// Seven Perth gaming studios have been awarded $5000 grants to travel to global gaming conferences.
The International Access Pass (IAP) is a monetary travel grant, part of the Department of Jobs, Science, Industry and Innovation’s Games Industry Pilot.
Originally announced in 2018, the pilot is designed to help develop and grow the local games innovators and startups, with recipients from various industries, from educational, through to visual effects and animation.
The grant includes up to $5,000 for individuals, or up to $10,000 for teams of two to travel to major games industry conferences.
Off to London
One of the awardees for 2020 is Arility’s David Gribble and Ian Sloan.
The Maylands-based firm is part of the Constable Care Child Safety Foundation’s world first augmented reality (AR) road safety app for children.
Arility was a finalist in last year’s WA Innovator of the Year Program, as well as Pitch at the Palace, and is a graduate from Curtin Ignition program.
The Arility app helps children learn road safety at their own pace through interacting with augmented reality characters, running simply on a tablet device without additional special equipment.
Currently available free on Apple and Android, Arility will be attending The Bett Show, in London – an annual trade show promoting information technology in education.
Making the Right Connections
The opportunities available at these conferences can be invaluable.
Some of the 2019 recipients of the grant made connections that lead to funding:
“Last year’s Teamed Up Award Winners – Nick Lowe and Minh Tran from Perth-based Hungry Sky – received an investment offer to develop their game Nekograms through the connections they made through this program.”
The Hon. Dave Kelly MLA, Minster for Innovation and ICT.
2020 Recipients
- Superstar Award: for people who offer a great product ready for global production and can deliver business results – Natalie Marinho, Benjamin White and David McDonnell;
- Trailblazer Award: for women who inspire other women and girls to develop their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills – Amy Doherty;
- New Horizon Award: for people to apply their technologies in other sectors – Natalie Marinho and David McDonnell; and
- Teamed Up Awards: for a team of two who need to travel together to make their mission succeed – Andrew and Erin West, Ryan Gardner and Fiona Bartholomaeus and David Gribble and Ian Sloan.
For more information about the grant please go to: https://www.newindustries.wa.gov.au/iap
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Main image from Pexels
