Companies and teams supported by Espoo Game LAB

Chirping Fox is a two-person independent game studio focused on developing PC games. The team intends to seek experimental ways of telling stories through small mechanics-focused games.

Founded as a result of participation in Espoo Game LAB and Game Hub activities, the studio currently acts as a Private Entrepreneur (Tmi) with the plan to become Limited Liability Company (Oy) within the next 1-2 years.

Chirping Fox has contributed to the development of Thysiastery together with DIRGA Games Oy and is currently working on an undisclosed PC game project.

The founder participated in the pilot phase of Espoo Game LAB, gaining valuable insight into the Finnish games industry, business development, marketing, and professional networking. Through the programme and related Game Hub activities, the founder became involved in establishing DIRGA Games Oy and later launched Chirping Fox.

According to the founder, Chirping Fox would likely not exist without the experience, networks, and entrepreneurial know-how gained through Espoo Game LAB.

Contact person:

Laimonas Suchockas, Founder
chirpingfox@proton.me

Delveria Games(external link, opens in a new window) is a game development company founded in 2024. Initially established to support freelance work opportunities, the company has enabled its founder to collaborate with several major Finnish game studios while continuing to build an independent career in the games industry.

Alongside contract work, Delveria Games is developing its first commercial title, Dungeons of Delveria, a PC game currently in active development.

The company is self-funded through freelance work and personal investment. Development of Dungeons of Delveria is progressing part-time, with a planned release target in 2027. A public demo of the game is already available on Steam.

The founder joined the first cohort of Espoo Game LAB after learning about the programme through a friend. The project's practical, project-driven approach to entrepreneurship and game development was a key factor in deciding to apply.

During the programme, the founder participated in workshops, mentoring sessions, and team-based activities while simultaneously pursuing freelance opportunities in the games industry. The experience helped transform entrepreneurship from an intimidating prospect into a realistic and attractive career path.

According to the founder, Espoo Game LAB played an important role in building the confidence and entrepreneurial mindset needed to establish Delveria Games. The programme helped identify new opportunities and provided the encouragement needed to take the first steps towards founding a company.

Contact person:

Teemu Pulkkinen, Founder
teemu.pulkkinen@delveriagames.com

DIRGA Games(external link, opens in a new window) is an independent game studio based in Espoo, Finland. Founded by a team of passionate developers who met through the Espoo Game LAB, the company focuses on creating PC and console games for mid-core and core audiences.

The studio has grown into a five-person team and represents one of the success stories emerging from the Espoo Game LAB ecosystem.

DIRGA Games released its debut title, THYSIASTERY, a dungeon crawler RPG combining traditional roguelike elements with turn-based gameplay. The launch in early 2026 marked a major milestone for the studio and demonstrated the team's ability to transform an early-stage concept into a commercially released game.

The company continues to develop its business and expand its presence within the Finnish and international games industry.

The team joined the first cohort of Espoo Game LAB in 2024. What began as a shared interest in game development evolved into a long-term collaboration that continued after the programme and ultimately led to the creation of THYSIASTERY.

Through Espoo Game LAB, the team gained access to mentoring, industry expertise, networking opportunities, and a supportive entrepreneurial community. According to the founders, the programme helped refine both their business strategy and product direction while providing confidence to pursue their vision as an independent studio.

Even after completing the programme, DIRGA Games has remained actively involved in the community by mentoring participants, delivering lectures, serving as jury members at events, sharing industry knowledge, and helping connect new teams with relevant contacts and opportunities.

The programme played an important role in the studio's development and growth. The knowledge, networks, and support gained through the ecosystem helped the company evolve from an early-stage startup into a studio capable of successfully launching its first commercial title.

The team continues to view Espoo Game LAB and the wider Game Hub community as an important part of its journey and as a valuable contributor to the growth of the Finnish game development ecosystem.

Contact person: 

Thanh Nguyen, CEO
contact@dirgagames.com

H Games Oy(external link, opens in a new window) is a Helsinki-based mobile game studio developing and publishing social, competitive, and session-based games for international markets. The company was founded by Hamid Naeimi, who has more than 10 years of experience in the games industry, including game development, live operations, monetization, and publishing.

The company’s main product is Menchico, a real-time online Ludo-style mobile game featuring multiplayer matches, clans, chat, events, progression systems, and in-game monetization. H Games is also developing additional game concepts, including sports and football management experiences, with the long-term goal of building scalable game products from Finland for global audiences.

H Games combines product-driven game development with strong expertise in live operations, data analysis, and monetization. Its focus is on creating accessible multiplayer games that can grow through community engagement, player retention, and continuous content updates.

H Games Oy is actively developing and operating mobile games from Finland. Menchico is live and continues to receive new features, events, economy improvements, and monetization updates.

The company has also been expanding its network within the Finnish games ecosystem while exploring publishing, investment, and partnership opportunities.

