From promising indie projects to sustainable game studios
Game Startup Lab is a friendly but focused development program for regional game studios. It is hosted annually by East Sweden Game in Linköping, Sweden – together with selected partners.
— From Game Idea to Investment —
Game Startup Lab
Prototype validation
Demo Day
Pitch to publishers
GSL²
Studio scaling
Capital Day
Pitch to investors
Game Startup Lab
Game Startup Lab is an early-stage development program for indie teams building their first commercial game.
Over ten sessions, participants develop their project, team and market understanding while building a clear pitch for publishers, investors and partners. The program concludes with a public Demo Day where studios present their games to industry guests.
Next: Nov 2026 – Feb 2027. Applications closed.
GSL²
GSL² is an extention to Game Startup Lab, for teams ready to grow from developing a game to building a company and becoming investor-ready.
Through six moderated roundtable sessions, selected studios work on strategy, leadership, capital planning and long-term studio development. The program concludes with a Capital Day where the studios present to selected investors and industry partners.
Next: April 2026 – June 2026. Applications closed.
Game Startup Lab is hosted by East Sweden Game
The program supports early-stage indie studios in developing their projects, building sustainable companies and preparing for partnerships, publishing and investment.
Game Startup Lab → Demo Day → GSL² → Capital Day
About East Sweden Game
East Sweden Game is a leading Swedish game development hub based in Linköping, supporting studios through community, workspace, business development and international networks.
Learn more at eastswedengame.se
Contact: info@eastswedengame.se
Game Startup Lab is hosted by East Sweden Game in Linköping, Sweden. Personal data is handled in accordance with applicable EU data protection laws (GDPR).