and portfolios, which will  help them on their journey towards sustainable careers in the Irish video game industry.

Participants will leave the programme with the experience necessary to turn their creative skills into a revenue generating business endeavour. Each of the 24 participants (12 in Dublin, 12 in Galway) will be paired with an industry mentor, who will meet with them throughout the programme and guide them through the experience, using their professional insights to advise them. Participants are expected to attend all in-person workshops.

The Guinness Enterprise Centre and CREW will provide dedicated working space for each participant for the duration of the programme. Start-up workspaces are essential for driving innovation and cooperation among entrepreneurs, and are hugely beneficial for incubation programme participants. Topics covered during this programme range from business models in the games sector, understanding markets, advertising and social media, to game development disciplines such as fast prototyping, choosing the tools that are right for you,  and how to pitch your game. These modules will sit alongside mentoring and presentations

You can apply for the Irish Games Talent Incubators at this link. Applications are currently open and will close on August 11th. Assessment will conclude and applicants will get a response by August 20th. The programme will commence on the week starting September 1st, 2025 and run for 12 weeks. 

Ardán and Imirt will be hosting an Information Session online on Wednesday 30th July, 2025, at 3.00pm. Register to attend here.

The Irish Games Talent Incubators are managed by Imirt and Ardán with the support of Screen Ireland and the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio.

The incubator programmes will be run out of the Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin, and CREW in Galway. Imirt will primarily manage the Dublin programme, while Ardán will primarily manage the Galway programme.