Canadian video game 'incubator' company aims to nurture indie developer start-ups

Canada-based independent game "incubator" Execution Labs has raised $1.4 million to help cultivate the country's mobile games industry, the company announced today.

Execution aims to help indie game developers produce and market their games, fostering start-ups and moving them towards entrepreneurship. Located in Montreal, the company has begun accepting applications from new companies for several months of training under their guidance, with the ultimate goal of helping them launch their games.

The $1.4 million was raised from investment companies Venture Capital, Real Ventures and White Star Capital, with additional funding coming from private Taiwanese investors.

Execution Labs will offer a $2,000 stipend per month for each employee at a start-up company. Execution will also train the start-ups and provide office space and development tools as well as introduce them to mentors currently working in the industry.

For every three months the studio remains under Execution, the company receives a 5 percent stake in it. The start-up companies will have the option to remain with Execution longer, and if they stay for nine months Execution will receive a 15 percent stake. Any apps launched while with Execution will give the incubator 30 percent of its revenue. As the start-up grows, Execution will only claim one percent of revenue per $10,000 it has invested in the start-up for one year.

Other game developer "incubators" include San Francisco-based YetiZen, mentoring and advising studio Game Dojos and entrepreneurial support group YouWeb. Execution Labs is aiming to accept applications from start-ups outside Canada in the future.