Supported by the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund, Imirt and CREW were delighted to announce ELEVATE on Friday December 5th at the inaugural Incubator/ IndieDev closing event, a new business development programme designed to upskill early-stage game developers, focusing on;
Leadership
Team building
Strategic development
Financial management
Fundraising
Positioned as a natural next step beyond the incubation stage, it supports start-ups in building the foundational capabilities needed to operate sustainably, navigate commercial opportunities, and prepare for long-term growth.
Imirt CEO Colm Larkin on stage with CREW Programme and Community Manager Ainslie Peters, announcing ELEVATE
ELEVATE has been designed as a natural extension of previous programmes run by Imirt and Ardán, namely the Irish Games Talent Incubator and IndieDev. While this programme is designed with those people in mind, as an all-digital, remote run programme, ELEVATE is open to all individuals in the Irish Games Sector who want to elevate their business skills and desire help in running a successful games studio.
ELEVATE will bridge the skills gap by equipping early-stage game studios with essential leadership, business, legal, and financial capabilities to support sustainable growth and develop confident, resilient studio leaders who can scale their teams, navigate the complexities of the games industry, and establish long-term commercial success.
The programme will consist of 12 x 2-hour online workshops delivered over 12 weeks running from late January until April 2026. It will be complementary for those selected, with a preference given to individuals who have previously taken part in IndieDev, Incubators or similar initiatives.
You can apply for the ELEVATE Programme by filling out the Expression of interest form, which you can find here - https://forms.gle/Rg8NXbV4r6tNsTk5A