What Grads In Games does

Grads In Games is a UK-based non-profit educational initiative, founded around 2010 and formally established in 2014, operated by Aardvark Swift Recruitment Ltd from Sheffield. It runs games-industry outreach, portfolio challenges, and careers events to help students and graduates transition into professional game development roles. The initiative serves three primary constituencies: students and graduates seeking first jobs in game development, UK and European games studios seeking graduate hiring pipelines, and universities and colleges running games courses that want industry-aligned curriculum inputs.

The core product suite consists of Search For A Star (a portfolio challenge for final-year and postgraduate students covering programming, game design, 3D character art, 3D environment art, animation, and VFX), Rising Star (a companion challenge for undergraduates and FE/college students), Get In The Game careers events delivered at universities across the UK and Europe primarily between October and December, and the annual Grads In Games Awards. Supporting programs include a Student Ambassador network, an Industry Advocate volunteer network, a games job board, and a University Partnership Program. The platform is a web-based coordination service rather than a proprietary technology product; it relies on WordPress-based infrastructure and surfaces competition entries, briefs, and career resources to participants.

The business model is non-commercial: students participate free of charge, and operational sustainability derives from studio partnerships and sponsorship, plus the direct backing of parent company Aardvark Swift Recruitment. Distribution is multi-channel — university career services, social media, email, industry referrals, and a final showcase event held at Sheffield Hallam University's National Videogame Museum. The 2024 challenges recorded 1,480 students from 144 universities and colleges producing 202 game projects, with the organization historically reaching tens of thousands of students across 150+ institutions. In September 2024, citing rising costs and limited industry support for entry-level hiring, the initiative announced a hiatus for the 2024/25 academic year, with all activities suspended and resources managed by the Aardvark Swift team pending a review for 2025/26.

Name

Grads In Games

Legal name

Aardvark Swift Recruitment Ltd

Website

https://gradsingames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grads In Games is a UK-based non-profit initiative, operated by Aardvark Swift Recruitment, that runs annual game development challenges, university careers events, and industry-education awards to help students and graduates transition into professional game development roles. It is on hiatus for 2024/25.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Games Industry Career Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Olympiads & Subject Competitions (Science, Math, Informatics) (EDAMAGAE)

Keywords

• Game development challenges
• Graduate recruitment services
• Careers events
• Games industry outreach
• Talent pipeline programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Studio Partnerships and Sponsorship: Grads In Games operates as a non-profit initiative focused on developing long-term industry benefits rather than generating revenue. The organization has 'always been about developing long-term industry benefits rather than making any money.' Financial sustainability comes from studio partnerships and sponsorship, with partner studios providing financial support in exchange for brand visibility, recruitment pipeline access, and influence over talent development. As of September 2024, the organization cited 'rising costs and the low level of support for entry-level hiring' as factors making it 'increasingly difficult to operate Grads In Games.'

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grads In Games is an award-winning educational outreach initiative that runs annual game development challenges (Search For A Star and Rising Star), university careers events (Get In The Game), and industry-education awards to help students and graduates transition into professional game development roles. The initiative is operated by Aardvark Swift Recruitment and connects students directly with game studios for portfolio development, recruitment interviews, and networking. Services are free for students while studios participate as partners, judges, and sponsors.

Product overview

Grads In Games is an award-winning educational initiative operated by Aardvark Swift Recruitment that helps graduates transition from student to professional game developer. The core offering consists of Search For A Star and Rising Star, two annual game development challenge programs designed to help students build portfolio projects to industry standards. Supporting these challenges are the Get In The Game Careers Events program delivering careers talks at universities across the UK and Europe, and the Grads In Games Awards recognizing excellence in industry-education collaboration. Additional programs include a Student Ambassador initiative, an Industry Advocate network, a Games Job Board powered by Aardvark Swift, and a University Partnership Program. The initiative announced a hiatus in September 2024 for the 2024/25 academic year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Search For A Star: Core gamedev challenge for final year students and postgraduate students, covering programming, design, 3D character art, 3D environment art, animation, and VFX categories.
• Rising Star
• Get In The Game
• Grads In Games Awards

