🙋♂️ What is the Grant program?
It is an annual grant by IGDA Finland providing support to indie teams from Finland, primarily aimed for smaller, starting devs/studios.
10.000 EUR financial support
Mentorship and feedback form industry veterans
Proven impact through previous recipients
Visibility via IGDA Finland and the IGDA Global network
🤷♀️ Why does it exist?
Everyone deserves a fair start. Our aim is to lower the barriers for new talents, because we’ve all been there, we understand the challenges of starting out in the industry. Because we believe in a diverse, inclusive, and thriving future for Finland’s game industry.
📆 Timeline
APRIL 14 Going public with IGDA Finland Grant 2026 MAY 31 End of the application period.We close the form and start going through the applicants. AUGUST 11 Revealing the chosen studio at the IGDA Helsinki Summer party as well as online.
In 2026, we focus on
Experienced Teams
The Grant currently prioritizes newcomers over veteran teams.
Diversity of background and experience is a key selection value.
Future rounds will alternate focus to include new studios from industry vets.
Diverse Teams
Women and minority-led studios often face less investment access.
Diversity is important value not only to IGDA Finland Grant program, but to our sponsors as well.
Newcomers
The Grant’s core mission is to support new talent entering the industry.
Diversity of background and experience is a key selection value.
We’ve already run two successful rounds so far.
👤 Who is it for? ✅
Devs who are fresh to the industry and making their first game!
Self publishing
Looking to gain visibility
Looking to receive experienced feedback
Ready to release within a year
- Yes to all the above?
🤔 Requirements
IGDA Finland membership
At least 50% of the team has to be members of IGDA Finland. - For example, if the team consists of 5 people, at least 3 of them have to be members.
An established company with a Business ID (y-tunnus) Giving money to a private person is difficult and it sets a small barrier so that only those who are serious about it will apply.
A strong team or stellar solo dev We want to know about each team member: expertise, experience, role in the team & their portfolio/github/artstation.
A vertical slice/demo This is for games that are closer to finishing than not, thus a vertical slice/demo is mandatory to show that the game is far enough.
A solid Pitch Deck This alongside the vertical slice/demo will be our initial consideration if the game goes forward.
A credible Game Design Document This will be reviewed after we’ve seen the Pitch Deck and the demo, to see that the team has a clear vision and really knows what they're doing.
A realistic schedule We want games that have a believable timeframe for completion, with the release an absolute maximum of 12 months from being chosen.
⌛ Previous Years' Grant Recipients
(Clicking on their box art takes you to their Steam page)
2024
2025
🧙 People behind the program
IGDA Finland Grant Team
Run by people who’ve been on the game development, publishing & marketing side of the table. Program Coordinator Begüm Doğan Mentor Coordinator Jessica Postiglione Advisor JJ Häll Production Assistant Viktor Asprot Web Dev Kejin Zhou
Mentors
Mentors are formed of multidisciplinary veterans to provide feedback and guidance. Tuomas Korpi Art Rebekka Muntola Production Olli Raudus Business Jana Stadeler Narrative Ville-Valtteri Kinnunen Art Emma Varjo UX Risto Holmström Design
Sponsors
👐 Giving back
Add IGDA Finland logo to the splash screen We lift you up and forward, you fly our colours. Pretty sweet win-win! Once a certain threshold of profit is reached, become studio affiliates We want the dev/team to join our family of great studios! The threshold: 3 x the grant sum in profit
That’s it! 👏
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! You can contact us at grant@igda.fi
Does the company need to be registered already when the application is submitted, or can it wait until a possible positive decision has been received? Yes, there has to be a company with an active Business ID (y-tunnus) when applying.
Who chooses the recipient of the Grant? The jury: Which consists of IGDA Finland’s Board and Advisors.
What if there is a conflict of interest, for example, one of the jury members has been or currently is a teacher of a team or some of the people in the team? In this case that member of the jury will abstain from voting for that particular team.
Can I apply if I am affiliated IGDA, or have been mentored by somebody there? ✅Yes, you can apply if are a volunteer. ✅If you have been mentored by a jury member, you can still apply, but the mentor or teacher will not vote for your project. ❌If you are a board member, you will not be eligible. ❌If somebody is both a team member and a jury member, the project is not eligible.
Can I apply if I am a private trader (toiminimi)? Yes, as long as the applying entity has a valid Business ID, it’s all good.
What if our game doesn’t reach the required amount of revenue? Don’t worry! You will not be liable to pay back anything if revenue thresholds are not met.
Is the grant taxable? Yes, the grant is counted towards taxable income.
Does this count towards my company’s de minimis? This is not a governmental grant, so no, it will not count towards your de minimis.
If a team acquires a publishing contract after applying but before the selection process is completed, does this disqualify them? If you are in the middle of publishing deal discussions, we assume you will inform us of this in your Pitch Deck/GDD.
Do I have to produce receipts of how we spend the money? Absolutely not.
I have a great idea for a game, can I use the Grant to get started? Hey, that’s great to hear but unfortunately, the Grant is meant for games that are already well underway, not for those that are at the idea stage. No demo, no Grant.
What if we have team members who are members of other IGDA Chapters than IGDA Finland, does that count towards the 50% membership rule? This is a Grant for the Finnish game industry and community by the Finnish game industry and community, therefor the rule applies only to IGDA Finland memberships.
Will the grant be given to only one team/dev? Yes, only one team/dev will be chosen and the Grant will go to a legal entity (with a valid Business ID/y-tunnus), not to an individual person.
Does the application require on-location participation? If so, where and when? No. The only on-location that is requested (by at least part of the team) is once a game project is chosen: - When we make a public announcement of it - When we organise the feedback mentorship evening - When the game is released
Wasn’t there something about paying back the grant money? Yes, but we removed it!
