Girls Make Games
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Girls Make Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Girls Make Games
- Legal name
- LearnDistrict Inc.
- Website
- https://girlsmakegames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Girls Make Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Game Development Education
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Game Development (Unity, Unreal, 2D/3D) (EDAMACAE), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)
Keywords
Where Girls Make Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Girls Make Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Camp Tuition: In-person and virtual summer camp fees. In-person camps $2,300 for 3 weeks (LA camp free), virtual camps $1,650 for 3 weeks. Need-based scholarships available up to 100% coverage.
- Fellowship Program: Stipends for camp counselors, coordinators, tech leads, and artists. Fellowship provides participants insider industry view, teaching opportunities, networking, and coaching. Stipends range from $2,000-$2,200 for counselors, $25 per art piece for artists.
- Android Launchpad Program: Provides $13K funding to qualifying studios for Android porting, with mentorship and Google Play store support.
- Partnership Programs: Corporate partnerships with gaming companies (Sony, Xbox, Nintendo, Crystal Dynamics) providing venue hosting, industry access, and program support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | In-Person Summer Camps (3 weeks) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Virtual Summer Camps (3 weeks) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Fellowship Stipend |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Android Launchpad Track 2 Funding |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Android Launchpad Track 1 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Girls Make Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Girls Make Games operates a portfolio of educational programs including in-person and virtual 3-week summer camps, an annual Demo Day pitch competition, a Summer Fellowship, game design contests, mobile game publishing support, and free online game development resources—all focused on teaching game design, programming, art, and publishing to girls and non-binary youth ages 8-18. Programs cover multiple game engines (Construct 3, Unity, Unreal, Stencyl) and include pathways to published titles on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Google Play. Need-based scholarships are available up to 100% through the affiliated GMG Scholarship Fund, a registered 501(c)(3) charity.
Product overview
Girls Make Games is an educational organization offering a portfolio of programs designed to inspire girls and non-binary youth ages 8-18 to explore game development. The core offerings include in-person and virtual 3-week Summer Camps (the flagship program now in its 13th year), the Demo Day international pitch competition, and the GMG Game Design Contest. Supporting programs include the Summer Fellowship (18+) for industry mentorship, the GMG Portal as an online resource hub, the GMG Android Launchpad Program for mobile game publishing, GMG Safer Play Online (with Sony Interactive Entertainment), GMG: Extended Edition for adult women, and GMG Around the World for free international workshops. Educational resources include game development tutorials using Construct 3, Unity, Unreal, and Stencyl engines plus publishing guides for Google Play and Xbox. The GMG Scholarship Fund provides financial aid, and published game titles from camp alumni are available across major platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GMG Fellowship Program: Summer Fellowship for adults 18+ providing insider industry access, teaching/mentoring opportunities, and career building resources.
- GMG Portal
- GMG: Extended Edition
- GMG Around the World
- GMG Safer Play Online
- Change the Game
- GMG Android Launchpad Program
Products and services
- GMG Summer Camps (In-Person) A 3-week intensive in-person summer program teaching game design and programming to girls and non-binary kids ages 8-18, hosted at partner company venues including DigiPen Institute of Technology, Crystal Dynamics, Zynga, Duke University, PlayStation HQ, and Xbox HQ. Tuition is $2,300 for 3 weeks with need-based scholarships available up to 100%.
- GMG Virtual Summer Camps A 3-week virtual summer program accessible globally via Zoom for girls and non-binary kids ages 8-18. Tuition is $1,650 for 3 weeks with need-based scholarships and payment plans available.
- Demo Day An international pitch competition where top game creators from GMG summer camps present their games to industry expert judges, with Grand Prize Winners receiving prizes sponsored by GMG's partners including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Crystal Dynamics.
- GMG Summer Fellowship Program A program for adults 18+ providing insider industry access, opportunities to teach game development by mentoring kids at camp, and networking and coaching opportunities. Includes roles such as Camp Counselor (stipend $2,000-$2,200), Camp Coordinator, Tech Lead, and Camp Artist ($25 per art piece).
- GMG Game Design Contest A creativity competition inviting girls and non-binary kids ages 8-18 to submit game ideas without coding. Teen winners receive mentorship to develop prototypes; Jr. winners receive prize packages.
- GMG Android Launchpad Program A program offering financial support, mentorship, and guidance to developers bringing games to the Google Play Store. Includes Track 1 (no-cost hands-off porting by GMG partners) and Track 2 ($13K funding for hands-on porting). Targets underrepresented developers.
