Melissa Yin
Keywords Studios
Melissa Yin works in Corporate Development at Keywords Studios, a leading creative and technology-enabled solutions provider to the global video games and entertainment industries. She works across the full M&A and strategy lifecycle, covering deal origination, valuation, due diligence, negotiation and execution across Keywords Studios' global portfolio. Prior to her current role, Melissa held roles in Investment Banking at Macquarie Capital, and finance, strategy and operations at a healthcare technology company.
Melissa Yin is speaking at the following session/s
Mastering the Funding Map: Capital Raising for Studios in 2026
Market correction," "investor caution," or "the end of the world as we know it": all fair descriptions of the games industry in 2025. While we are seeing early signs of recovery, is the optimism real and here to stay? Gone are the days of pitching to a handful of publishers, signing a contract, and watching a lump sum hit your bank account. Today, game development is more often than not financed through a variety of sources, blending grants, tax credit advances, project financing, publisher backing and even VC backing. Established studios are also leveraging maximum revenue from back catalogue titles through bundles and licensing to support the development of new titles.
In this panel, our industry experts will break down the current landscape of capital raising. Through a candid, boots-on-the-ground discussion, we will uncover how strategic studios actually keep their operations afloat. We will also explore how diverse funding models work, how to successfully combine them, and how to tailor the best approach for your specific project. Whether you’re a brand-new indie startup or an established veteran studio, you will walk away with actionable strategies on how to think about and secure the capital you need to bring your next game to life.
Session Takeaway
- Understanding the "Funding map": an up to date view of the current capital raising landscape and why relying on a single source of finance is no longer the standard.
- Decoding Funding Sources: Practical knowledge of how different financial instruments work, including government grants, tax credit advances, project financing, and equity.
- Showcase being ‘smart’ about raising capital for a studio through a tailored approach: The ability to identify which specific mix of funding is most realistic and beneficial for their specific studio size (from solo indie to large developer).
Session speakers
