Central Europe

Hamburg Prototype Funding 2021: € 252,000 for 6 games projects in first funding round

Published

5 years ago

June 9, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The location initiative Gamecity Hamburg supports six promising games projects with a total of 252,000 euros. The non-repayable grant will enable the selected start-ups from Hamburg to develop prototypes in order to position themselves in the growing global games market. A total of 23 game developers and companies have applied with their projects for the 1st funding round 2021. The quality and number of applications shows the great potential of Hamburg as a games industry hotspot. The application phase for the second funding round 2021 will run from August 30 to October 18.

Dr. Carsten Brosda, Hamburg’s Minister of Culture and Media: “Hamburg is one of the leading games industry hubs in Europe. To maintain this position, the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg provides tailored support to the games industry, through the Prototype Funding program and other measures. It gives studios and developers who plan to start up, settle or open a branch in Hamburg the opportunity to develop and implement their ideas here and thus further strengthens Hamburg as a business location. The projects submitted this year were once again convincing through their multitude as well as their high quality and demonstrated the large potential of the games industry location Hamburg.”

“After we were able to launch the new Hamburg Prototype Funding and our Games Lift Incubator in 2020, this year already shows how well these two funding instruments work together. For example, Crumbling is the first game project to receive prototype funding that has previously successfully completed our incubation program. With the help of feedback from our mentors, the team has made a great leap forward and developed a convincing concept for the game and a marketing plan around an innovative virtual reality game mechanic,”, says Dennis Schoubye, Project Lead Gamecity Hamburg.

The application phase for the funding ran from March 29 to May 17. In an online pitch day, a pre-selection of the best project teams presented their ideas to the awarding committee.

The awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg games industry experts Nina Müller (Head of Publishing Goodgame Studios), Michael Schade (Co-Founder and CEO ROCKFISH Games), Valentina Birke (Project Manager Super Crowd Entertainment), Jens Unrau (Head of Department Media and Digital Economy of the Ministry of Culture and Media in Hamburg) and Dennis Schoubye (Project Lead Gamecity Hamburg) made the funding decision for the six projects.

In addition to a convincing presentation of the project and team, other criteria such as feasibility, promotion of young talent, location effect and market potential were factored in in the decision. A further prerequisite for funding from the Hamburg Prototype Funding is that the funded teams must be based in Hamburg or relocate to Hamburg if funding is approved, or open a branch office in the city.

The funded projects:

THE INVITATION by tool1 – 60,000 euros
ARC BREAK by SpiceVR – 50,000 euros
Rocket Science GONE WRONG (working title) by James Rucks & Clemens Runge – 48,000 euros
Crumbling by Team Crumbling – 39,782 euros
The Hunt for Epic Treasure (working title) by Elecular – 35,200 euros
Fantasma Ville by Torito Games – 19,140 euros

For the first time, there will be a second round of prototype funding in the current year 2021. Further teams of developers will be able to apply for funding for their project prototypes from August 30.

Further information on the Hamburg Prototype Funding can be found at: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/

The application phase for the Games Lift Incubator will start on June 21. In this second funding program under the umbrella of Gamecity Hamburg, teams are supported with up to 15,000 euros and a three-month coaching and mentoring program by experienced, international experts from the games industry. All information about the Games Lift Incubator is available at: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/

Birgit Wimmer

Birgit Wimmer Named Chairwoman as NOVOMATIC AG Reshapes Supervisory Board

Published

2 weeks ago

January 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

birgit-wimmer-named-chairwoman-as-novomatic-ag-reshapes-supervisory-board

During the General Meeting of NOVOMATIC AG, Birgit Wimmer, MSc., MBA, was designated to the Supervisory Board and subsequently elected as its Chairwoman in the constitutive meeting. She steps into the role of Dr. Bernd Oswald, who served as a Member of the Supervisory Board of NOVOMATIC AG for roughly ten years and will now assume a different role within the company group.

As a co-shareholder, Birgit Wimmer has engaged for many years in key governance roles within the top holding companies, including stints as a Non-Executive Member of the Board of Directors for the Swiss holding companies and as Managing Director of NOVO Invest GmbH. She possesses substantial experience in investment and management, along with numerous years of involvement in the banking sector.

“As Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, I look forward to working together with my colleagues on both the Supervisory Board and the Executive Board as we help to successfully shape the Group’s strategic and sustainable development,” says Birgit Wimmer.

Dr. Haig Asenbauer, an internationally experienced lawyer with particular expertise in cross-border M&A transactions, company reorganization, and complex investment structures, was elected to serve as Deputy Chairman. Martina Flitsch retains her position as a Member of the Supervisory Board. She has many years of experience in international group structures and in providing strategic and legal support for corporate investments. Dr. Robert Hofians, a recognized finance and capital markets expert who also has extensive experience in the fields of governance and regulation in his roles as a professor and public accountant, also remains a Member of the Supervisory Board.

