Start, Scale, Ship: Making Games, Finding Money

How do you actually fund a game today—and what makes sense at each stage of development?

This panel breaks down the real-world funding options available to indie developers, from public support and game accelerators to publisher and investor deals, as well as alternatives like crowdfunding or early access.

Bringing together perspectives from across the ecosystem—including studios, incubator programs, and the newly emerging public support system—the discussion will dive into the trade-offs behind each path. What do you give up, what do you gain, and how do you choose between private funding (like incubators or publishers) and public support?

Why attend?

Get a clear picture of how game funding works today—and how to make smarter decisions for your own project.

Speakers: Tomáš Lupač (Associate, Havel & Partners), Petr Skornok (CEO / Producer, Hey Bird), Zdeněk Záhora (Game design and game research educator, Masaryk University)
Stage: Stage #05
Time slot: 45min
Summit: Temple of Law

Spawn Intelligence: AI in Development and Gameplay

AI is no longer just hype or a content-generation tool – it is becoming part of how games are designed, prototyped, and played. Its biggest impact lies not only in outputs, but in how it reshapes pipelines, iteration speed, and team workflows.

This workshop offers a practical look at where AI truly adds value in game development (production, design, NPCs, prototyping) and where it hits real limitations. We will focus on real-world experience – what works, what doesn’t, and why AI is not a “virtual employee” you can simply plug into existing workflows.

We will also cover key risks: ownership of AI outputs, use of training data, real-time generated content in gameplay, and the resulting impact on players, communities, and relationships with platforms and publishers.

A key theme will be the human factor – why, as AI grows, so does the importance of curation, design intuition, and the “human touch” players expect.

Why attend?

Get a realistic, practical view of AI in gaming – what actually helps today and what to watch out for to avoid breaking your project or your player relationships.

Speakers: Nikita Fesyukov (Associate, Havel & Partners), Martin Pernica (Co-Founder, Flying Rat Studio), Jonty Cowan (Consultant, Wiggin LLP)
Stage: Stage #05
Time slot: 45min
Summit: Temple of Law

Game Dev Law: The Tutorial Level

Most indie studios underestimate intellectual property rights – and available statistics confirm this. Yet these rights can make or break an entire project. This workshop will walk you through who actually owns the individual parts of a game, how to properly structure collaboration with your team, and what to watch out for when distributing on global platforms. We will also address key practical questions around protecting your rights – from takedown processes to defending against unauthorized claims.

Why attend?

Because one small legal mistake at the beginning of development can destroy your entire game project – and this workshop will help you avoid it.

Speakers: Tomáš Havelka (Managing Associate, HAVEL & PARTNERS), Michal Kandráč (Senior Legal Counsel, Tripledot Studios)
Stage: Stage #05
Time slot: 45min
Summit: Temple of Law