BFI announces recipients of IBD awards, launches new funding stream for UK devs

The BFI has announced the recipients of its International Business Development (IBD) awards and introduced a new funding stream to support video game marketing efforts.

This follows an increase in the annual budget for its UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF), funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), from £7 million to over £18 million for its 2026–2029 strategic plan.

The latest batch of IBD awards, totalling £2.07 million across the screen sector, includes grants for five UK independent games companies.

These non-recoupable grants, ranging from £50,000 to £200,000, support business strategies that drive international growth and IP development.

The five studios to receive IBD funding are:

• Dlala Studios: Will hire a head of quality assurance, expand its development pipeline, and focus on original IP games
• Draknek & Friends: Is set to hire a publishing manager and increase marketing efforts to scale up as a publisher of puzzle titles
• Friday Sundae: Plans to use the funding to hire an international marketing manager, community manager, and localisation producer to expand its international reach and focus on original IP narrative games
• INCISIV: The Irish-based, female-founded studio aims to hire a marketing assistant to manage influencer relationships and support international sales for its immersive titles
• Newfangled Games: Will allocate funding towards hiring a business development lead to increase international sales and partnerships

Alongside this round of awards, the UKGSF has launched the Video Games Release funding stream to help UK game developers cover marketing, promotion, and localisation costs during release campaigns.

Grants of up to £50,000 are available, with applications open and assessed on a rolling basis.

The UKGSF has also introduced the Challenger award in April, which offers £50,000 in addition to an optional mentorship component for earlier-stage screen companies.

“This latest round of awards demonstrates the quality and diversity of our incredible independent screen sector, spanning film, TV, animation and games, across the UK,” said BFI director of UGSF and International Funds Denitsa Yordanova.

“The ambition of these companies in developing truly global growth strategies, and in striving to reach new international audiences, is exciting to see and it is so important that we continue to build on the UK’s strength in the global content marketplace, investing to support the screen sector in reaching its full potential.”