One of the great joys of running an incubator programme is keeping in touch with alumni and receiving their updates. And we’ve been thrilled to watch Elena Höge – Founder, CEO and Creative Director of Yaldi Games – as she’s progressed since her time with us in 2021.

Back then, the Yaldi Games team was in the early stages of developing their debut title, Wholesome – Out and About. The game’s name perfectly captures its essence. It’s a cosy, relaxing life sim that aims to connect players with nature in a tangible way. Players forage plants and mushrooms in-game, learning real-world skills and finding recipes for use in everyday life. 

Development of Out and About progressed well throughout 2022, but things kicked up a notch this year. In January, the team received an Epic MegaGrant, and further funding arrived later in the form of a £60,000 grant from Scottish EDGE – Yaldi becoming the first-ever games company to receive money from Scotland’s biggest funding competition.

This autumn, the team received further good news: Yaldi would be joining Arsht-Rock’s Climate Games Launchpad. The accelerator programme includes mentorship and a grant to implement more sustainability and climate resilience themes into the game.