UK developer trade body TIGA has urged the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to invest some of its innovation fund in start up and early stage games businesses in order to encourage the development of original IP.

Originally established in 2004 and funded by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, the TSB has a remit to promote innovation within UK industry and has a billion pounds to invest into British businesses over the next three years.

“UK games developers have traditionally faced difficulties in raising finance from funders outside of the sector,” said TIGA CEO Richard Wilson. “The City of London has been relatively uninterested in investing in games, partly because of the risks involved. As a result, it has been comparatively hard to raise new funds for the creation of original intellectual property.

“Yet it would be a mistake to overlook the games industry. Separately, the Technology Strategy Board invested £577,000 in projects involving games businesses in 2008-09. This is testament to the fact that there are worthwhile investment opportunities in games businesses… Where possible, TIGA will highlight investment opportunities for the Fund with its membership.”

We recently spoke to Jeremy Silver, the TSB's lead specialist in creative industries, to find out more about how the money will be spent and how it will benefit the UK games industry.