New York University's Tandon School of Engineering is opening applications for the second year of its NYC Game Design Future Lab (GDFL) incubator—offering an opportunity for New York City-based indie developers to access resources that can supercharge their studios and help them ship great games.
The incubator organizers announced that this year, they're expanding the number of expanded companies from six to eight, offering additional slots for studio founders to participate in the year-long program. Accepted developers will gain access to mentorship opportunities, industry workshops, investor introductions, access to "emerging technologies," and networking opportunities with industry leaders and NYU faculty. Developers will also gain access to a co-working space in downtown Brooklyn.
The program is supported by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, a public benefit corporation and nonprofit organization that operates under a contract with the city government.
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GDFL associate director Mitu Khandaker (also an NYU Game Center associate professor) explained in the announcement that the program look to support a wide range of game development companies. Its 2025 cohort included companies like CYBRLICH Studios, Munity Games, and Remixing Reality—an indie dev studio, a worker-owned arcade game company, and an augmented reality tool developer.
Khandaker says the organization is looking to "cast a wider net" across the New York industry. "We're inviting established game studios ready for their next stage of growth, and the platforms and creative technology companies building the tools and infrastructure the broader industry runs on," she said. "In a time when the industry faces so much change, we want to provide support and a sustainable home for games here in New York City."
Applications for the program close on August 7, 2026. Organizers encourage submitting companies to provide a playable build or live product link, and to provide "concrete numbers, links, and examples" about their work.
You can submit your application here.
