Film Tampere and GDAI join forces to support international growth in the gaming and audiovisual industries

Film Tampere and the Game Developers Association of India (GDAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create new opportunities for Finnish and Indian companies in the gaming and audiovisual industries. The partnership aims to support international growth, facilitate knowledge exchange and foster new business opportunities between Finland and India.

The partnership will initially focus on the Tampere region in Finland and Bengaluru (Bangalore), India. As the capital of Karnataka, Bengaluru is one of India’s leading technology and gaming hubs, home to a wide range of international technology companies, game studios and startups.

The partnership will give gaming and audiovisual companies in the Tampere region access to one of the world’s fastest-growing industry clusters. At the same time, Film Tampere offers Indian companies looking to expand into Europe access to a strong and diverse Nordic network of industry expertise and partners. This marks Finland’s first regional ecosystem partnership initiative in India.

“This is an innovative initiative that positions the Tampere region as a bridge between the Nordics and the Indian subcontinent in the games and audiovisual industries. As both sectors undergo significant transformation, now is the time to embrace global networks and build a new-generation narrative that strengthens collaboration between Finland, teh Nordic countries and India, while reinforcing the Nordics’ position as a global leader in these industries”, says Fanny Heinonen, Programme director, Film Tampere.

Connecting companies, expertise and networks

The partnership aims to strengthen connections between gaming and audiovisual companies, business accelerators, investors and other industry stakeholders. The partners also seek to promote knowledge exchange in areas such as game and audiovisual content localisation, responsible game development, and understanding different markets and gaming cultures.

“This partnership creates opportunities for Indian game developers to exchange knowledge, explore new approaches to game development and build stronger global connections. Finland’s experience in developing a globally competitive gaming ecosystem offers valuable learnings that, combined with India’s talent and creativity, can help our studios scale and compete internationally”, says Shruti Verma, CEO, GDAI.

Tampere Game Hub serves as Film Tampere’s regional expert partner in the cooperation. One of the key upcoming events is the Leaderboard gaming industry conference, which will take place in Tampere in February 2027.

Fanny Heinonen, Programme Director at Film Tampere, and Shruti Verma, CEO of the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI).

The Finnish and Indian gaming industries bring complementary strengths

Finland’s gaming industry is internationally recognised for its successful game companies and high level of expertise. Tampere is home to Finland’s second-largest gaming industry cluster, bringing together established game companies, startups, and educational and research organisations.

KooPee Hiltunen, Director of Neogames Finland Association, sees strong similarities between the Finnish and Indian gaming industries, alongside strengths that complement each other.

“The Finnish and Indian game industries share an exceptionally strong common foundation. We both are driven by a passionate, creative, and highly tech-savvy individuals and companies. While Finland is globally recognized for its world-class brands, top-tier education, and a unique, collaborative community culture, India offers rapid dynamic growth, massive scalability, unprecedented drive for innovation and strong cultural heritage reflected also in games,” Hiltunen says.

The global gaming industry is undergoing significant changes. Developments in artificial intelligence, evolving business models and funding challenges, particularly for smaller game studios, are increasing the importance of international cooperation.

“In this era of global industry shift, good partners are invaluable and building lasting bridges through cooperation matters. Together, we can create new success stories benefiting us both”, Hiltunen continues.

Partnership launched at an international gaming industry conference

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) in Chennai, India. IGDC is one of South Asia’s leading gaming industry conferences, bringing together major international players from across the sector.

The signing was accompanied by a panel discussion on Finnish–Indian cooperation in the creative industries, titled Winning Together in the Global Gaming Markets! Finnish–Indian Creative Industry Cooperation.

“Indian and Finnish businesses and people have been working together for nearly 70 years. The two countries complement each other in talent and creativity. While earlier collaborations have largely focused on traditional industries, this new partnership brings together creative minds and cultures, opening opportunities to develop innovative games for wider international audiences. I wish this collaboration every success,” says M.Ct.P. Chidambaram, Honorary Consul of Finland in Chennai.

Panel discussion: *Winning Together in the Global Gaming Markets! Finnish–Indian Creative Industry Cooperation.* Photo: IGDC.

The Film Tampere delegation also includes Tampere-based gaming industry companies such as Greener Grass, Red Stage Entertainment and Simucube. The companies are exploring the Indian market and new opportunities for international collaboration during the event.

The MoU builds on Film Tampere’s long-term efforts to develop the regional gaming ecosystem. Film Tampere has worked closely with Tampere Game Hub since 2025. Exploration of the Indian market began the same year as part of the AV Growth project, funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Programme. The newly signed MoU represents one of the concrete outcomes of this work.