British Esports, in partnership with Sunderland Software City, has chosen 14 startups for a new eSports accelerator programme designed to drive the growth of the gaming sector and create jobs in the city.
Supported by Sunderland City Council, British Esports and leading tech sector support organisation SSC have designed the programme to present an opportunity for budding companies in the field of eSports to benefit from leading industry experts.
Spanning eight weeks, the programme covers a range of topics designed to accelerate the growth of businesses in the eSports sector. This includes expertise from Sunderland’s tech partners and knowledge in financial management, international expansion in eSports, digital marketing, protecting intellectual property and investment readiness.
The programme will take place at the National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland and blends in-person and online sessions. The accelerator will conclude on 1st November, where founders can pitch to potential investors for funding.
The chosen 14 faced tough competition for places, with more than 100 applications submitted. The companies were chosen by a panel of tech experts including David Dunn and Hekla Goodman-Parker, both of SSC, and Dave Martin of British Esports.
Collectively they assessed the viability of the idea, size of market opportunity, team expertise and product-market fit.
Hekla Goodman Parker, head of tech startups at Sunderland Software City, said: “We’re excited about the esports accelerator’s first cohort of tech startups creating groundbreaking technology for the industry.
“This is an ambitious group of founders and we have the fantastic opportunity to help them scale by connecting the businesses straight into industry players, thanks to our partnership with British Esports and Sunderland City Council.
“This will be the first of many accelerators we’ll offer over the coming year as we focus primarily on growing the North East tech sector and bringing investment into the region.”
The 14 startups
ESG Gaming (London)
Not-for-profit CIC focused on the use of technology to provide mental health support and reduce social isolation.
HD Games (Bristol)
Providing quality entertainment experiences, with emphasis on their ‘Catalyst’ project.
Racing Sims North East (Northumberland)
Combine a passion for motorsport racing with a dedication to innovation.
Smash Mountain Studio (London)
Strategic gameplay studio with a respect for martial arts launching the world’s first Jiu-jitsu game ever.
Reset Reload (Gateshead)
An online platform for aspiring Esport athletes designed to provide a competitive advantage using sports psychology tools and techniques.
Beam XR (North Shields)
Provide a live-streaming tool that enables XR games to be live-streamed across popular streaming providers.
Versus (London)
To support businesses with esports competitions and connecting communities.
Nexus Interactive Ltd
An innovative online platform providing global connections to enhance a player’s experience and network.
Immerzion Developments Ltd (Scottish Borders)
To produce a digital twin of a real race in real-time using the current and new technology available to exceed consumer expectations.
DS Performance Sports (Derbyshire)
An athlete focused community which aims to help clients reach new strives in their sports career through their programming.
Convergence Live Ltd (London)
A creative agency that helps manage and deliver growth across organisations through expertise advice on project delivery.
Good Game Truro (Cornwall)
Gaming lounge focused on fun and inclusivity for the gaming community.
Gamlytics (Singapore)
An esports management and analytic platform designed to improve engagement and efficiency.
BSL AR Teacher (Durham)
Innovating in teaching British Sign Language (BSL) using AR and tracking capabilities of Meta Quest 3.