127. Funding Studio Camelia in 2024: How To Run A Successful Kickstarter Campaign
Jun 18, 2024
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Emma Delage, CEO of Studio Camelia, shares her journey from Ubisoft to founding a JRPG-focused game studio. Topics include challenges of starting a company, fundraising, Kickstarter campaigns, and creating a unique studio culture. Insightful for aspiring game developers and entrepreneurs.
Success in crowdfunding requires strategic marketing, engaging the community, and setting realistic stretch goals.
Building a successful game studio involves resilience, networking, and staying true to core values.
Deep dives
Key Point 1: Building a Game Studio Vision and Team
Emma Delage, CEO of Studio Camellia, discussed her transition from working in the video game industry to founding her own studio. Her experience in strategic roles at Ubisoft Paris led her to start Studio Camellia, with a vision to create Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) based on her passion for the genre since her teenage years. By combining her passion with strategic thinking and market research, Emma established a team of co-founders and defined a creative vision for the studio.
Key Point 2: Funding and Fundraising Journey
Emma started Studio Camellia with her unemployment compensation in France, giving her financial stability in the initial phase. Overcoming the challenge of convincing professionals to leave secure jobs to join a niche market venture, she built a team gradually, starting with a game designer, a programmer, and a narrative designer. By reaching out to investors and seeking advice from experienced entrepreneurs in the industry, Emma successfully secured funding from business angels, setting the stage for the studio's growth.
Key Point 3: Launching a Successful Kickstarter Campaign
To finance Studio Camellia's growth further, Emma and her team planned a successful Kickstarter campaign for their JRPG, 'Alzara.' They focused on the niche market appeal of JRPGs on Kickstarter and invested in a strategic marketing campaign, reaching €100,000 in funding within 48 hours. Emma emphasized the importance of thorough preparation, engaging the community, setting realistic stretch goals, and network building for a successful crowdfunding effort.
Key Point 4: Upholding Core Values and Resilience in Entrepreneurship
Emma's journey highlighted the significance of core values in shaping Studio Camellia's culture, focusing on kindness, putting people first, and promoting diversity and inclusion. Facing challenges and rejections in the fundraising process, Emma remained resilient and sought advice from peers and investors. She emphasized the role of networking, mindset shifts, and perseverance in navigating setbacks and maintaining optimism in pursuing her vision.
In this episode, we delve into an inspiring conversation with Emma Delage, CEO of Studio Camelia. Emma shares her journey from working at Ubisoft Paris to founding her own independent game studio based in Montpellier, France. We cover the challenges and wins of starting a new game company, focusing on JRPGs, and navigating the complexities of fundraising and Kickstarter campaigns. Emma's story exemplifies resilience, conviction, and the importance of staying true to one's vision, offering invaluable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and independent game developers, when plans A, B, C and D fall apart.