Seven local games and interactive industry studios have received State Government grants to promote their products at major tech expos in the United States of America, United Kingdom, China and Melbourne.
The International Access Pass program, part of the McGowan Government’s $16.7 million New Industries Fund, creates opportunities for Western Australians to connect with key players and build business networks in the $152 billion global games industry.
Grants of up to $5,000 a person are awarded for Western Australians working in games and interactive technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and immersive technologies.
The first 2020 recipients to travel are David Gribble and Ian Sloan from Maylands-based firm Arility who will attend this month’s Bett ExCeL London education technology show to promote their AR platform which delivers interactive safety lessons to children.
David McDonnell from Northbridge firm Last Pixel will leave in March for the South by Southwest expo in Austin, Texas to showcase VR storyboarding, an idea he created for 2019 Netflix feature film I am Mother.
The 2020 recipients are:
- Superstar Award: for people who offer a great product ready for global production and can deliver business results – Natalie Marinho, Benjamin White and David McDonnell;
- Trailblazer Award: for women who inspire other women and girls to develop their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills – Amy Doherty;
- New Horizon Award: for people to apply their technologies in other sectors – Natalie Marinho and David McDonnell; and
- Teamed Up Awards: for a team of two who need to travel together to make their mission succeed – Andrew and Erin West, Ryan Gardner and Fiona Bartholomaeus and David Gribble and Ian Sloan.
For more details about the awards, visit https://www.newindustries.wa.gov.au
As stated by Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly:
“In 2019 the global games industry was worth $152 billion, to ensure more of that economic opportunity comes to WA, we are supporting our talented local developers.
“The International Access Pass program is just one way this Government is delivering on its election commitment to create local jobs and diversify the economy through new and emerging businesses.
“It’s encouraging to see recipients from the last International Access Pass round making strides in the global interactive industry by engaging with industry heavyweights thanks to this program.
“Last year’s Teamed Up Award Winners – Nick Lowe and Minh Tran from Perth-based Hungry Sky – received an investment offer to develop their game Nekograms through the connections they made through this program.”
