Program

Chief Operating Officer of the french video game development studio Evil Empire

​Philomena Schwab is a Swiss game designer and entrepreneur, who co-founded developer and future publisher Stray Fawn Studio.

Mauricio García seves as CEO and Producer at The Game Kitchen, an acclaimed indie studio based in Seville, Spain. With a background in programming, Mauricio has been instrumental in the development of notable titles such as The Last Door and the Blasphemous series.

Kevin Zuhn is a founding member of Young Horses Inc., where they've worked as the creative director and lead writer on indie darlings such as Octodad: Dadliest Catch (2014) and Bugsnax (2020).

Søren Lundgaard is a Danish game developer and entrepreneur, best known as the CEO and co-founder of Ghost Ship Games.

Sophie Atkin is a vital part of the UK indie gaming scene, known for her expertise in communications, marketing, and co-publishing. She co-founded Secret Sauce, a visibility agency dedicated to supporting indie and AA studios in areas like self-publishing, brand development, and strategic positioning.

Christian Nyhus Andreasen is a Danish game industry professional, who serves as interim COO at Fair Games and is Head of Incubation at Ideas Lab, Filmby Aarhus.

Ali Farha is an experienced Video Game Producer in the video game industry, currently serving as a Senior Technical Producer. Additionally, Ali Farha is a mentor at Futuregames, a game development school, where he shares insights into the role of a game producer and provides guidance to aspiring game industry professionals.

Manny Hachey is a business strategist and mentor in the indie game industry, currently leading the Xsolla Accelerator Program and serving as Creative Director for the young Hamburg-based indie studio Positive Impact Games. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in helping indie studios grow through smart operations, publisher relationships, and pitch refinement.

​René Habermann is a German indie game developer and co-founder of the studio Bippinbits, who developed Dome Keeper.

Jonas Tyroller is a German indie game developer at Grizzly Games GmbH and content creator known for his innovative games and engaging development content.​

Leonie Wolf works as a Senior Technical Animator at the Berlin-based indie studio Maschinen-Mensch, known for titles like The Curious Expedition 2. Furthermore she a vital figure in the German indie game industry, recognized for her multifaceted contributions as a technical animator and advocate for inclusivity.

Mariève Beauchemin is a key figure in Quebec's independent video game industry, currently serving as the Senior Director of Programs at Indie Asylum, a collaborative hub for indie game studios based in Montreal.

Andreas Suika is an experienced German game designer and creative director with over 24 years of experience in the video game industry. Suika has provided game design consultancy on various indie games and contributes regulary in mentoring aspiring game developers or lecturing at institutions like the Cologne Game Lab.

As project manager for Gamecity Hamburg, Margarete Schneider helped shape Portside Games Assembly as well as other projects like the Games Lift Incubator. Previously, she built up an international network in the games industry as Senior Product Manager, Publishing Scout, and Head of Sales.

Dennis Schoubye is Head of Gamecity Hamburg, the games funding initiative of the federal City of Hamburg. One top he is one of the main organisators of Portside Game Assembly and has an extensive network and knowledge in the German indie games industry.