Hello World! Startup Summit – One Month to Go for Scotland’s Future Games Founders
With only a month to go until the Hello World! Startup Summit arrives at the University of Glasgow ARC on March 2nd, 2026, the Scottish Games Network is calling on the next wave of pro game developers to sign up and secure their place.
This is NOT a traditional academic conference; it is a practical, hands-on day designed to help students at all stages, recent graduates, and those navigating the current wave of industry redundancies decide if starting their own games business is the right path for them.
At a time of ongoing industry disruption and studio closures, Hello World! provides a clear-eyed look at the realities of starting and running a games business. The summit is specifically designed to fill the ‘knowledge gaps’ left by traditional games courses, focusing on the practical, commercial, and operational skills that many studio founders – and freelancers – often struggle to master.
Brian Baglow, Director of the Scottish Games Network, stated:
We are only four weeks out from an event that could redefine how we build new games companies in Scotland. Whether you are a first-year student or a senior developer who’s dealing with redundancy, this summit is about giving you the tools to take control of your career. We’re stripping away the fluff to focus on the simple, practical skills you actually need to survive and thrive.
The Programme: Simple, Practical, Professional
The day is structured to provide the commercial “missing pieces” through direct access to the organisations who can help – and the people who have already succeeded:
- Morning Session: What does it take to start and run a games business in Scotland? Hear from the founders and business leaders who have already made it happen!
- Monetisation Masterclass. This session bypasses theory to focus on how games actually generate revenue today, covering the global models and platform shifts that determine studio sustainability.
- Afternoon Rotations: Three focused, fast-paced tracks designed to tackle real-world business hurdles:
- The Innovation Centre (Greenlight Lab): How do you test game concepts for market viability?
- The Funding Roundtable: No-nonsense sessions from the funding partners and organisations across Scotland, and the UK.
- Pitching & Commercial Ops: How do you pitch your project (and your company) to publishers, funders and potential partners? Join our industry experts and learn how to supercharge your presentation skills.
- The Collaboration Zone: A low-pressure space featuring facilitated “Find a Co-Founder” circles and a “Help Wanted” board to help attendees connect with the right people and find the skills they need to move forward!
Students and lecturers/educators – secure your place now.
Calling All Partners: Join the Mission
Spaces are filling up quickly, so we’re now looking for the final few partners to join Scotland’s first student startup summit!
- Workshop Hosts & Panelists: Industry veterans who can speak honestly about the business of games.
- Exhibitors: Organisations providing essential business formation, growth, legal, financial, or developmental support for new startups – in games and beyond!
- Educators: Tickets are going quickly, so we’re asking lecturers and career advisors to ensure their students are aware of this opportunity to gain essential commercial skills. We have travel bursaries to help groups attend from colleges and universities across Scotland.
Join us on March 2nd to help build more successful Scottish games businesses. For partnership enquiries and speaker opportunities, please contact me: brian.baglow@scottishgames.net
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