In previous years, the Level Upstate Summer Program has functioned as a six-week intensive incubator for game developers looking to commercialize their creative ideas.
Beginning in Summer 2023, Level Upstate will be moving away from this existing model and restructured as a year-long game development mentorship program. Accepted participants will spend twelve months working in person and remotely with a rotating team of mentors comprised of faculty in the Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences (GSAS) Program at RPI and professional game developers and partners local to the Capital Region. In the process, participants will pitch, prototype, and playtest their primary projects while simultaneously working to refine their understanding of the market and specific business goals and strategies.
General Information and Requirements
Application Deadline: Monday, May 15 at 11:59pm
Round 1 Notifications: Monday, May 22 by 11:59pm
Round 2 Interviews: Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9
Round 2 Notifications: Friday, June 16 by 11:59pm
Program Start: Monday, July 10, 2023 at 9:00am
Program End: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 11:59pm
Level Upstate is open to all residents of New York State or students, companies, and teams with significant business involvement in New York State. Participants can be at any stage in the game development process – they may be at the early concept stage, or have a product in development, or have released games already. We look for applicants with evidence of strong team dynamic and potential for success. Solo developer applications will also be considered.
Please note that participation this year will be limited to a maximum of four teams. Evaluation will be divided into two rounds consisting of an initial application review (i.e., Round 1) and a remote interview with faculty mentors (i.e., Round 2). All applicants will be notified of the status of their application at the conclusion of Round 1. Only select applicants will be chosen to advance to Round 2.
Participants Will Receive:
- Maximum of $15,000.00 per team.
Note: Stipend amounts are no longer based on team size. All teams will be eligible for the maximum amount of funding, but final numbers will be determined by the state of the project at the interview stage.
Application Form
Please use the Google Form to submit your application.