Galaxy Fund, a Community-Led Game Prototype Grant

From nothing to something, a prototype grant focused on the earliest stage of development.

 

Sometimes the initial barriers are the hardest to overcome. My name is Evva Karr and I’ve heard it all before when launching projects like HyperDot and more -- “it’s too risky,” “the market is unproven,” or “talk to us when you’re closer to launch.” There’s always an excuse and most people aren’t interested in financing bold new ideas and early stage experiments -- especially from BIPOC, women, and queer founders.

 

Equity begins at the foundership level and the Galaxy Fund has been created to address this financing gap for BIPOC, women, and queer-led studios. Starting right now with a $100,000 raise for a fierce group of 10 creators.

 

The funding will be given as an unrestricted prototype grant for each person to use however they see fit for themselves and their business -- child care, hardware, software, part-time staff, coaching, legal, therapy.

 

Let’s fund the next prototypes for these exceptional artists and wait at the edge of our seats for the groundbreaking worlds they will build and share with us.

 

I’ll be personally matching up to $10,000 again this time around and encourage those who can do the same to reach out to me and pledge as well. Let’s make this happen y’all!!


MEET THE RECIPIENTS 
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*Saffron Bolduc Chiong *
Art Director, Mighty Yell

Saffron Bolduc-Chiong is a Canadian artist and game developer based in Toronto. She has experience as an artist for video games, comics, illustration, and 2D/3D asset creation. 


*Francesca Carletto Leon *
Founder & Game Developer at Compact

Francesca Carletto-Leon is an award winning game designer and educator whose work encompasses digital, tabletop, and alternative controller style projects. She holds an MFA in Game Design from New York University.
 

*Bahiyya Khan *
Game Designer, Writer and Filmmaker

Bahiyya Khan is a multiple award-winning South African game designer, writer, and filmmaker. Khan is most notably known for her IGF-winning FMV game, after HOURS, but more importantly, is the biggest My Chemical Romance fan.


*Emma Kidwell *
Writer, Firaxis

Emma Kidwell is a writer and narrative designer who’s work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian, Game Developers of Color Expo, and Wordplay. Kidwell was listed as one of Forbes 30 under 30 for games in 2021 and has been profiled by the New York Times.


*Christina Antoinette Neofotistou *
Game Developer and Pixel Artist

Christina-Antoinette Neofotistou is a Greek illustrator, pixel artist, and game artist.


*Jessinia Saunders*
Founder at Jellyfish Parade

Jessinia Saunders is creating games by weaving dreams with written wefts. She’s a writer who specializes in romance and the creator of Celestia, PAIRS, and many more through her studio Jellyfish Parade.
 

*John Hamilton Smith V  (Star)*
Composer | Slide20XX, Games Without Words

John is a composer who decided to write music for games at 13 years of age and hasn’t stopped since. Their work has appeared in a massively multiplayer online Neuroscience game, one of the world’s most popular virtual reality games, and a compilation album or two.


*Catherine Unge r*
Art Director

Catherine Unger is an Art Director / Illustrator based in the sunny town of London. She has spent the last 11+ years making art for a number of award winning games and has been previously named BAFTA Breakthrough, Ensemble and Apple’s Ones to Watch.
 

*Nareice Wint *
Game Director & Art Director, Miami Avalon

Nareice Wint is the Game Director at Miami Avalon; their first title – Pandora: Chains of Chaos – released in 2020, development has now started on their new title: Ascend. Nareice was listed in MCVs “30 Under 30 (2020)” and named one of “GamesInudstry.biz’s 100 most influential women” in games.


*Shandiin Woodward *
Co-Founder & Art Director at Subliminal

Shandiin is a Diné game developer and multidisciplinary designer from Albuquerque, NM. She Co-Founded Subliminal, where she spearheads her studio’s projects and crafts colorful worlds and characters. She has 10+ years experience in her artistic career and specializes in stylized game art and multimedia design.
 

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If you or someone you know deserves a future grant through the Galaxy Fund, please be sure to nominate them here 


A special thank you to Alanna Smith and Delaney Novinka  for helping out on edits and outreach!