Products and services

• Search For A Star Annual game development challenge open to final-year students and postgraduate students, covering programming, design, 3D character art, 3D environment art, animation, and VFX categories. Students create portfolio projects to industry briefs and compete for interviews with leading game studios.
• Rising Star Companion game development challenge to Search For A Star, open to undergraduate students not yet in their final year and FE/college level students. Features the same category options (programming, design, 3D character art, 3D environment art, animation, VFX) but is assessed as a separate group with separate briefs and finals.
• Get In The Game Careers Events Career talks and events delivered throughout the academic year at universities across the UK and Europe and via webinars. Sessions cover guidance on skills studios look for, CV and portfolio advice, and networking tips, with guest speakers from the games industry.
• Grads In Games Awards Annual awards recognizing individuals and institutions improving links between the games industry and education, including categories for academics, educational institutions, students, studios, and collaborative initiatives.
• Games Job Board / Graduate Recruitment Job board connecting graduates with entry-level positions, internships, and junior roles across the games industry, operated in partnership with Aardvark Swift Recruitment. Offers support across job searching, CV preparation, interview negotiation, and placement services via the Aardvark Swift graduate team.
• Industry Advocate Program Network of games industry professionals who volunteer to support students transitioning into games careers, participating in activities such as CV reviews, guest speaking, mentoring, and project feedback.
• University Partnership Program Partnership opportunities for universities and colleges to engage with Grads In Games activities, arrange workshops, collaborate on events, and grow their teaching teams with industry input.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1480 students from 144 universities participated in 2024 challenges, creating 202 game projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Aardvark Swift RecruitmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Aardvark Swift Recruitment is the parent company and operational partner for Grads In Games. Founded by Ian Goodall (Grads In Games Founder & Aardvark Swift CEO), the recruitment agency provides management of all GiG resources, communications channels, and mailing lists. The Aardvark Swift graduate team handles recruitment support for students completing GiG programs.
• d3tcoreGTM or Marketing Partnerd3t is a core studio partner for Search For A Star and Rising Star challenges. The studio participates in judging panels, provides project briefs, and has sponsored the Rising Star challenge naming. d3t's Engineering Director Phil Owen serves on the Grads In Games Advisory Board.
• Sumo DigitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSumo Digital has been a longstanding partner, previously sponsoring the Sumo Digital Rising Star challenge. The studio provides judges for finals, contributes prizes, and has collaborated on educational initiatives. Jake Habgood serves as Director of Education Partnerships for Sumo Digital Group on the GiG Advisory Board.
• nDreamscoreGTM or Marketing PartnernDreams is a partner studio supporting Grads In Games initiatives. The studio has been recognized multiple times at Grads In Games Awards for graduate employment and was named Graduate Employer Award winner. Thad Frogley serves as Technical Director on the GiG Advisory Board.
• Rocksteady StudiosmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRocksteady Studios presented the Search For A Star & Rising Star 2022 challenges and participated as judges and assessors. The studio has hired graduates through the GiG program.
• Furious BeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurious Bee is a studio partner that develops programming challenge briefs for Search For A Star and participates in judging panels. Technical Director Lizi Attwood serves on the Grads In Games Advisory Board.
• Red Kite GamesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRed Kite Games has been a long-standing studio partner contributing to judging panels, challenge assessments, and student career events.
• Sheffield Hallam UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Hallam University hosts the annual Search For A Star Finals Day event at the National Videogame Museum. The university has won Industry Collaboration Awards and maintains ongoing educational partnerships with studios.
• National Videogame MuseumminorOthersThe National Videogame Museum in Sheffield hosts the annual Search For A Star Finals Day presentation event where challenge winners are announced.
• 10:10 GamesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner10:10 Games develops Game Design challenge briefs for Search For A Star and participates as industry judges during finals.
• Coconut LizardmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoconut Lizard partnered with d3t to present the Environment Art challenge in 2024 and provides support for the challenges.
• Airship InteractivemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirship Interactive participated as a judging studio for 2024 Search For A Star finals.
• Secret ModemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecret Mode participated as a judging studio for 2024 Search For A Star finals.
• Lucid GamesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLucid Games participated as a judging studio for 2024 Search For A Star finals.
• Steel City InteractivemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSteel City Interactive participated as a judging studio for 2024 Search For A Star finals.
• Cloud Imperium GamesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCloud Imperium Games participated as a judging studio for 2024 Search For A Star finals. Matt Wilson from Cloud Imperium serves on the Grads In Games Advisory Board.
• Howest DAE (Digital Arts & Entertainment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHowest DAE is an internationally-recognized games education institution that has won multiple Educational Institution Awards at Grads In Games Awards. The school consistently produces challenge winners and finalists with an 84% graduate employment rate.
• Epic GamesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEpic Games sponsors the Student Game Award category and has been a studio partner providing prizes and support for challenge participants.
• AdobeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdobe provides software prizes for challenge winners through Escape Technology partnership.
• Escape TechnologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEscape Technology provides software prizes and technical support for challenge participants, including judging for animation and VFX categories.
• Dovetail GamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDovetail Games presented the Games Academic (FE) Award category at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards.
• Fireproof GamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFireproof Games presented the Educational Institution (HE) Award category at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards.
• Playtonic GamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlaytonic Games presented the Student Game (Group) Award category at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards and provided prizes.
• FuturlabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFuturlab presented the Student Game (Solo) Award category and provided prizes at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards.
• YAHAHAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYAHAHA presented the Educational Institution (FE) Award category at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards.
• VirtexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVirtex presented the Collaboration Initiative Award category at the 2022 Grads In Games Awards.
• Frontier DevelopmentsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrontier Developments won the Graduate Employer Award at the 2019 Grads In Games Awards and maintains active graduate recruitment through the initiative.
• RaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRare won the Industry Collaboration Award in 2020 for their ongoing collaboration with the University of Portsmouth, demonstrating effective industry-education partnerships.
• Tiny Rebel GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTiny Rebel Games collaborated with the University of South Wales to provide project briefs for collaborative student projects, winning the Collaboration Initiative Award in 2022.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GradsInGames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grads-in-games

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grads In Games