Coffee Stain launches funding initiative to promote gender equality

Goat Simulator developer Coffee Stain Studios has launched a new funding initiative to help tackle the gender imbalance within the games industry. 

Called 'Leveling the Playing Field,' the program is aimed at "small teams" and startups who employ at least as many women as men, and require less than 1 million SEK ($127,000) in funding. 

Those who qualify will be handed an cash injection to put towards a game project of their choosing, and those who don't can become eligible by welcoming more women into the fold.

"The current level of employment equality between women and men in the games industry is poor. In the Swedish games industry only 18 percent of its employees are women," commented Coffee Stain founder and CEO, Anton Westbergh. 

"This number is increasing every year, however at Coffee Stain we are way too impatient to idly sit by and wait for true equality in the industry to come about.

"It is with this in mind that we are creating a new funding opportunity aimed at smaller development teams where at least half of the staff whose staff is made up of women." 

Coffee Stain says it isn't looking for huge cash returns, though it will take a minority stake in successful applicants so it can use any profits to make the initiative self-sustaining. 

The studio has already kicked things off by partnering with Danish outfit Other Tales Interactive, which consists of its two co-founders Tanja Tankred and Mira Dorthé. 

Other Tales is currently working on its debut title, Tick Tick: A Tale For Two, a co-op adventure game where players must communicate and collaborate to solve puzzles and piece together the story. 

You can find out more information about the initiative, including how to apply, over on the Coffee Stain website.