GDC Festival of Gaming is part of the Informa Festivals Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

March 9-13, 2026
Moscone CenterSan Francisco, CA

Agenda

Press Startup: How to Raise Serious Funds, Ship Killer Products and Build Lasting Value like a Tech Business

Paul Kilduff-Taylor  (CEO, Mode 7)
Ian Hardingham  (CTO, Oxford Brain Diagnostics)
Gina Jackson  (Co-Founder, Pitchify)
John Graham  (Founder, Elbow Grease Games)
Oscar Clark  (Author, Arcanix)
Location: Room 2016, West Hall
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Pass Type: Festival Pass, Game Changer Pass - Get your pass now!
Audience Level: All
Track: Business Strategy
Format: Microtalks
Vault Recording: Video
Audience Level: All

Why do trending tech companies seem to attract extravagant funding where viable games studios can struggle? Does the tech world really know anything we don't and - if so - can we steal their ideas?

This is a unique opportunity to hear from veteran games professionals who have made the treacherous leap into tech, working on everything from world-class distribution platforms to pioneering medical technology.

Find out what the startup ecosystem can teach the games industry about funding, pitching, product management, exit strategies and more. The panel will even probe the most unspeakable question of all: should you consider starting a tech business yourself?

Takeaway

Attendees will gain concrete and practical insight into the business building, funding, and operational strategies used by tech startups.

They will have the opportunity to think about their games business in a broader context, evolving beyond a pure product focus to longer-term concerns.

Intended Audience

This is a general session suitable for anyone in a commercial or operational role, including indie developers and studio founders. It may be of particular interest to anyone looking to develop a product or service element to their business alongside pure game development.