The Korea Content Creative Agency (KOCCA) has begun recruiting participants for the “2026 Sweden Game Conference” to support the expansion of domestic indie game developers into Northern Europe. For indie developers, this is a great opportunity to experience Sweden’s indie game culture with supported airfare, as well as engage in local business matching and investor networking in Europe.
Event Overview
The Sweden Game Conference is an event focused on indie game developers held at Kulturhuset in Skövde, Sweden. Hosted by the Sweden Game Arena, it consists of various programs including business consultations, investment attraction, academic conferences, networking, and pitching sessions.
- Schedule: October 15 (Thu) – 16 (Fri), 2026 — The total participation period may be extended by 1–2 days depending on the company visit schedule.
- Location: Kövde Kulturhusset, Sweden
- Homepage: swedengameconference.se
Who can apply?
This program will select approximately 5 companies in total, and applicants must meet both conditions.
First, applicants must be domestic indie game developers with a clear intent and purpose to enter the Northern European market. Companies capable of conducting business consultations in English will be given preference.
Second, the company must be less than 5 years old, and if the game being submitted has already been released, it must be less than 12 months since its release.
On the other hand, companies organized in the form of a consortium, domestic branches of foreign companies, publishers, platform companies, and technology holders, companies with outstanding national or local taxes, and companies with a history of sanctions against participating in KOCCA projects are not eligible to apply.
What support is received?
The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) provides support for exhibition and consultation spaces (demonstration tables, etc.), business matching, visits to Swedish game companies and clusters, connections to local industry networks, and the provision of advance market information. In terms of accommodation expenses, round-trip economy class airfare for one person per company is supported, and the operating secretariat handles reservations and ticketing. (*However, changes to departure and arrival dates due to personal schedules are not permitted.)
Participating companies must bear other living expenses, such as accommodation costs, individual travel expenses, and transportation costs between Stockholm and Sjövde. Shipping costs for laptops for demonstrations and consultations, promotional materials, and exhibits are also the responsibility of the participating companies.
Participation is conducted via demonstration tables in the form of a joint Korean pavilion rather than individual booths. Companies that wish to participate will also be given the opportunity to attend pitching sessions, provided they are separately selected for the Sweden Game Pitch program operated by the organizers.
During the event, submission of daily consultation performance reports is mandatory, and after the event, submission of an official business performance document and registration of performance within the WelCon system (within 14 days after the end of the event) is required.
Application Method and Schedule
The application period is from Friday, July 10, 2026, to Monday, July 27, 5:00 PM (KST). Applications can only be submitted online via the content export marketing platform Welcon (welcon.kocca.kr); applications via email or postal mail will not be accepted. Please note that applications that are not completed online or are submitted after the deadline will be deemed invalid.
The documents to be submitted are as follows.
- Welcon Participation Application Form (including content information registration on My Page)
- Additional Application Form (Scan after stamping, Hangul/PDF)
- List of Directly Participating Personnel and Stakeholders (Excel)
- Consent Form for Collection, Use, and Provision of Personal Information (Signature or Seal, PDF)
- Business Registration Certificate (PDF)
- Certificate of National and Local Tax Payment within the last year (PDF)
Selection Criteria
The evaluation is conducted on a 100-point scale, and companies are selected in order of highest score among those with an average evaluation score of 70 points or higher. The item with the highest weighting is content competitiveness (35 points), which evaluates the overseas expansion competitiveness of the participating game, alignment with target market trends, localization status, and awards received. This is followed by overseas expansion capabilities (25 points), specificity of participation goals (20 points), and clarity of participation plans (20 points).
The selection process proceeds with recruitment and evaluation in July, announcement of results in August, followed by preliminary preparations, participation in the event in October, and performance management in November. If a selected company cancels its participation, the opportunity is given to the next-ranked company with a score of 70 points or higher.
Contact
For business-related inquiries, please contact Hyun-ah Kim ( klara.k@kocca.kr ) or Su-min Kim ( ksm.se@kocca.kr ) at the Sweden Business Center. For inquiries regarding Welcon registration, please contact the Welcon Help Desk (1566-9984, welcon@kocca.kr ).
Source: Korea Content Agency WelCon, “Call for Participants for the 2026 Sweden Game Conference” ( https://welcon.kocca.kr/ko/event/sweden-game-conference-2026–567 )
