Prototype Funding 2021: Hamburg

The 2021 Hamburg Prototype Funding initiative serves to bolster the local digital games industry by providing financial support for the development of marketable game prototypes. Managed by Gamecity Hamburg, the program aims to enhance the quality and diversity of games produced within the region by offering non-repayable grants to founders, start-ups, and small to medium-sized enterprises.

The initiative allocates a total of 400,000 Euros for the 2021 calendar year. Individual projects are eligible to receive funding covering up to 80 percent of estimated development costs, capped at a maximum of 80,000 Euros per project. To qualify for these grants, applicants are required to provide a minimum of 20 percent of the total eligible development costs as their own financial contribution.

The application window for the 2021 cycle opened on March 29 and concluded on May 17, 2021. The program is geographically restricted to developers and studios based in Hamburg, focusing specifically on the creation of digital game prototypes. By providing this capital, the initiative seeks to lower the barrier to entry for early-stage development and foster innovation within the local gaming ecosystem.