As of January 1, 2026, the Supervisory Board of NOVOMATIC AG is now composed as follows:

Birgit Wimmer, MSc., MBA (Chairwoman)
Dr. Haig Asenbauer (Deputy Chairman)
Martina Flitsch (Member)
Dr. Robert Hofians (Member)

The post Birgit Wimmer Named Chairwoman as NOVOMATIC AG Reshapes Supervisory Board appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

Ring Casino in Nürburgring at the Finish Line with NOVOVISION

Published

3 weeks ago

January 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

ring-casino-in-nurburgring-at-the-finish-line-with-novovision

The Ring Casino at the Nürburgring Congress Hotel has successfully deployed Novomatic’s NovoVision Casino Management System. As a branch of Spielbank Bad Neuenahr, the property integrated this visionary CMS to centralize operations and modernize its daily workflow. Beyond operational efficiency, the move ensures full compliance with upcoming German regulatory shifts, leveraging NovoVision’s advanced modules to uphold the highest standards in player protection and responsible gaming.

The venue offers around 450 square metres of gaming fun for fans of high-speed entertainment, with 62 video slots offering a range of attractive jackpots. All the gaming terminals are now managed centrally via NOVOVISION Floor Control, and jackpot management, cash handling via TITO and accounting are also operated in real time via the diverse system functionalities of NOVOVISION. In particular, access control via NOVOVISION access, player management and database comparison of each visitor with the nationwide OASIS exclusion database were key decision-making criteria for the operator. Both during initial registration and on each subsequent visit to the casino, access at the gates is only granted after thorough verification of the guest’s identity and age, as well as re-/verification against the exclusion database.

Following the successful introduction of NOVOVISION at the Ring Casino am Nürburgring, rollout at the other two locations in Bad Dürkheim and in Bad Neuenahr will follow in the first quarter of 2026.

Marcin Kozlowski, Head of Product Development & Market Coordination NBS, said: “Being able to supply Spielbank Bad Neuenahr, a long-standing NOVOMATIC customer, with our CMS as the core of its casino operations is further confirmation of our excellent business relationship. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the management for the trust they have placed in us and the teams for their excellent cooperation both in the run-up to and during the implementation.”

Thomas Salinger, Technical Director of Gaming at Spielbank Bad Neuenahr GmbH & Co. KG, said: “The successful introduction of NOVOVISION at the Spielbank in Nürburg represents a first major and important milestone in the system implementation in our gaming venues. This powerful casino management solution, with its diverse system functionalities, enables us to meet the ever-growing regulatory requirements efficiently and in a future-proof manner. We look forward to continuing the joint implementation in our casinos with our long-standing business partner NOVOMATIC.”

The post Ring Casino in Nürburgring at the Finish Line with NOVOVISION appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

ScatterKings adds sugar-coated spin to Austria with bespoke win2day partnership

Published

2 months ago

December 17, 2025

Wladimir P.

scatterkings-adds-sugar-coated-spin-to-austria-with-bespoke-win2day-partnership

ScatterKings has made its debut in Austria, partnering with operator win2day to bring its vibrant, hand-crafted portfolio to one of Europe’s most tightly regulated markets.

Headlining the partnership is Sweet win2day, a mouth-watering title designed exclusively for the operator. Other standout ScatterKings games, including Coins of Cleo, Vikings and Hogs Christmas and Big Bob, have also hit the screens of win2day’s customers, with further releases scheduled to follow.

Win2day is operated by Austrian Lotteries, which was founded more than 50 years ago and holds the only licence to offer online casino gaming in the country. The brand has gained a rich heritage as a trusted name in the market, priding itself on being one of the industry’s most responsible operators.

Through this deal, the new and fiercely passionate provider is redefining what modern slot content looks like for local players.

For ScatterKings, every game stands as a testament to its philosophy – proven mechanics fused with genuine artistic vision. A true labour of love from battle-tested developers, the brand-new studio, years in the making, is channelling its expertise into games crafted with soul.

With a leadership team of seasoned industry veterans spanning years of experience, ScatterKings is primed to accelerate its global growth and continue building games that deliver non-stop thrills.

Steven Cross, CCO at ScatterKings, said: “Our launch with win2day is such a proud moment for us and it’s a partnership built on trust in both our vision and craft.

“Entering such an exclusive market is a powerful endorsement of the quality and personality our content brings. We’re here to deliver premium entertainment to players under the most respected regulatory standards.”

Georg Wawer, Managing Director at win2day, said: “As Austria’s only licensed online gambling operator, it is our responsibility to offer players exclusively high-quality, secure and fully compliant gaming content. With ScatterKings, we welcome a highly innovative partner whose technological excellence and creative strength perfectly match our uncompromising standards.

“The studio’s games are optimised to meet the strictest player protection requirements, ensuring that every title on our platform delivers not only great entertainment but also the highest level of safety and responsibility. Their growing portfolio will be a valuable and exciting addition to win2day.”

The post ScatterKings adds sugar-coated spin to Austria with bespoke win2day partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.