- GMG: Extended Edition A workshop initiative for women over 18 looking to explore game development in a safe and supportive environment, teaching prototyping of simple 2D platformers using Construct 3, Unity, and Unreal engines.
- GMG Around the World A free community workshop initiative bringing game-making workshops to girls worldwide, teaching students from 160+ cities how to create platformer games in Construct 3 through community partners.
- GMG Safer Play Online An initiative in partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment providing educational content for kids and families about navigating online safety in gaming environments, including workshops, media, and at-home activities covering topics like recognizing online harassment and protecting privacy.
- GMG Published Game Titles Published games created by GMG camp participants including The Hole Story (2014), Interfectorem (2015), BlubBlub: Quest of the Blob (2016), Find Me (2017), Shredded Secrets (2018), and What They Don't Sea (2019), available on Steam, Itch.io, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Google Play.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,100+ girls have made games through GMG programs
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Girls Make Games
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Girls Make Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Girls Make Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)corePartnership for GMG Safer Play Online initiative to help kids and parents navigate online gaming safety. Also hosts summer camps at PlayStation HQ, organizes Demo Day events (2017-2019), provides industry mentors and guest speakers, and supports workshops through Media Molecule's Dreams.
- Xbox (Microsoft)coreXbox has hosted GMG's flagship 3-week summer camp for 4 summers, with campers meeting female industry role models like Helen Chiang (Head of Minecraft Studios) and Katy Jo Wright. Xbox provides venue, industry access, and prize sponsorship.
- Crystal DynamicscoreHosts GMG summer camps at Crystal Dynamics Studios. Provides industry judges for Demo Day competitions and hosts workshops with studio professionals.
- Nintendo of AmericacorePartnership for GMG summer camps, Demo Day prize sponsorship, and special events like Game Builder Garage workshops. Nintendo has featured GMG in various community initiatives.
- Unity TechnologiescorePartnership for Unity Game Design Contest, offering mentorship and prizes for teen winners to develop prototypes in Unity. Unity provides software platform and contest sponsorship.
- Google PlaycoreChange the Game Design Challenge partnership where GMG worked with Top 5 Teen Finalists to produce, develop and launch their games on Google Play. GMG Android Launchpad Program provides funding and mentorship for mobile porting.
- IGDA FoundationminorPartnership for Unlikely Collaborators Game Jam, a nationwide creative challenge for developers. IGDA Foundation co-sponsors the Girls Make Games Scholarship Fund.
- SuperSoulminorPorting partner for GMG Android Launchpad Program. Helps developers bring their games to Google Play Store through hands-off porting track.
- DigiPen Institute of TechnologyminorVenue host for GMG summer camps at DigiPen's campus in Redmond, WA (9931 Willows Rd NE, Redmond, WA 98052).
- Duke UniversityminorVenue host for GMG summer camps in Durham, NC.
- Zynga Inc.minorVenue host for GMG summer camps at Zynga's campus in San Mateo, CA (1200 Park Place, San Mateo, CA 94403).
- Humble BundleminorEvent sponsor providing prizes for Demo Day competitions.
- Epic GamesminorEvent sponsor and industry partner hosting exclusive events and panels for GMG Fellows.
- Take-Two InteractiveminorEvent sponsor and industry partner hosting exclusive panels and events for GMG Fellows.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Girls Make Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Girls Make Games social profiles
Digital presenceGirls Make Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Girls Make Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Girls Make Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Girls Make Games M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Girls Make Games
What does Girls Make Games do?
Girls Make Games operates a portfolio of educational programs including in-person and virtual 3-week summer camps, an annual Demo Day pitch competition, a Summer Fellowship, game design contests, mobile game publishing support, and free online game development resources—all focused on teaching game design, programming, art, and publishing to girls and non-binary youth ages 8-18. Programs cover multiple game engines (Construct 3, Unity, Unreal, Stencyl) and include pathways to published titles on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Google Play. Need-based scholarships are available up to 100% through the affiliated GMG Scholarship Fund, a registered 501(c)(3) charity.
Is Girls Make Games a public or private company?
Girls Make Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Girls Make Games founded?
Girls Make Games was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Girls Make Games based?
Girls Make Games is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Girls Make Games make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Camp Tuition is the primary driver. The others are fellowship Program, android Launchpad Program and partnership Programs.
Does Girls Make Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Girls Make Games.
What industry is Girls Make Games in?
Girls Make Games's product category is Game Development Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMALAD, Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps, with a secondary code of EDAMACAE, Game Development (Unity, Unreal, 2D/3D). Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.