No, it is completely free, there is no cost for participants on the programme.

This is our second year running the incubator programme which is focused on early stage founders from underrepresented groups. Ideally this will be those that are working on their very first game and need focused support and networks to help take their business/game to the next stage.

Applicants are encouraged from the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, between the GMT and +4 hours time zone. 

The Ukie Games Industry Census 2020 highlighted key underrepresented groups within the UK games industry. We are interested in applications from founders who identify with one or more underrepresented groups such as POC, lower socioeconomic backgrounds, underrepresented genders (cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary and other non-cisgender identities), LGBTQ+, disabilities and neurodiversities. 

This list is not exhaustive and we will not always get it right, if there is a group missing, please contact us at nisha@tentacle.zone. 

Absolutely! We already have an existing community of Tentacle Zone residents who benefit from a weekly programme of support and who will also have access to the incubator when it is launched. We believe that the peer-to-peer learning within the cohort and regular contact with more established companies will enable more knowledge sharing to benefit participants. Please contact us on hello@tentacle.zone.

You can find out more in the mentors and tutors section, but we are lucky enough to have a diverse range of industry folks who will contribute to all elements of the programme. These includes our partners, individuals from Payload Studios (creators of TerraTech), as well as contribution from our existing Tentacle Zone Residents who are based in our co-working space in London. We also have a number of industry professionals who are passionate about diversity and inclusion and who have, themselves, faced challenges (being part of underrepresented groups) either running businesses or working in the games industry.

​​The key dates are:

• Feb 10th: Application window opens
• 8th April: Application window closes
• End of April: Successful applicants announced
• Early May: Programme starts
• August 2022: Incubator ends with a showcase to industry, partners and media.

With the support of our industry partners, we are able to ensure there is no cost for participants in the programme. However, we aren’t able to offer any further financial support and we do not take equity in any of the businesses. We are not a publisher or an investor, we are just trying to help you on your indie journey.

We expect founders to be available, and participate in 1-2 hour live sessions (delivered virtually) each week with an additional 2 hours for time with 1-2-1 experts, the rest of the cohort or mentors. 

If you must miss a session, we will record the content where possible and will make these available to all participants right after the session. 

Please see ‘what you’ll get out of the programme’ for more information. Aside from a practical toolkit and  industry connections, we want to strap a rocket to your business and help you make progress with your game and business growth. You will also receive CPD certification via the University of Greenwich.

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals & students engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive.

Engaging in Continuing Professional Development ensures that both academic and practical qualifications do not become out-dated or obsolete; allowing individuals to continually ‘up skill’ or ‘re-skill’ themselves, regardless of occupation, age or educational level.

You can find the application form here! For any accessibility issues with the application, please contact nisha@tentacle.zone.

Please email Nisha at nisha@tentacle.zone for any further queries!