Digital Incubator To Open In London
As DIG London wrapped day one of two last week, mayor Joe Fontana announced confirmation that the Ontario city would be home to a Digital Centre for Excellence.
Fontana addressed the DIG conference attendees during the keynote dinner, explaining that the centre would be temporarily housed at London-based gameco Digital Extremes (Star Trek, The Darkness II) while a more permament location is sought.
DE president Michael Schmalz told Village Gamer that the city of London will be committing $5 million over five years for the incubator. “It will serve multiple purposes for the 
community, developing synergies that exist in academia and industry,” he stated, hinting at a potential partnership with local institution Fanshawe College.
“It will be for young, ambitious game developers to incubate their talents, start-ups for students or companies who need a space to get to the next stage,” he explained. “It will also be a place for events, networking and a forum for the community.”
The center will be helmed by a yet-to-be-determined executive director, for which the search is aiming to be completed in the next couple of months. That individual will concentrate on the incubator’s setup for the first year before populating and staffing its eventual permanent space, also aiming to be confirmed sometime in 2012.
