Areas of Work

Creative industries

Games mentoring

Our games mentoring pilot is finding out how best to support video games developers to improve their business skills and commercial awareness.

Seven SME games developers from around the UK are taking part in the pilot, working across mobile, casual, online, advergames (free games sponsored by large companies) and console games. We’ve teamed them up with a group of talented industry experts who will work with them one-to-one during 2009.

The pilot is designed to:

  • Develop a method of support for mentors as they engage with creative businesses
  • Develop an effective and transferable model of how to match businesses with appropriate mentors
  • Encourage sector trade associations, economic agencies, RDAs and private organisations to replicate NESTA’s support

We’re keen to share our learning from this pilot. Interim results were finalised in July 2009 and the full, independent evaluation report is now available.

Download the report Playing the Game – insider views on video games development (PDF).