BFI announces the recipients of its International Business Development (IBD) awards and introduces a new funding stream to support video game marketing efforts.
The British Film Institute (BFI) has revealed the winners of its International Business Development (IBD) awards, along with unveiling a fresh funding initiative to aid UK game developers in their marketing endeavors. The BFI has boosted its UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) budget from £7 million to over £18 million for the 2026–2029 strategic plan, contributing to a total of £2.07 million in IBD awards across the screen sector. Five UK independent game companies have secured non-recoupable grants ranging from £50,000 to £200,000 to support their business strategies for international growth and intellectual property (IP) development.
The studios benefiting from the IBD funding include Dlala Studios, Draknek & Friends, Friday Sundae, INCISIV, and Newfangled Games. These companies plan to utilize the grants for various purposes such as hiring key personnel, expanding development pipelines, increasing marketing efforts, and focusing on original IP games. Additionally, the UKGSF has introduced the Video Games Release funding stream, offering grants of up to £50,000 to assist UK game developers with marketing, promotion, and localisation expenses during release campaigns. Applications are currently being accepted and evaluated continuously.
Moreover, the UKGSF has recently launched the Challenger award, providing £50,000 in funding along with an optional mentorship program for early-stage screen companies. Denitsa Yordanova, the BFI director of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds, praised the latest IBD award recipients for their exceptional work in the independent screen sector, emphasizing the importance of investing in the UK's content marketplace to support global growth strategies and reach new international audiences.
