The Government Council has authorised the Regional Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment to grant a direct subsidy to Valladolid City Council, amounting to 1,500,000 euros, to finance the equipment necessary to set up a Technological Laboratory for Digital Content.

The Technological Laboratory for Digital Content promoted by Valladolid City Council aims to foster entrepreneurship and generate an industrial ecosystem around video games, virtual reality and audiovisual production.

It aims to host innovative and technology-based projects, related to digital transformation, which have a direct impact on the creation of quality employment and the generation of new business and industrial opportunities, promoting entrepreneurship and contributing to local and regional economic development.

These objectives are aligned with the strategic lines of the Regional Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment, which include the promotion of digitalisation and innovation in the industrial sector of Castilla y León, as well as support for entrepreneurship to encourage the creation of new technology-based industries in the region.

Hence, with this grant, the Regional Government of Castilla y León intends to support the development of this initiative, facilitating the acquisition of the necessary equipment for the integral development of video games, and immersive applications and experiences.

Specifically, the financial aid will be allocated to computer, virtual and augmented reality, and photogrammetry equipment, digital technologies, furniture, the creation of a virtual production set, and a motion capture room.

These resources will provide the Lab with the necessary tools to be at the forefront of technology, so that it can successfully carry out the tasks of audiovisual production, video game and AI-based project development, virtual and augmented reality content creation.

Moreover, these tools will not only be useful in the video game industry, but will also be a vehicle for users to put their skills at the service of other sectors, such as the automotive, aeronautics or agri-food.

In order to ensure that the Valladolid City Council can acquire the equipment that will enable it to implement the project immediately, the Junta de Catilla y León will advance 100% of the subsidy granted, thus facilitating the start of the work to adapt the laboratory, which will be located in the municipal building in Valle de Arán Street, Valladolid.

The Valladolid City Council provides the headquarters of the project, next to the Ribera de Castilla Park. It is a 3,000 m² plot of land, which has been recently refurbished, and a 700 m² open-plan building with all the services. Once equipped, it will house this multidisciplinary centre where different teams and professionals can collaborate on projects bringing together cutting-edge technology and creative skills.

For the development of the Laboratory it has been essential to collaborate with Pentakill Studios (now DALOAR), a pioneering startup company from Valladolid, housed in the Agency for Innovation and Economic Development of Valladolid (IdeVa). This independent studio has more than 30 employees, focused on the production and development of video games, and will launch in 2025 its video game, 'The Occultist', on the international market.

This new Lab will support other studios in the sector in Castilla y León by collaborating, as is already being done, with Gamez Studio, based in Zamora, and with the recently formed Castilla y León Video Game Industry Association.