Game Break + GameDev Talks | May 2025

Envisioned by the Lisbon City Council with the aim of expanding Lisbon’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, from startups to scaleups, and eventually unicorns, we work as an engine for economic growth and a driving force for innovation, attracting talent, new projects and investment.Unicorn Factory Lisboa is a platform of programs and hubs, inspired by international best practices, which supports startups and scaleups in creating sound products and business models, developing efficient processes, and achieving sustained accelerated growth from Lisbon.We cover 4 main areas: “early stage” incubation for startups, “growth stage” programs for scaleups, “soft landing” support for both international startups and scaleups planning to expand through Lisbon and “innovation hubs” such as Beato Innovation District, Gaming Hub and Web3 Hub.

Unicorn Factory Lisboa

AIhub by Unicorn Factory Lisboa

Game Break

Game Break unites aspiring and seasoned game developers, artists, designers, programmers, and gaming enthusiasts. This event offers a space for sharing games, exchanging experiences, and discussing innovative ideas in the gaming industry.

🎮 Game Break x GameDev Talks are joining forces again!We're coming together once more on a Saturday afternoon for a full session of talks by and for the community.This year, we're bringing together several game dev meetups from across the country — with speakers representing multiple communities.As always, we’ll wrap up with time to hang out, connect, and share the games you're working on.Bring your game, your curiosity, or just yourself — everyone’s welcome! Event Details:📅 Date: May 24th, 2025🕣 Time: 14:30 - 20:30📍 Venue: AIhub, Lisboa See you there! 🚀🎮 Aboutgaminghub was created by Unicorn Factory Lisboa, with the mission to develop a world-class innovation center for the gaming industry—driving new ideas, supporting studio growth, enabling scale, and fostering entrepreneurship. It brings together all key players in the ecosystem: indie studios, major corporations, freelancers, startups, publishers, investors, students, and universities—building a collaborative community to power the future of games. Game Dev Talks unveils a captivating lineup of sessions led by industry experts and seasoned game developers. Attendees can look forward to expanding their knowledge and connecting with fellow industry peers. Game Dev Talks is a gateway to a community-driven dialogue, fostering creativity and camaraderie within the dynamic landscape of the Portuguese game development scene. AIhub is driving innovation and collaboration in Lisbon’s AI ecosystem. By connecting leading corporations, groundbreaking startups, visionary investors, top universities, and the wider AI community, we are shaping the future—together.

Agenda

Reception

Opening Session

Gala Iefremova is the founder and CEO of femtech company w7g. She started her company as a gamedev studio in 2020 to build SUITSME - a casual fashion game for women that grew into a platform for creativity and self-expression.

Originally from Ukraine and now based in Portugal, Gala has a strong background in gaming, having led product and operations teams at international tech companies. With w7g, she recently expanded beyond games to launch FABU, a wellness app that blends mood tracking, journaling, and creativity.

She continues to focus on building digital products that empower women through play, self-care, and smart tech.

Talk 1: Building a remote-first company - lessons from the inside

With 9 years in the industry, João has worked across gameplay, engine, and AI programming, contributing to AAA titles like XDefiant and Star Wars: Outlaws. He’s also an active part of the Porto dev scene and a former member of NCGM.

Talk 2: "Make Your AI Fun, Not Smart – Lessons from the Trenches"

Sofia is a gaming and digital accessibility consultant, as
well as software and game developer. In her free time, she also does
content creation focused on game development and gaming accessibility.

Easier is not Easy: Deconstructing Gaming Accessibility

Bring and share your games with the community!

Networking and Showcasing

The event continues with a relaxed community dinner at Mercantina (Mercadado de Alvalade) — just a short walk from AIHub. It’s the perfect moment to unwind, connect over great food, and toast to three years of Game Dev Lisbon.

Dinner attendance requires a dinner ticket (available via Eventbrite). No pre-payment needed — just reserve your spot and settle your bill directly at the restaurant.

Let’s wrap up the night in good company — we can’t wait to see you there!