Nova Games Foundation Launches With Six-Figure Grants for 20 Designers Each Year
Mark Cerny and Geoff Keighley founded the university-affiliated program and appointed John Maconga and Ashley Corrigan to lead its launch.
Nova Games Foundation has launched a fellowship program that will provide six-figure grants to 20 young game designers each year. Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PlayStation 5, founded the university-affiliated initiative with Geoff Keighley, host of The Game Awards.
The fellowship is aimed at game design graduates and is intended to give new creators financial support as they build their careers. Cerny and Keighley also hope the foundation will create lasting support for future designers, team leaders, and other creative voices across the industry.
Nova Games Foundation will support 20 designers annually
Each year’s 20 recipients will receive a grant worth six figures. The program is focused on philanthropy rather than investment, with the funding designed to help emerging creators make games and find their footing without giving the foundation an ownership stake in their work.
John Maconga has been appointed executive director, while Ashley Corrigan, the former director of the Game Developers Conference, will serve as head of grants. Their roles will help establish the foundation’s fellowship and manage its grant program.
Cerny and Keighley are funding the foundation themselves
In an interview with Stephen Totilo of Game File, Cerny said he believes he is nearing the end of his career and wants to “pay it forward.” The foundation gives him and Keighley a way to direct that support toward people at the start of their work in game design.
Keighley said he and Cerny each made multi-million-dollar donations to establish Nova and intend to keep contributing. He described the foundation plainly, saying, “Nova is philanthropy: we aren’t taking equity or looking to recoup the grants.” The pair also hopes other supporters will contribute as the program continues.
For the designers who receive funding, the project offers a chance to spend more time developing original ideas while building a career in games. Nova’s long-term goal is to help new voices enter the industry and create a support structure that can continue beyond its first group of fellows.
Nova’s focus on early-career designers could give the foundation a meaningful role in deciding which ideas receive room to grow. Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
