Board game creator brings family sci-fi game to market
Rotherham-based board game creator, Teleporthole Games, has launched its first board game “Attack of the Intergalactic Gherkins” at the UK Games Expo in Birmingham.
Entrepreneur and former business advisor Andrew Klinkenberg launched the business during the pandemic amidst a surge in demand for at-home entertainment solutions fuelled by the lockdown restrictions.
The board game industry as a whole has seen an upward trajectory of growth with the latest statistics from Businesswire predicting a growth of 13% between 2021-2026.
Teleporthole Games’ attendance at the UK Games Expo was made possible by a Kickstart scheme from UKSE – a business that invests in steel areas across the UK – which allowed Klinkenberg to secure a stand, as well as pay for marketing materials for the expo.
Using a local manufacturer and working with UK distributors, he is hoping to put South Yorkshire on the map in terms of board game production.
Klinkenberg said: “The last year has been a real rollercoaster in terms of establishing the business and bringing our first product to market, but it has been a dream of mine to establish a South-Yorkshire board game business for so long and I am excited to be gaining traction.
“The UK Games Expo is the largest Hobby Games Convention in the UK, and it appeals to families as well as enthusiasts, so it made sense for me to launch my first project there.
“The funding from UKSE was vital in facilitating that and in accelerating the manufacture of the stock that I will be selling, so I am hugely grateful.
“Longer term I really want to expand internationally and I already have three further board games in the pipeline. Meanwhile I am committed to using local manufacturing and distributors to help create jobs in and around South Yorkshire.”
Steve Lyon, regional executive at UKSE, added: “The figures show that the games industry is booming at the moment, and we’re pleased to have supported Andrew to Kickstart his ambition of putting Rotherham and South Yorkshire on the game manufacturing map.
“It is exciting to see the vision for bringing Teleporthole Games to a wider market, and potentially even internationally, and I wish Andrew the best of luck moving the business to the next stage.”
