The tech entrepreneurial scene in 2025 is buzzing with innovation, and London's TILKI is grabbing the spotlight. The AI-powered platform has secured €1.8 million in a pre-seed funding round to turn the dream of creating video games without coding into a reality. This development not only democratizes game creation but also eases the barriers to entry for budding game developers and storytellers worldwide. Here's everything you need to know about this exciting startup news and how it could redefine the gaming industry.
Why This News Matters: Key Highlights
- Funding Raised: TILKI secured €1.8 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Twin Path Ventures.
- Vision: Enable anyone, regardless of technical skills, to create engaging, immersive video games.
- What Sets TILKI Apart: Unlike traditional no-code platforms, TILKI focuses on fully dynamic and evolving game narratives while leveraging advanced AI for seamless development.
Investors Backing the Vision
Leading this funding round is Twin Path Ventures, with participation from XTX Ventures, SFC Capital, and Atlas AI^VB Fund I. These investors are betting big on TILKI’s potential to dominate the global AI-driven video game creation space, a market that stands at an astounding $176 billion.
How TILKI Works: The Revolution in Game Development
TILKI isn't just another no-code platform. It brings AI into the heart of game storytelling and design:
1. Dynamic Storylines
Games created using TILKI change in real-time based on player interactions. NPCs (non-player characters) can act autonomously and evolve dynamically, creating lasting consequences that ripple through the gaming environment.
Example:
Imagine encountering an innkeeper in your game who responds uniquely based on your earlier decisions. Their actions could escalate from renting you a room to sparking a town-wide uprising, all influenced by AI-driven logic.
2. Easy Accessibility
TILKI's no-code interface ensures that anyone with a creative idea can build a game, even without technical expertise. Their goal is to remove barriers for creators and encourage wider participation in game design.
3. AI Integration Across the Pipeline
The platform simplifies traditionally complex game development processes, including design, character behavior, and narrative flow.
A Game-Changing Ecosystem for Creators
Much like innovative platforms such as GDevelop and Construct, TILKI plans to offer creators a thriving ecosystem. The platform will also soon include a creator’s marketplace, enabling users to share assets, stories, and even whole game modules.
For instance, platforms like PlayPal, an AI friend by Fe/male Switch that acts as a conversational companion, could inspire collaboration and creative game concept explorations. Learn more about the functionality PlayPal brings to startups and creators alike.
The Role of Fe/male Switch and Free AI Tools for Startups
Startups like TILKI, and other aspiring entrepreneurs, can also benefit from tools like the F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer. This tool offers startups the ability to effortlessly discover and apply for EU grants by automating the grant application drafting process, saving precious time and effort for innovators.
Additionally, for aspiring entrepreneurs exploring their entry points into the startup world, gaming platforms such as F/MS Startup Game help demystify business-building through real-world simulations, from skill-building in gamepreneurship to funding simulations. Coupled with guidance from industry leaders, platforms like this could help catalyze fresh innovation in spaces like AI-driven game development.
Unlocking Opportunities for Female Entrepreneurs
As startups like TILKI receive backing, it’s worth highlighting initiatives led by business leaders like Violetta Bonenkamp. From promoting female participation in entrepreneurship with Fe/male Switch to providing tools and resources for new businesses, Bonenkamp’s work exemplifies how innovation and diversity can reshape industries. Check out her latest project, PlayPal, which offers AI-driven companionship and personalized advice for developers and entrepreneurs.
How to Get Started with Game Development Using AI
If you’re inspired by TILKI’s story or have a game idea of your own, here’s a quick guide:
Step-by-Step Guide to Explore No-Code AI Game Creation
- Define Your Idea: Begin with a detailed startup problem or concept. TILKI and platforms like GDevelop help you refine your idea into actionable steps.
- Use Dynamic AI Features: Create evolving storylines with platforms designed for real-time change.
- Summon Professional Feedback: If you're unsure, test your concepts with tools like AI Startup Lawyer to validate your pitch or agreements.
- Secure Funding: Leverage resources like the F/MS AI Grant Finder for funding opportunities.
- Iterate: Build your game in incremental blocks, using feedback to refine it further.
Mistakes to Avoid When Starting in Game Development
- Over-reliance on Automation: Give your AI tools proper direction; they can’t replace creative input.
- Skipping Research: Understand your audience deeply before finalizing your game’s concept.
- Ignoring Long-Term Trends: Stay updated with tools and platforms like TILKI that align with the future of gaming.
Final Thoughts: A Better Tomorrow for Game Creators
With TILKI’s funding and its revolutionary no-code AI capabilities, game creation is no longer limited to developers with extensive programming knowledge. The future lies in inclusivity, creativity, and accessibility, enabling new voices to tell stories and innovate in ways previously unseen. Thanks to resources like PlayPal and Fe/male Switch, the next generation of entrepreneurs and creators has the tools they need to succeed.
Be sure to follow their journey, and if you have the next big game idea, there has never been a better time to bring it to life with platforms like TILKI. Startup news from the gaming sector is no longer just stories about big publishers; it’s about individuals like you, with big ideas, leveraging AI seamlessly.
FAQ
1. What is TILKI and what does it aim to achieve?
TILKI is a London-based startup that has developed an AI-powered no-code platform for creating video games. Its mission is to democratize game development, enabling any creator, regardless of technical skills, to design immersive and dynamic games. Learn more about TILKI’s mission
2. How much funding has TILKI raised, and what stage is it in?
TILKI has raised €1.8 million in a pre-seed funding round to fuel its vision of enabling no-code video game creation. Check out the funding details
3. Who are the key investors in TILKI’s pre-seed round?
The pre-seed round was led by Twin Path Ventures, with additional participation from XTX Ventures, SFC Capital, and Atlas AI^VB Fund I. Explore Twin Path Ventures’ role in the funding
4. What makes TILKI unique compared to other no-code platforms?
Unlike other no-code platforms, TILKI integrates advanced AI to create games with dynamic, real-time evolving narratives where player choices have lasting consequences. For example, NPCs (non-player characters) can autonomously evolve based on player interactions. Learn more about TILKI’s AI features
5. How does TILKI plan to support the game development community?
TILKI is building a creator marketplace where users can share game assets, stories, and game modules, fostering collaboration and creativity among developers. Explore TILKI’s marketplace vision
6. How does TILKI’s AI improve gameplay dynamics?
TILKI uses AI to enable NPCs to act autonomously, creating a more immersive experience. For example, an NPC like an innkeeper could adapt their behavior dynamically based on the player’s previous decisions. Discover how AI transforms gameplay with TILKI
7. What are the key trends in the gaming industry that TILKI addresses?
TILKI aligns with major trends in the $176 billion gaming market, such as AI-driven narrative design, no-code platforms, and the democratization of game creation for non-programmers. Read more on AI-driven gaming trends
8. Do other no-code game engines exist, and how does TILKI compare?
Yes, platforms like GDevelop and Construct allow no-code game creation, but TILKI stands out for integrating AI throughout the development pipeline, enabling dynamic, evolving storylines that other platforms cannot match. Learn more about GDevelop | Check out Construct
9. How can aspiring game developers get started with TILKI?
Creators can start by defining their game ideas and using TILKI’s intuitive AI-driven platform to bring these concepts to life without coding expertise. A closed beta is expected in early 2026, followed by an open beta.
10. What additional tools can entrepreneurs use alongside TILKI?
Aspiring developers might benefit from platforms like the F/MS AI Grant Finder to secure funding or Fe/male Switch for startup guidance. Discover the F/MS AI Grant Finder | Check out Fe/male Switch’s Startup Game
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
