Press Start: Games Start-up Scholarship for German Developers

Germany's federal government is launching the "Press Start: Games start-up Scholarship," a funding program designed to help game developers establish their own studios. Announced on October 17, 2024 by Gamecity Hamburg, the initiative opens its application window from October 28 to November 17, 2024, and is aimed at German developers and studios.

The scholarship will support up to 130 developers over an 18-month period. Recipients receive more than 2,750 euros per month, along with workshops, coaching, and an education and networking program. Eligible applicants are those who have founded a studio within the previous 18 months or intend to do so in the near future. The Minister of State for Culture is providing roughly 8 million euros in total funding for the program.

Administration of the scholarship rests with game, the German Games Industry Association, working with the Digital Games Culture Foundation (Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur). The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media finances and commissions the effort. Prospective applicants can register for an informational webinar on October 30, and further details on the application process are available through a dedicated scholarship website.

The program reflects continued public-sector commitment to strengthening Germany's domestic games ecosystem by lowering the financial barriers faced by early-stage studios. Its combination of direct living-cost support and structured mentoring targets the formation phase, when founders typically lack revenue and industry connections. The surrounding page also lists other Gamecity Hamburg initiatives, including incubator and prototype funding calls, though these are peripheral to the scholarship announcement.