A string of growing Tees Valley gaming firms have crossed the Atlantic and forged closer ties with global giants thanks to a helping hand from an export fund.
Leaders from Tanglewood Games, Cardboard Sword, Observer Interactive, Radical Forge, and accountancy firm Abacus Bean attended the GDC Festival of Gaming in San Francisco last month with support from the Tees Valley Export Fund.
Radical Forge, based in Middlesbrough’s Boho One, has grown to a team of more than 65 people since forming in 2017.
With support from the Combined Authority through the Export Fund, the firm was able to send a larger team to the international event.
Stephen Hey of Radical Forge said: "This meant we could cover more meetings and support our most important pitches with two or three team members.
"This displayed real commitment and made the pitches so much stronger.
"As well as several key pitches for the company, we also met with new potential clients and partners – not only looking to secure direct funding but also exploring partnerships that would allow Radical Forge to access IP from key media players.
"Among the companies we met were Krafton, Netflix, Microsoft, Mattel, and Amazon Games – a smaller team could not have met that many core players in the industry."
The Tees Valley Export Fund is part of a programme funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
It offers financial support to businesses either starting out on their export journey or looking to grow or diversify their export activities.
Ben Houchen, Tees Valley mayor, said: "It’s brilliant to see our region’s world-leading gaming sector making waves around the globe.
"We’ve got some incredibly talented and ambitious businesses here in Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool – and this support is all about helping them grow, create jobs, and bring investment back into our region.
"By backing firms through our Export Fund and Investment Zone, we’re showing we’re serious about putting our region on the map as a place where digital and creative firms can thrive."
The export success comes as the Tees Valley Investment Zone continues to gather momentum.
Backed with £80 million, the zone aims to accelerate economic development in high-potential industries, particularly digital and creative sectors.
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Chris Cooke, mayor of Middlesbrough and TVCA cabinet member for inward investment, housing, and finance, said: "To have our companies growing in confidence, building international connections and showing the strength of Middlesbrough’s digital sector on the world stage is wonderful to see.
"Our creative and gaming industries are a big strength in both our town and the wider region, and it’s important we continue to support them to grow and compete on the global stage.
"Opportunities like this help raise our profile around the world, build on our strengths, and attract even more investment."
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