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Gamecity Hamburg funds three games prototypes with € 159,000 in second funding round 2021
In the second funding round in 2021, Gamecity Hamburg supports three promising games projects with a total of 159,000 euros through its Prototype Funding program. The non-repayable grant enables companies and developers based in Hamburg to develop prototypes of their games for the growing global games market. Together with the six projects selected by the awarding committee in the first funding round, Gamecity Hamburg funds nine prototypes with a total of 411,000 euros this year.
Starting March 4, 2022, right after the Hamburg Games Conference, companies and developers can apply again for the next funding round of Gamecity Hamburg’s Prototype Funding. The application phase for the second funding round will start directly after gamescom 2022.
“Both 2021 funding rounds have impressively shown us that there is a great deal of dynamics in the games industry in Hamburg. We were impressed by how diverse the funding applications were – in addition to games of all genres and for all platforms, a serious game, and a home training app convinced the awarding committee with their market potential for the first time in this funding round,” says Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg and member of the awarding committee for prototype funding.
The funded projects of the second funding round 2021
- Castle Town by Sviper – 80,000 euros
- CR4NKUP by CR4NKUP – 40,000 euros
- Mambio by neurodactics – 39,273 euros
In the mobile game Castle Town by Sviper, players can build towns in a medieval setting and optimize supply chains for all the goods they need on a grand scale. Sviper is an indie studio from Hamburg and was able to celebrate its first successes with the debut “Super Spell Heroes”. With Castle Town, Sviper wants to take off further.
CR4NKUP by CR4NKUP is an indoor training game that combines real bike training with a virtual world filled with a large number of fellow players. Through gamification elements such as multiplayer and online tournaments, the free-to-play app is designed to motivate professional athletes and amateur cyclists alike.
Mambio by neurodactics is the first serious game supported by the Hamburg prototype funding. Mambio is an inclusive learning game for elementary school-aged children that playfully promotes the fun of math and aims to make learning arithmetic easier for children with disabilities as well.
A total of eleven start-ups, games companies and solo developers applied for funding in the second funding round 2021 from August 30 to October 16. After an online pitch, the projects were selected by an awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg 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 (Head of Gamecity Hamburg).
In addition to a convincing presentation of the project and the team members, the experts evaluated the submitted projects according to further criteria such as promotion of young talent, team, market potential and location effect for Hamburg.
Prototype funding from Gamecity Hamburg
In 2020, the funding program already supported the development of seven prototypes with a total of 430,000 euros.
All information on prototype funding in Hamburg can be found at: www.gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/.
The next application phase for prototype funding 2022 will start directly after the Hamburg Games Conference on March 4, 2022. The application phase for the second funding round in 2022 will start directly after gamescom.
Those who would like to discuss prototype funding and other funding programs for the games industry more intensively are cordially invited to do so on the Gamecity Hamburg Discord server: https://discord.gg/gamecityhamburg.
Further funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
With its support and funding program Games Lift Incubator, Gamecity Hamburg supports five teams per year with up to 15,000 euros and a three-month coaching and mentoring program by experienced, international experts from the games industry.
For the teams participating in the Games Lift Incubator in 2021, the intensive phase of their participation in the program will end on December 2 with the “Games Lift Graduation” event.
Guests can register to participate in the Graduation event via live stream or on-site. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite: https://games-lift-graduation-2021.eventbrite.de/
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Balkan's
CT Interactive launches Diamond Tree Jackpot on Inbet in Bulgaria
CT Interactive has launched the Diamond Tree Jackpot on Inbet in Bulgaria, marking another important step in the company’s expansion across regulated European markets. The multi-currency jackpot system combines some of CT Interactive’s most successful slot titles into an engaging progressive jackpot experience, offering players enhanced entertainment and greater winning opportunities.
The Diamond Tree Jackpot portfolio features ten of CT Interactive’s popular slot games: 20 Mega Slot, 20 Star Party, 40 Mega Slot, 40 Treasures, Chilli Fruits, Lord of Luck, Lucky Clover, Moon Lord, Mystic Moon and Win Storm.
“Diamond Tree Jackpot brings together diverse gameplay, progressive jackpot mechanics, and multi-currency support, creating a versatile solution that appeals to a broad range of players. It is designed to help operators increase engagement, extend session durations, and achieve sustainable growth through seamless integration and player-focused features,” said Martin Ivanov, Chief Operating Officer of CT Interactive.
