Unlocking Brazil's Gaming Potential: The Power of Indie Developers

"Juliana, I sold a company that doesn't exist, can you help me create it?" This was the unusual request Juliana Brito received from her business partner Ian Rochlin after he appeared on Shark Tank Brazil. Rochlin had sold 25% of their not-yet-launched company for R$1, and the video of his pitch went viral. At the time, Brito and Rochlin were already running Game Jam Plus, the world's largest game development marathon competition, with 5,000 participants and a presence in 42 countries. Rochlin's pitch on Shark Tank was for a company that would become the biggest game producer without actually producing games. His unorthodox approach paid off, securing investors and opening doors for the duo. This led to the creation of Indie Hero, an accelerator programme that connects Brazilian developers with investors. However, the firm soon realized that many studios were not ready for funding, lacking the necessary skills to pitch and self-publish. In response, Indie Hero expanded its services to include support for learning how to pitch, self-publish, and more. The company also organizes B2B events and the Brazilian Game Fest, a B2C event that helps studios grow their social media presence. With 1,500 mentors worldwide, Indie Hero aims to support budding talent and help Brazilian developers set up their studios from a practical perspective. According to Brito, the biggest challenge for game developers in Brazil is to see themselves as entrepreneurs. The recent adoption of a legal framework for games in Brazil has been a significant step forward, and the country has a fertile ground for the games industry, with 120 million players and an exponential growth in the past decade. Brazil is the tenth-largest game economy in the world, and Brito believes there is a huge opportunity to provide games that cater to the Brazilian population. The number of public funds has increased over the past three years, thanks to initiatives like the Paulo Gustavo law and the Aldir Blanc cultural fund. Indie Hero is working to provide more support to indie developers, helping them rise to the top, and building platforms to distribute more games. The company aims to educate the public to play not just big games but also indie games, and to build a community that helps studios find their niche. By providing financial stability and recurring revenue, Indie Hero hopes to solidify the day-to-day operations of studios and drive growth in the Brazilian gaming industry.