The city of Frankfurt is setting an example for the digital creative industry: The Frankfurt Business Games Hub, located in the start-up centre in eastern Frankfurt, is the first central point of contact for start-ups in the games industry. The facility is a joint project between Frankfurt Economic Development, its subsidiary Kompass Centre for Start-ups and the industry association game Hessen. The aim is to provide comprehensive support to young developers in setting up their businesses and developing their projects.
Infrastructure, consulting and networking
The concept of the Games Hub is based on a three-pronged support approach. In addition to affordable office space and a shared workspace with high-quality hardware and specialised software for game development, start-ups benefit from intensive consulting. This is provided both by the Kompass Start-up Centre team and by experienced experts from the games industry. In addition, specialist lectures and networking events are held regularly to promote exchange within the scene and provide new impetus.
Stephanie Wüst, Head of the Department of Economics, Law and City Marketing, sees this as a strategic investment in the future of the city: "The Games Hub provides Frankfurt with an offering for founders in the games industry that positions Frankfurt as an attractive and creative location. The games industry is a highly innovative, growing industry for which Frankfurt offers the best conditions."
In addition to the favourable infrastructure, Wüst points to the industry's existing presence in the city: "Nintendo of Europe SE operates its European headquarters here, and Keen Games, the developer of the best German computer game of 2025, is also based in Frankfurt. The city offers an ideal environment – from trade fair formats such as GermanDevDays to the new Massif Games Convention."
Contribution to the start-up landscape
Frankfurt Economic Development sees the new hub as an important component of its start-up strategy. Managing Director Bernhard Grieb explains: "The Games Hub is an ideal addition to our support services in Frankfurt. In addition to office space and infrastructure, we already offer start-ups a comprehensive support programme – for example, through the Start-up Award or the Start-up Fund. It is very fitting that expertise in the field of games is now being added."
The new facility is also welcomed by the industry. Jan Klose, regional contact for game Hessen, speaks of an urgently needed step: "Hesse has long been an important location for games developers, but there was a gap in the area of start-up support. The Games Hub in Frankfurt closes this gap and opens up new perspectives for young development teams."
Anchored in the network
The Games Hub is part of a state-wide support model. At the same time, a related centre is being established in Darmstadt, which will focus on technology and business development. Frankfurt, on the other hand, concentrates on legal advice, market access and business management issues. The two locations complement each other and together aim to offer start-ups in Hesse a complete support ecosystem. The economic importance of the industry is also reflected in current figures. In 2025, around 15,000 people will be employed in the software and games industry in Frankfurt. This corresponds to a 42 per cent share of the city's total cultural and creative industries. In 2025, around 15,000 people will be employed in the software and games industry in Frankfurt. This corresponds to a 42 per cent share of the city's total cultural and creative industries, which generate annual revenues of around 8.6 billion euros. Despite general economic uncertainties, employment in the creative industries recently rose by 2.1 per cent.
Further information on the Games Hub is available on the project website at www.frankfurt-business.net/gameshub.
