Universal Foundry Launches Compute Grant to Support Indie Game Developers
Universal Foundry, an innovative startup providing cloud solutions for Unreal Engine 5 developers, has introduced a new initiative known as the Universal Foundry Compute Grant aimed at supporting small game development teams.
Empowering Small Teams in Gaming
This initiative focuses on individual creators and small teams, aiming to provide selected applicants with essential infrastructure that can significantly accelerate their project timelines. Albert Reed, CEO of Universal Foundry, shared insights during a conversation with GamesBeat about the importance of this support for nascent gaming studios.
The grant will enable chosen teams to access complimentary Universal Foundry Horde continuous integration (CI) cloud services. Applications for this opportunity are now open and will remain available until May 30, 2025, via the official Universal Foundry website.
A Personal Insight into Game Development Challenges
“Having previously been at the helm of a game studio myself, I fully grasp how critical it is to leverage robust tools for prompt game launches and team member retention,” Reed commented. “Epic Games offers fantastic cloud-based utilities such as Horde; however, it’s up to development teams to set up and manage these resources independently. We created Universal Foundry specifically to streamline this process—allowing developers more time focusing on creating stellar games rather than server management.”
Grant Details: Who Qualifies?
According to Reed, indie developers using Unreal Engine 5 who are targeting mobile platforms or console and PC releases in 2025 or early 2026 may qualify if they meet specific technical criteria. The support from Universal Foundry will extend through their game’s launch window or until December 31st, 2026—whichever occurs first. Those selected for the grant will be notified by June 30th in that same year.
Enhancing Efficiency through Innovative Infrastructure
Universal Foundry aims to expedite game development processes across all scales by offering state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure that is both secure and scalable. By utilizing their Horde CI services, teams can minimize dependency on maintaining local servers while improving overall efficiency during game production.
A few notable gaming studios currently benefiting from Universal Foundry’s offerings include Glass Bottom Games and OK Dinosaur among others linked with high-profile upcoming titles yet to be revealed publicly.
The Vision Behind Universal Foundry
Cofounded in late 2024 by Albert Reed alongside partner Lucian Cesca; Reed brings substantial experience from his years leading Demiurge Studios—where he supervised growth and contributed significantly towards established franchises along with various original projects. Meanwhile, Cesca provides expertise rooted deeply in high-security infrastructure engineering.
The duo first crossed paths while collaborating on a financial venture before establishing their firm around one central concept: creating an efficient cloud experience tailored explicitly for gaming engine users looking elevate their workflows without encountering technical hurdles associated with traditional setups.
Simplifying Cloud Integration for Developers
“Very few companies prioritize optimizing connectivity speed specifically designed for engineers,” explained Reed regarding their mission. “Our solution ensures when updates such as CPP files are submitted by coders; they instantly reach artists alongside QA testers without delays induced by waiting times.”
While Epic Games does offer various tools supporting these capabilities undoubtedly beneficial where appealing complexities arise; many developers wish merely focus singularly advancing video games instead of juggling server-related tasks.
“There’s genuinely no requirement today for thousands of engineers each needing self-built infrastructures within this digital epoch,” added Reid further underscoring how universal solutions exist following pressing demands presented throughout developing sophisticated products whilst advocating accelerating processes which regularly become bottlenecked elsewhere.”