Dare to Grow
Together with Abertay University, we’ve carefully paired up talented 'ready for industry' art and science graduates - who have proven their expertise and talent for innovation on the Dare to be Digital programme - with SME games developers to foster business growth, employment and exposure to new opportunities.
Innovative games projects
The graduates will get the chance to work on a range of highly innovative games projects that require a blend of arts and science skills. In return, the independent games companies benefit from the skills of first-rate talent.
The industry projects require unique intervention to support them through to delivery, which is why games developers are working with interns to carry out the specific projects. This is no ordinary internship programme.
Dare to Grow aims to attract graduates to work for small games companies that might not otherwise have had an opportunity to recruit them.
Game industry internships
The interns are based at Outsource Media, London; Codeplay, Edinburgh; and Wonky Films in Bristol. A further two interns are working on a confidential project for a London based start-up SME.
Projects include designing a tool-set to enable asset management of game audio and dialogue, and creating interactive location-based game experiences that can be played on handheld devices and as you move around outdoor spaces.
The two interns working on the start-up SME project are helping to build a prototype sports simulation that will be used to help the SME finalise their technical and aesthetic specification.
Each project lasts for six months and is due to be completed by mid July 2009, with the exception of the start-up SME project which will come to an end in August.
Interns received additional sessions on innovation technology to help them prepare for the internship. They also received a payment from the project budget, which the SME developer can top up with a completion bonus if they wish. These top ups won’t be compulsory.
All IP generated will be owned by the SME games developer partner.
"I'm learning a lot, and overall I am loving it. What I really like is that I get to work on different innovation projects."
Tim Vasilakis, Intern at Outsource Media
Outcomes
Through Dare to Grow we hope to achieve the following outcomes:
- Successfully deliver and implement up to six in-company innovation projects, with economic value generated for the SME games developer participants.
- Up to 12 interns to gain experience of working in-company, with employers securing a closer view of the interns as potential employees.
- Demonstrate a potentially transferable innovation model involving young, talented innovation teams, using innovation technology to deliver innovations.
- Adopt innovation internship project into routine activities for SME games developers.
Further information
Case studies from the project will be released in 2009. For further information on Dare to Grow, please email Sarah Johnston.