H Games became involved with Espoo Game LAB and the wider Game Hub ecosystem after establishing the company in Finland. The programme provided opportunities to connect with the Finnish games ecosystem, meet other founders and industry professionals, and gain a better understanding of the local support network available to game companies.

Through networking events, ecosystem activities, mentoring-style discussions, and community engagement, the company was able to build new connections, receive feedback, and increase its visibility within the Finnish games industry.

While Espoo Game LAB was not involved in founding the company, the programme contributed to H Games’ development after establishment. Participation in the ecosystem events helped the company integrate into the local games community, discover relevant contacts, and strengthen its visibility as an early-stage game company operating from Finland. 

Contact person:

Hamid Naeimi, Founder & CEO

Hermit Owl Studio(external link, opens in a new window) is a Finland-based independent 3D art studio founded in 2025, providing creative services for PC and console game development. The studio specializes in 3D asset creation, rigging, animation, art direction, and game design support, helping indie and mid-sized teams create high-quality and visually distinctive games.

Based in Helsinki, the studio is operated by a freelance 3D artist with more than six years of professional experience working with international clients and game studios. Hermit Owl Studio combines artistic creativity with practical production experience and works with modern game engines including Unity, Unreal Engine, and Godot.

Hermit Owl Studio provides 3D art services for game development projects while continuing to grow its professional network and presence within the games industry.

The founder joined Espoo Game LAB in early 2025 to further develop both 3D art and entrepreneurial skills. As a direct result of their participation in the programme, Hermit Owl Studio was established, and the founder also became part of the BRAINSHELL team, which later became NothingNormal Ltd (2026).

Being part of the programme provided opportunities to participate in a wide range of workshops, events, mentoring sessions, and networking activities offered through the programme.

According to the founder, Espoo Game LAB significantly expanded their professional networks and provided opportunities to connect with experienced industry professionals and game development veterans. The programme helped strengthen their understanding of game development from an entrepreneurial perspective as well as provided a supportive community throughout the journey.

The mentoring, coaching, and support available through Espoo Game LAB acted as an important safety net when taking the first steps into entrepreneurship, helping to navigate challenges and build confidence in establishing and growing a business.

Imaginatrix Oy is an independent game studio based in Espoo. The studio focuses on creating stylised, unique, and polished game experiences with a strong visual identity and a clear creative vision.

Its debut title, Lumios: Vanguard of Light, is an extraction roguelike built around a living creature ecosystem. The game features animal and robot creatures that operate according to their own behaviours, creating dynamic situations that players must adapt to during each run. Finding the fun and finding a genuinely unique angle have been the two things the team keep returning to during development.

Founded by individuals who entered the games industry from other professional backgrounds, Imaginatrix sees Lumios both as a commercial project and as an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to develop and release original games.

Lumios: Vanguard of Light received a DigiDemo grant from AVEK, which supported a production phase and a playable demo is now available.

The studio is currently preparing for a planned participation in Steam Next Fest in February 2027 and is engaged in early discussions with potential publishing partners.

The founder joined Espoo Game LAB through master's programme in Game Design and Development at Aalto University and took part in the programmes pitching events (‘Gates’), mentoring activities, and feedback sessions. Lumios itself originated as a student project during their studies at Aalto Uni and was later developed further as a company project.

According to the founder, one of the most valuable aspects of the EGL programme was the opportunity to present ideas, receive professional feedback, refine concepts, and repeat the process. Mentoring, industry presentations, and discussions with experienced professionals provided practical insight into game design, business development, marketing, publisher relations, and entrepreneurship.

While Imaginatrix Oy had already been established before participation in Espoo Game LAB, the programme played an important role in the company's development. The ecosystem and community helped the founder navigate the practical aspects of running a business, including building professional networks and finding key service providers needed to operate the company.

Lakeside Games(external link, opens in a new window) is an independent game development team formed through Espoo Game LAB. The team brings together artists, programmers, writers, and musicians who share a passion for creating immersive and meaningful interactive experiences.

The team's debut title, Twilight Ferry, is an adventure game inspired by forgotten Finnic epics, mythology, and folklore. Through the development of their first playable demo, the team built an online community, expanded its professional network, and established the foundations for future projects.

The project reflects the team's interest in creating games that leave a lasting emotional impression, with a style rooted in tranquil, nature-inspired, and reflective experiences.

Lakeside Games is actively developing its second game project while continuing to build on the experience gained through Twilight Ferry.

The team currently consists of four prospective co-founders and is exploring the establishment of a future game company.

The team was formed by participants of the first Espoo Game LAB cohort in 2024. During the programme, Twilight Ferry developed from an early concept into a bigger project and provided the team with opportunities to showcase its work and receive feedback from industry professionals.

