Bournemouth-based video game studio Ace High Sports has raised £300,000 in equity funding to accelerate its growth plans. The investment comes from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund, managed by The FSE Group, and forms part of a wider £600,000 funding round that includes private investors and additional grant support from the UK Games Content Fund.
The funding will allow Ace High Sports to develop a new genre of sports-led card games and expand its portfolio of scalable titles. The studio’s first release, Touchdown Poker, is planned for 2026 and combines the mechanics of Texas Hold’em with the excitement of American football, providing players with a unique blend of strategy and action.
Mike Hawkyard, CEO and co-founder of Ace High Sports, said: “This investment is a major step forward for Ace High Sports. With support from the South West Investment Fund, FSE and our other investors, we can scale the business, grow our team and bring Touchdown Poker to life across multiple platforms. 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.”
Matt Browning, investment manager at The FSE Group, commented: “Ace High Sports demonstrates the qualities we look for in a growth business: experienced leadership, innovative product design, and a scalable commercial model. With strong advisory support, scalable plans, and validation from the UK Games Content Fund, the company is well-positioned to capitalise on growth in the creative industries, and we are excited to be working with them as they grow.”
Paul Jones from the British Business Bank added: “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. Our investment will help Ace High Sports accelerate development while supporting skilled job creation here in the region. We’re delighted to back their ambition and look forward to seeing the company scale and succeed.”