“The integration of Diamond Tree Jackpot further strengthens Inbet’s offering with a proven, high-impact jackpot solution. This jackpot features top-performing titles that players know and enjoy, combined with progressive mechanics, aligning perfectly with our strategy to deliver dynamic and rewarding gaming experiences,” said Vasil Parvanov, Team Lead Commercial Managers at CT Interactive.
Irena Nikolova, Casino Manager at Inbet, said: “We are delighted to introduce Diamond Tree Jackpot to our players. Together with CT Interactive, we remain committed to bringing high-quality gaming experiences and expanding our portfolio with engaging new products.”
The launch of the Diamond Tree Jackpot on Inbet in Bulgaria further strengthens CT Interactive’s presence across Europe and reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering premium gaming content and engaging jackpot solutions to regulated markets worldwide.
The post CT Interactive launches Diamond Tree Jackpot on Inbet in Bulgaria appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Artificial Intelligence
LSports and gripAI Launch Play Insurance
LSports, the world-leading provider of real-time sports data solutions, and gripAI, the artificial-intelligence company behind a new class of real-time betting products, announced a collaboration to bring Play Insurance to sportsbook operators worldwide.
Play Insurance is a bet-insurance product that lets players protect a bet for a small, AI-calculated premium. Insured players are paid back regardless of outcome, with the amount scaled to how close the bet came to winning based on match statistics. For operators, it opens a new revenue stream on top of existing handle and turns the near-miss — the single most frustrating moment in betting — into a reason for players to stay in the game.
“Retention is one of the hardest problems our operators face, and the near-miss is where they lose players. Play Insurance turns that exact moment into loyalty and a new revenue line, without giving anything away. It’s a genuinely new category, and pairing gripAI’s technology with our reach and our data gives operators something no one else offers today,” said Yoav Ziv, CRO at Lsports.
The product is powered by gripAI’s proprietary, patented pricing engine, trained on over 2.5 billion bets, which calculates every premium in real time based on live odds, the number of selections and user’s profile. Because premiums are priced per player and per bet rather than through flat, one-size cashback offers, operators keep control of their margin while giving players a genuinely tailored product. It also works alongside existing tools such as Cash Out: a player can cash out a bet and keep their insurance in play.
Play Insurance drives both engagement and retention where it matters most: 37% of players take the insurance offer, and 39% of insured players purchase insurance again.
“Betting has always been all-or-nothing, and that’s exactly what we set out to change. Our AI prices protection fairly and instantly for every bet, and with LSports as our distribution partner, we can bring it to operators around the world at the speed the industry moves “ said Tal Hayon, CEO at gripAI.
The post LSports and gripAI Launch Play Insurance appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Africa
Playson partners with Hollywoodbets for South Africa slots rollout
Playson has partnered with South African operator Hollywoodbets to roll out a selection of its slot titles to players in South Africa’s regulated market, the company said on 20th July 2026.
Under the deal, Hollywoodbets will integrate Playson content via Light & Wonder’s aggregation platform. The operator said the addition will broaden its “live games” portfolio.
The initial rollout includes Coin Strike: Hold and Win, Thunder Coins: Hold and Win, Thunder Coins XXL: Hold and Win, Diamonds Power: Hold and Win, Energy Coins: Hold and Win and 3 Carts of Gold: Hold and Win, with more releases planned.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “Partnering with Hollywoodbets represents another important milestone in our African growth strategy. As one of South Africa’s household names, Hollywoodbets offers an outstanding platform through which we can introduce our high-performing portfolio to an even wider audience.
“We are confident our games will resonate strongly with players, and we look forward to building a successful long-term partnership together.”
Wayde Dorkin, Head of Product at Hollywoodbets, said: “Playson’s portfolio has earned an excellent reputation for delivering engaging gameplay and consistent results across regulated markets, making it a valuable addition to our product offering.
“We are always looking to enhance the entertainment experience available to our players, and we are delighted to welcome a selection of Playson’s top-performing titles to the Hollywoodbets platform.”
The post Playson partners with Hollywoodbets for South Africa slots rollout appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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