Members of the team participated in various demo, networking, and industry events, including opportunities recommended and facilitated through the Espoo Game LAB ecosystem. Mentoring, coaching, and interactions with experienced professionals helped the team develop both creative and business-related skills.

According to the team, Lakeside Games would not have formed without Espoo Game LAB. The programme brought together a group of creators who may not otherwise have met and provided an environment where they could develop not only as game developers, but also as future entrepreneurs.

The support, mentoring, industry connections, and opportunities offered through Espoo Game LAB helped shape the team's identity, strengthen its vision, and build the foundations for future business activities.

Contact person:

Juhana Kekoni, Team lead

Lúkas Baldvinsson operates as a sole proprietor, providing music and sound effects services for games and other media projects. Working with clients internationally, they collaborate with game developers, start-ups, and established companies to create audio experiences that help projects stand out and connect with their audiences.

Through their work, Baldvinsson contributes original music and sound design to a variety of game projects while continuing to build experience and professional networks within the games industry.

Baldvinsson is actively collaborating with game developers and early-stage companies as a music and sound effects specialist. Through these partnerships, they contributes audio production to a range of projects while continuing to expand his experience as an entrepreneur and creative professional.

Baldvinsson participated in Espoo Game LAB as the primary music and sound specialist in EGL3 cohort. During the programme, they took part in lectures, workshops, networking events, mentoring opportunities, and community activities.

They joined the programme through a recommendation from an industry colleague and used the opportunity to better understand the business side of game development and entrepreneurship.

According to Lúkas, Espoo Game LAB provided valuable insight into the game industry's business environment and helped prepare them for entrepreneurship. Through the programme, they connected with aspiring founders, experienced mentors, and members of Finland's game audio community.

While the company was already in the process of being established, participation in Espoo Game LAB helped provide direction, professional connections, and practical understanding of the skills and knowledge needed to build a sustainable business. The programme also opened doors to new collaborations and opportunities that contributed to the early development of their professional career.

Contact person

Lúkas Baldvinsson, CEO / Sole proprietor

Martin Games(external link, opens in a new window) focuses on creating small, unique, and fun PC games for Steam. The company has a strong background in puzzle games, particularly within the Sokoban genre, as well as extensive practical knowledge of publishing on Steam.

Alongside developing its own games, Martin Games provides consultation to developers seeking to launch and grow their games on Steam. As an independent developer, the company has experience across the full development process, including game design, development, publishing, marketing, and community building. Martin Games also collaborates with other independent creators to bring new ideas and projects to life.

Martin Games continues to develop and publish independent games for Steam. The company is currently preparing the announcement of Kala, a surreal psychological horror game planned for release in late 2026.

In addition to its own projects, Martin Games continues to support other developers through consultation and knowledge sharing related to Steam publishing and market visibility.

Martin first learned about Espoo Game LAB through a presentation at IGDA Helsinki meeting and later joined the second cohort of the programme. During his participation, he actively attended workshops, lectures, networking events, and other programme activities open to all participants.

Although they did not continue with a team through the later stages of the programme, participation provided an opportunity to connect with other aspiring developers and founders while continuing to develop their own plans for entrepreneurship.

According to Firbacher, one of the most valuable aspects of Espoo Game LAB was discovering and connecting with Business Espoo, whose guidance supported the development of his business plans and the establishment of his company.

The workshops, lectures, and professional networks gained through the programme provided useful knowledge, particularly in areas such as business research and entrepreneurship. While Martin Games was already planned before joining the programme, Espoo Game LAB helped make the process easier by providing practical guidance, valuable connections, and access to a supportive ecosystem that continues to benefit the company today.

NothingNormal Oy is a Finnish independent game studio formed through the Espoo Game LAB programme. The company was founded by a team brought together during the incubator and is driven by a passion for experimental games, unusual ideas, and atmospheric storytelling. The studio focuses on creating original experiences that combine artistic expression, dark themes, and distinctive game design.

The company's debut commercial title, BRAINSHELL, is an experimental narrative game set inside a nuclear missile in an alternative 1960s-inspired world.  

A playable demo of BRAINSHELL has been released and development is ongoing. The team is currently engaged in discussions with potential publishing partners while continuing development of its first commercial title. 

The founders joined Espoo Game LAB after hearing about the programme through their professional networks. None of the team members knew each other before participating in the programme. Through workshops, lectures, coaching sessions, mentoring, and networking activities, the team gradually formed and developed a shared vision for a commercial game project. 

According to the founders, NothingNormal was formed because of Espoo Game LAB. The programme provided both the physical workspace and the environment needed for team members to meet, collaborate, and develop their ideas together. The mentoring, business knowledge, and industry contacts gained through the programme helped provide the confidence and practical understanding needed to establish the company. 

Contact person:

Nadir Mimouni, CEO
nothingnormalgames@gmail.com