Abertay Prototype Fund invests in small games companies

Abertay Prototype Fund

The £5m Prototype Fund run by the University of Abertay has awarded £225,000 across nine budding computer games companies.

Successful recipients of the £25,000 grants include brand new companies run by graduates, mobile phone and social game specialists and firms that provide audio engineering and voiceover recording services.

The university said all 47 applicants for this round of funding were assessed against "tough commercial criteria".

Chosen companies include Adamant Studios, Atomicom, Bigyama, Euphonious, NoodlFroot, Outsource Media UK and Proper Games. The two other recipients are still undergoing due dilligence.

Paul Durrant, director of business development at Abertay University, said: "By investing directly in these businesses, Abertay University is giving them the opportunity to develop a prototype – either to take to market, or to secure additional private investment.

“This is a very different and very important role for Abertay University to take, further developing our support for the computer games industry which has such enormous economic potential for the UK. The Prototype Fund is part of our continuing campaign to improve the availability of working capital and grow the talent base.”

Five of the companies have chosen to work in the university's protoyping studio space.