A new national summit is giving Scotland’s next generation of games developers the tools to turn creativity into careers.
The Hello World! Scottish Students Startup Summit, led by the Scottish Games Network in partnership with the University of Glasgow’s Games & Gaming Lab and the Scottish Games Education Network, will bring together students, graduates, educators, and industry leaders to explore how Scotland can empower young entrepreneurs to build successful games businesses.
Supported by the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund, the one-day event is set to take place on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the state-of-the-art Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) Building at the University of Glasgow.
The summit will bring together 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students, recent graduates, and young people from across Scotland’s universities and colleges, studying games and adjacent technology sectors, linking them with representatives from education, enterprise, business, industry, and policymaking.
The announcement comes as new research from TIGA reveals undergraduate enrolment in UK games and animation courses has skyrocketed by 279% over the last decade, creating a massive, highly skilled talent pool that urgently requires entrepreneurial pathways. Hello World! is the perfect response, fulfilling the industry’s stated need for commercial and entrepreneurial skills.
The summit is designed to break down barriers to entrepreneurship, particularly for underrepresented groups and individuals transitioning from education, by providing practical skills, direct access to business support, and critical networking opportunities.
Hello World! will offer space for all of the startup, entrepreneurial and business support organisations across Scotland and the UK, the chance to showcase their services and meet the next generation of games entrepreneurs.
Educators, lecturers and heads of course/programme are also welcome to let them meet the business support organisations and ensure they have the contacts and context to help student entrepreneurs of the future.
Crucially, thanks to Ecosystem funding, the summit will also provide transport options to the venue and will incorporate an online/remote participation channel to ensure inclusion for students from remote areas, excluded communities, or those with accessibility needs.
“Our goal is to create the kindling for Scotland’s future creative and digital economies,” said Brian Baglow, the CEO of Scottish Games Network.
“The Hello World! Summit is an essential new event, bridging the gap between education, academic achievement and commercial reality. We’re not just offering inspiration; we’re providing a hands-on day to help our potential new entrepreneurs. We’re planning a co-founder finder session, direct access to every major support organisation they need to turn a brilliant idea into a sustainable – or even scalable – Scottish startup.”
Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland’s future economy will be shaped by the creativity and ambition of our young people, and I’m delighted that our Ecosystem Fund is supporting this event for Scotland’s future founders, helping develop the key business skills that will turn visions into the high-growth start-ups of the future.
“Scotland’s gaming industry is experiencing extraordinary growth that demonstrates our nation’s capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, and this dedicated initiative for the next generation of games and creative industry entrepreneurs will help continue this success.”
Students and recent graduates from all Scottish institutions are invited to register their interest now.
The summit will feature keynote speakers from Scottish games and tech founders, hands-on workshops, and a find a co-founder session.
The event is also seeking sponsors, with more information available here.