CODE FUNDING IS NOW AVAILABLE
CODE Funding aims to support the Aotearoa - New Zealand game development ecosystem by assisting diverse creators and studios to develop digital game prototypes, found new studios or expand existing companies’ ambitions.
CODE is funded by the Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit for the Dunedin regional programme, with Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) funding the CODE's nationwide expansion, with an explicit remit to build the capacity of start-up businesses to drive innovation, revenue and jobs in the game development sector.
CODE has also introduced Travel Grants, a form of grant with two rounds per annum. Click here to find out more.
KickStart and StartUp funding
The 2024 CODE National Funding Programme Kickstart and StartUp (Round 9) Expressions of Interest are now open (see below).
A separate CODE Ōtepoti-Dunedin Funding Programme (Round 10) is scheduled to open in 2025.
Details of the results for the previous rounds of CODE Funding can be found here.
HOW TO APPLY
Click on the Expression of Interest buttons to lodge an EOI. Kickstart and StartUp are available in a round by round format, whereas Service Start is on-demand and available to apply for at any time (subject to CODE discretion).
Round 9 National Funding has now closed. Expressions of Interest for Round 10 (Ōtepoti- Dunedin) funding programme will open in January 2025.
An Expression of Interest form must be completed before proceeding to a full application.
See the CODE Funding Application Writing Guide for assessment requirements.
AVAILABLE FUNDS
KICKSTART
Range: $10,000 - $40,000
Are you an individual and/or small team wanting to create innovative, working game prototypes that have “found the fun” – with a functioning core gameplay loop ready to attract further funding or external investment?
If you think this is you and you're based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, check out the KickStart Funding Summary of Information and Terms and Conditions. The next Ōtepoti Dunedin funding programme (Round 10) Expressions of Interest is scheduled to open in January 2025.
If you think this is you and you are NOT based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, the next National funding programme (Round 11) Expressions of Interest will open in March 2025. For National funding applications, please refer to the National KickStart Funding Summary of Information and Terms and Conditions.
An Expression of Interest form must be completed before proceeding to a full application.
STARTUP
Range: $50,000 - $150,000
Perhaps you have extensive experience working for a game dev company and are now looking to travel under your own steam. Perhaps you have an indigenous story to tell interactively. Perhaps you have worked with one or two other experienced devs for a while on outside-of-work projects or game jams, and you want to coalesce as a partnership to realise a shared vision with great commercial prospects. Perhaps you have launched, failed and learned from a previous self-funded venture. Maybe you’re a more senior academic with a serious game idea ripe for commercialisation.
We want to help talented people with vision, from a diverse range of backgrounds, start great games companies in Aotearoa - New Zealand.
If you think this is you and you're based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, check out the StartUp Funding Summary of Information and Terms and Conditions. The next Ōtepoti Dunedin funding programme (Round 10) Expressions of Interest is scheduled to open in January 2025.
If you think this is you and you are NOT based in Ōtepoti Dunedin, the next National funding programme (Round 11) Expressions of Interest will open in March 2025. For National funding applications, please refer to the National StartUp Funding Summary of Information and Terms and Conditions.
An Expression of Interest form must be completed before proceeding to a full application.
SCALEUP
Range: $75,000 - $250,000
For businesses that have already shipped titles and are looking to grow and expand their teams and ambition, CODE offers the ScaleUp grant. CODE is currently focused on early-stage companies seeking to take the next step in the growth of their businesses, markets and product offerings. The main aim of ScaleUp is to help increase permanent team-size as part of their ongoing growth and economic development. To apply, a business needs to have already shipped at least one product and be preparing to add staff for a new endeavour.
If you think this is you, check out the ScaleUp Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Please note that nation-wide Expressions of Interest in this category are being filed for future reference, but ScaleUp applications are currently not being processed.
Submit your Expression of Interest anytime.
SERVICE START*
Range: $10,000 - $50,000
*Please note, applications in this category are for Dunedin based providers only or providers wishing to relocate to Dunedin. A separate national Service Start programme (which excludes Dunedin providers) may be opened in future, but for the time being the national focus necessarily remains on early stage studios entering the market with games.
We are aiming to support new or young businesses in the video game industry that are providing tools or technical services for game developers – aside from CODE’s usual game content funding programmes. These businesses can provide employment, build community capability, and create new pathways for recent graduates into the globally-expanding video game industry.
If you think this is you, check out the Service Start Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
TRAVEL GRANTS
Range: Up to $8,000
Game developers reach a point where they are looking for commercialisation partners, need to build external relationships both nationally and internationally and may be seeking international publishing engagements. The reality is that even with the world of online pitching over apps like Zoom or Teams, with the world re-opening, pitching at large industry events has returned and these events offer a concentration of influential potential partners.
We are looking to support Aotearoa New Zealand based teams to achieve commercialisation outcomes by supporting them with travel grants. A new round of CODE Travel Grants will re-open to applicants nationally across Aotearoa New Zealand in October 2024, with expressions of interest open for two weeks only.
If you think this is you, please check the Travel Grant Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Expressions of Interest for Round 5 Travel Grant funding will open October 2024, with a focus on travel to GDC, San Francisco in March 2025. Gamescom-focused Travel Grants (Round 6) will open in April 2025.
CODE SUPPORTED PROJECTS
