A spotlight on funding takes center stage at MCM London Comic Con, as The Games Investment Panel arrives as part of Game Republic’s Indie Games Summit. The session will unpack how studios can secure backing, pitch effectively, and build sustainable relationships with publishers and investors.

The conversation will be moderated by Jon Hicks on Friday, May 22, bringing together a cross-section of voices from investment, production, consultancy, and publishing. Confirmed speakers include:

• Nick Button-Brown — The Games Angels
• HaZ Dulull — Beyond the Pixels
• Gina Jackson — Pitchify
• Sarah Burns — Marvelous Europe

Expect a candid breakdown of what investors look for in early decks and prototypes, the realities of milestone-driven funding, and how to navigate valuations, recoup terms, and portfolio strategies. With expertise spanning creative direction and business development, the panel aims to demystify the path from pitch to partnership, covering common pitfalls and the traits that separate memorable proposals from the rest.

The Indie Games Summit will be hosted in Room 2 of the Capital Suite at ExCeL London. Across the day, attendees can join a mix of talks, roundtables, and networking sessions designed to help teams at every stage — from solo devs preparing a vertical slice to established studios planning their next slate.

What attendees can gain

• Practical advice on building investor-ready pitches, including scope, budgets, and roadmaps
• Insights into publisher expectations, from market positioning to live-ops and post-launch support
• Guidance on timing your approach, choosing the right partners, and reading the room in negotiations
• Lessons learned from shipped projects, pivots, and portfolio curation

A detailed timetable for the Indie Games Summit will be available at the venue. The program is tailored for independent developers, studio founders, producers, and anyone shaping strategy around funding and growth.

Also on Friday: marketing deep dive

Complementing the development focus, the Popcultr Marketing Summit will run on the same day at MCM Comic Con, featuring seven panels and two keynotes dedicated to the “pop culture marketing multiverse.” This companion track explores how brands and creators engage audiences across games, film, TV, and fandom communities, with a lens on discoverability, influencer collaborations, and cross-media storytelling.

With both the investment and marketing programs in one place, Friday offers a comprehensive look at the business and audience-building sides of game development — an opportunity to sharpen pitches, compare strategies, and connect with potential collaborators ahead of your next milestone.