Kajaani is known as a city of game business and education. The development and growth of Kajaani’s game industry began when Kajaani University of Applied Sciences began education in the game industry as the first higher education institution in Finland. Currently, the combined turnover of gaming companies from Kajaani in relation to the city’s population is at the top of the world.
In order to accelerate the growth of the game industry, the city of Kajaani and KAMK, in cooperation with game companies, have launched the three-year #GameCity Kajaani project, the goal of which is to generate new successful game industry companies in the region and put a stamp of Kajaani on the world map of game development.
The #GameCity Kajaani project improves the conditions for establishment of new companies
#GameCity Kajaani follows the footsteps of the Kitka Games and Critical Force game companies, and focuses on creating the conditions for the establishment of new successful game companies, improving growth opportunities and developing the community spirit of the region’s game industry.
The City of Kajaani will finance the project for three years with 250,000 euros per year, including two areas:
- Development and organization of gaming education at Kajaani University of Applied Sciences in such a way that it supports the creation of gaming students’ own gaming businesses (budget €100,000/year).
- Supporting and helping early-stage gaming companies out of the early stages and growing and strengthening Kajaani’s gaming ecosystem so that companies operating in the area have the opportunity to grow and develop (budget €150,000/year).
“GameCity Kajaani was born in cooperation between the city and the gaming industry, and it promotes the strengthening of Kajaani in the global gaming industry. The project emphasizes the unique competitive advantage of the Finnish gaming industry: the sense of community and the warm-hearted culture of the Finnish gaming industry, which create a healthy growth platform for international expertise in Kajaani as well. This project shows that Kajaani is ready to rise to the top of the game industry and attract the best players in the game industry to its ecosystem around the world in the future,” continues #GameCity Kajaani’s project manager Joonas Pylvinen.
“This project is a real demonstration of strength for the future of the region. With its help, new companies and jobs are created, creating community, funding and training opportunities for the gaming industry in Kajaani. The project raises the visibility of the area, bringing vitality and well-being to the entire community,” says Critical Force’s Veli-Pekka Piirainen.