Bitforest
Bitforest is a Eugene, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs community events, game jams, and an annual indie game convention (Indie Game Con), plus a student game development internship serving Lane County high school students and local game industry mentors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersEugene, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bitforest does
Bitforest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, that builds and sustains the regional game development community in the southern Willamette Valley. The organization emerged from gatherings organized by former Dynamix and Garage Games employees to maintain professional connections after studio closures and has since grown into a recurring programming body. Bitforest serves three primary constituencies: local game developers and digital creators seeking community and skill-building, Lane County high school students from talented and gifted programs seeking professional development, and game industry professionals available as mentors and panelists.
Bitforest's offerings are organized around events and educational programs rather than technology products. Flagship offerings include IndieGameCon, an annual multi-day indie game developer convention; Wednesday morning coffee meetups for low-pressure networking; recurring game jam participation (Global Game Jam, Ludum Dare, First Wednesday Pizza Game Jams); and educational events covering coding, digital art, and audio engineering. The Student Game Development Internship, launched in 2021 in partnership with Connected Lane County and partially funded by the Oregon Community Foundation Chintimini Fund, selects three Lane County high school students per cohort for 300 hours of training plus 75 mentor hours, resulting in student-co-developed educational products.
The organization operates without commercial pricing. Revenue mechanics rely on individual donations collected through the Donorbox platform and philanthropic grants earmarked for specific programs. Bitforest markets itself through Facebook groups, a Meetup presence, its blog (covering Global Game Jam 2022/2023, Ludum Dare 50, and 2022 Summer Internship completion), and Indie Game Con itself. The core team is approximately five people, including Michael Jones and Ted Brown, and there is no evidence of VC/PE investment, M&A activity, or material headcount growth.
Bitforest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bitforest
- Legal name
- Bitforest
- Website
- https://bitforest.tech
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bitforest is a Eugene, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs community events, game jams, and an annual indie game convention (Indie Game Con), plus a student game development internship serving Lane County high school students and local game industry mentors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bitforest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Game Development Community Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Developer & Open-Source Communities (MPACAJAK)
Keywords
Where Bitforest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eugene
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bitforest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Bitforest accepts donations through Donorbox platform to support programs and initiatives such as the Student Game Development Internship. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and relies on community donations for operational funding.
- Grant Funding: Bitforest receives partial funding through grants such as the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) Chintimini Fund for specific programs like the Student Game Development Internship.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Bitforest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bitforest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that organizes and hosts community events and educational programs for game developers and enthusiasts in the Eugene, Oregon area. Its core offerings include the IndieGameCon annual convention, the Student Game Development Internship Program for Lane County high school students, recurring coffee meetups, skill-building educational events on coding, art, and audio engineering, and participation in game jams such as Global Game Jam and Ludum Dare.
Product overview
Bitforest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating in the Eugene, Oregon area that creates events and programs for local game developers and enthusiasts. The organization's offerings include IndieGameCon (an annual indie game convention), the Student Game Development Internship Program (training high school students in game development), Wednesday morning coffee meetups (social networking events), educational events covering coding, art, and audio engineering, and participation in game jams such as Global Game Jam and Ludum Dare. These products and services collectively support Bitforest's mission of building community connections between innovators, digital creators, learners, and teachers in the game development space.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 300 hours of internship training per student cohort
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bitforest
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bitforest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Bitforest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Connected Lane CountycoreConnected Lane County collaborates with Bitforest on the Student Game Development Internship program, handling student selection, maintaining communication with project partners, and supporting program administration. The partnership leverages Connected Lane County's network and administrative capabilities.
- Indie Game ConcoreIndie Game Con is Bitforest's flagship annual event - a multi-day convention for indie game developers. The event builds connections between innovators, digital artisans, and the wider community both locally and regionally.
- Lane County (LCC) and University of Oregon (UofO) FacultyminorLCC and UofO faculty have historically referred students to Bitforest's programs to help them prepare for careers with local game studios. This partnership supports the pipeline of talent into the regional game development ecosystem.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Bitforest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Global Game Jam: Global Game Jam is the international game jam event in which Bitforest regularly participates and helps organize locally, representing the same game-jam-driven community-building model.
- Indie MEGABOOTH: Indie MEGABOOTH helps independent game developers showcase their work at major conventions, comparable to Bitforest's Indie Game Con in supporting indie developer visibility and community building.
- IndieCade: IndieCade operates indie game festivals and events, directly comparable to Bitforest's Indie Game Con in serving the indie game developer community through convenings and showcases.
Broad incumbents
- DreamHack: DreamHack operates large-scale gaming festivals and esports events, comparable to Bitforest's Indie Game Con in hosting gaming community events but at much larger commercial scale.
- Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code is a large non-profit focused on closing the gender gap in tech through student programs and education, comparable to Bitforest's student internship in targeting youth for tech skill development.
- Code.org: Code.org is a major STEM/computer science education nonprofit, comparable to Bitforest in mission of expanding digital literacy and computer science access to students, though at vastly larger scale.
- International Game Developers Association (IGDA): IGDA is the largest global professional organization for game developers, comparable to Bitforest in serving as a community hub for developers but operating at significantly broader scale and global reach.
Emerging players
- AbleGamers Foundation: AbleGamers is a gaming-focused non-profit serving a niche community within gaming, comparable to Bitforest as a charitable organization leveraging the gaming ecosystem for social impact.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bitforest social profiles
Digital presenceBitforest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bitforest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Bitforest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bitforest 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 Bitforest
What does Bitforest do?
Bitforest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that organizes and hosts community events and educational programs for game developers and enthusiasts in the Eugene, Oregon area. Its core offerings include the IndieGameCon annual convention, the Student Game Development Internship Program for Lane County high school students, recurring coffee meetups, skill-building educational events on coding, art, and audio engineering, and participation in game jams such as Global Game Jam and Ludum Dare.
Is Bitforest a public or private company?
Bitforest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Bitforest founded?
Bitforest was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bitforest based?
Bitforest is headquartered in Eugene, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bitforest make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are grant Funding.
Who are Bitforest's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Global Game Jam, Indie MEGABOOTH and IndieCade. Broad incumbents are DreamHack, Girls Who Code, Code.org and International Game Developers Association (IGDA). AbleGamers Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Bitforest have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bitforest.
What industry is Bitforest in?
Bitforest's product category is Game Development Community Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAG, STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits, with a secondary code of MPACAJAK, Developer & Open-Source Communities. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 7990.