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Sponsors announced as six student teams begin their DARE Academy journey
The sponsors for this year's Abertay University DARE Academy competition have been announced as six student teams prepare to spend the summer developing their game ideas into fully playable prototypes.
Longstanding partners Henderson Loggie and Lindsays are once again supporting the University's flagship video game development competition.
The finalists selected for DARE Academy 2026 are:
- Exotic Rat Studios – Murder At The Clocktower
- HydraByte – Elementorum
- Whispered Eclipse – Demon Slumber Party
- How What Why Games – Dirty Work
- Crabbits – GalactInk
- Finch Outside The Box – Loose Juice
Over the coming months, the six teams will work alongside Abertay academics, games industry mentors and competition sponsors to refine their concepts and create polished prototypes as they compete for the prestigious DARE trophy and a £5,000 prize.
The competition is designed to mirror the realities of professional games development, encouraging students from across the Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business to collaborate on original, innovative and commercially-aware projects.
The continued support of Henderson Loggie and Lindsays helps ensure students benefit from both industry insight and professional guidance throughout the competition, providing valuable experience as they prepare for careers in the games sector.
Stephen Bain, Partner at Henderson Loggie, said:
We’re delighted to continue our support of DARE Academy and the next generation of games talent emerging from Abertay University. Every year, the competition showcases the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking that have made Dundee a globally recognised centre for games development. What makes DARE particularly valuable is the opportunity it gives students to experience the realities of bringing an idea to life, from collaboration and problem-solving to understanding the commercial aspects of developing a successful product. We’re proud to play a small part in that journey and look forward to seeing how this year’s finalists develop their ideas over the coming months.
Technology lawyer Alastair Smith, a Partner at Lindsays, said:
The wealth of talent in Dundee - and Scotland’s - gaming sector never fails to amaze me. We have tremendously creative people whose imagination and innovation influences the industry globally. The skills shared in DARE Academy allows entrants not only to thrive technically, but they also enhance that know-how with critical business skills too. By helping emerging new talent to understand their legal rights and responsibilities - whether they be about intellectual property, copyright, employment issues or anything else - they have a greater chance of succeeding commercially as well as creatively.
Dr Dayna Galloway, Head of the Department of Games and Arts at Abertay University, said:
We're incredibly grateful to Henderson Loggie and Lindsays for their continued support of DARE Academy and our students. DARE is about much more than creating great games. It gives students the opportunity to work as multidisciplinary teams, respond to professional feedback and gain experience that closely reflects the realities of the games industry. The support of our sponsors plays a vital role in that process, helping us provide an experience that challenges, inspires and prepares students for successful careers.
The winning team will be selected by a panel of industry judges following the final showcase later this year.
DARE Academy has a strong track record of helping launch careers and studios within the games industry, with former participants going on to establish successful independent companies and secure roles across the sector.
