Arctic Game Incubator Secures Continued Funding

Arctic Game Incubator launched in November 2025 with a six-month pilot model focused on game releases, helping indie studios move from prototype to launch and investment. The first cohort consisted of three teams with clear milestones ahead of them, including Polysoup Interactive, whose game Aisle Be Quick was showcased at Nordic Game 2026.

“The incubator is about helping teams set realistic frameworks, finish their games, and learn from actually shipping something. We build companies, not just games,” says Tim Leinert, Business Developer at Skellefteå Science City.

The CreativeTech North project runs from June 2026 to September 2029 and brings together Skellefteå Science City, Boden Business Park, and Umeå Municipality to strengthen the gaming industry and creative tech sector in northern Sweden. The goal is to build a coherent pipeline from idea to market, supporting small and medium-sized companies in games and creative tech across Norrbotten and Västerbotten with everything from early validation and company development to investment readiness and market presence.

A central element in Skellefteå is the collaboration with LTU’s project-based fourth year, an advanced phase following the bachelor’s programmes in game development and programming and in computer graphics for games and film. This creates a direct pathway from education to incubation through pitch days, mentorship, and industry events. When LTU’s bachelor’s programme in game design launches in 2027, that opportunity will grow further.

“LTU Skellefteå has long educated some of Sweden’s strongest game development talents. Together with Arctic Game Incubator, we want to build a collaboration that gives students a real opportunity to go from prototype to company,” says Kåre Synnes, Professor at Luleå University of Technology.

The funding is an important step toward establishing northern Sweden as a sustainable region for indie development, with infrastructure, capital pathways, and a talent pipeline that matches its creative output.