Member Article

Fund proves a hit with Teesside computer games industry

The computer games industry has gone into virtual mega drive on Teesside, thanks to major financial support from a special investment fund. The £10 million Proof of Concept Fund was set up by early stage venturing company NStar to encourage the formation and growth of technology and science-based companies in the region. It has supported many key projects to date, and is proving particularly popular within Teesside’s growing computer software industry. Middlesbrough-based Chattering Pixels received £60,000 to develop a reusable array of code modules that will revolutionise the creation of computer games. Neil Homes, director at Chattering Pixels, said: “By writing these base modules we are enabling developers to quickly embed essential functionality into their games in a manner that not only saves a great deal of time, but also inherently works across multiple platforms. This allows them to produce games for next generation platforms much faster than would previously be possible.“University of Teesside spinout Strange Agency Ltd also received a Proof of Concept Fund investment to develop products and services that offer in-depth analyses of computer game concepts very early in the development lifecycle - before they are playable. Clive Fencott, managing director of Strange Agency, said: “Computer games have come a long way since the days of Space Invaders and Pac Man. They are far more complex and the financial risks involved are enormous. Our software, Strange Analyst, helps publishers and developers assess risk and analyse the competition. Basically it saves them time and money.“For further information on applying for a North East Proof of Concept Fund, visit the NorthStar Equity Investors website www.northstarei.com or call 0191 211 2300.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .