Bournemouth-based Ace High Sports has secured £600,000 to support its creation of video games for sports and playing card fans.
The round is made up of £300,000 in equity funding from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager The FSE Group, plus participation from private investors and grant funding from the UK Games Content Fund.
The funding will accelerate Ace High Sports’ growth strategy, enabling it to pioneer a new genre of sports-led card games while building a games portfolio. The company’s first title, Touchdown Poker, is scheduled for release in 2026 and is said to ‘fuse the mechanics of Texas Hold’em with the excitement of American football.’
“This investment is a major step forward for Ace High Sports,” says Mike Hawkyard, CEO and co-founder at Ace High Sports. “Our goal is to create games that feel instantly familiar yet completely fresh, and this funding allows us to make that happen. Touchdown Poker is just the beginning of a portfolio that will redefine how audiences engage with sports and traditional card games.”
The global video games market is forecast to generate around £447B in annual revenue by 2030.
“The creative industries, including games development, is an important growth sector in the South West, and Ace High Sports is a good example of the innovative, high-potential businesses the South West Investment Fund was set up to support,” says Paul Jones, senior investment manager for regional funds at the British Business Bank.
“Our investment will help Ace High Sports accelerate development while supporting skilled job creation here in the region.”
The South West Investment Fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It offers a range of commercial finance options, with smaller loans from £25,000 to £100,000, debt finance from £100,000 to £2m and equity investment of up to £5m.
The fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses in the South West.
