US-based online games developer YetiZen has started an incubator to help peers.
But instead of providing cash, YetiZen’s IncubatorYZ will offer space and three months of mentoring from its advisers in return for equity. The first incubatees are Ayumusoft, Gabagool Games, Bushi-go, Socialbear, and SkillAddiction.
IncubatorYZ has taken on two Asia-based corporate venturing units, Jeff Karras of Singtel Innov8 and Patrick Chung of SK Telecom Ventures, as advisers to help its incubatees.
It also has advisers from venture capital firms: Tim Chang of Norwest Venture Partners, Jeremy Liew of Lightspeed Venture Partners, Ping Li of Accel Partners and Charles Hudson of SoftTech Ventures.
News provider GamesBeat said last year was a record with 91 portfolio companies receiving $1.05bn, up 58% from 2009.
GamesBeat added that other gaming incubators included Joystick Labs, one from media publisher IGN and Y Combinator.