Exel by Merak

Exel Gaming Accelerator’s second Demo Day marked a new milestone for Saudi Arabia’s gaming ecosystem. 17 startups graduated, ready to scale globally. More than a celebration, it was proof of momentum and the Kingdom’s growing gaming ambition. Watch the highlights 🎮✨

في يوم التأسيس نستحضر قصة وطن بدأ قبل ثلاثة قرون وما زال يصنع المجد 💚

Ramadan Mubarak! 🌙❤️

Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 2 is complete 🎮🚀 Founders at different stages used the program to refine, validate, and prepare for what’s next. Looking ahead to Demo Day 🔥

We recently welcomed the National University of Singapore for a visit that included a masterclass titled Navigating the Shift: Leading Through Market Uncertainty and Team Change. Strong insights on navigating uncertainty, decision making, and leading teams through change 💡

We were happy to welcome the National Development Fund to Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 2 NDF team connected with our startups, explored the games on display, and spoke with mentors, EIRs, and participants. Great conversations that support the growth of the gaming ecosystem 🚀

Exel Community Day brought the Exel community together for meaningful conversations, insights on the gaming ecosystem, and hands-on game playtesting 🎮✨ Grateful for everyone who joined and contributed to the energy of the night. More to come 🚀

Game dev advice from Week 9 mentor Erinrose Sullivan: Don't wait for a publisher to market your game! 🛑 "Anything a studio can show for traction is going to be critical in the eyes of a publisher... Everyone has to be their own brand builder."

Exel Community Day is happening 🚀 A day to connect with startups, developers, and partners. Real conversations, shared experiences, and meaningful connections. Join us 👇 eventcreate.com/e/exel-communi…

Week 10 of the Exel Gaming Accelerator was all about life after launch 🎮🔁 With Jason Della Rocca and Kristian Roberts, the cohort focused on LiveOps, community engagement, and long-term sustainability. Building games is one step. Running them is the next 🚀🔥

Big news for Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 2! 🚀 We are thrilled to welcome Andy Johnson as our newest EIR. From Pokémon and Minecraft to Candy Crush, Andy’s track record across AAA and Mobile is unmatched. Welcome to the team, Andy! 🎮✨

It’s not just what you build, it’s who you build it with. 🤝 Cohort 2 is proving that the right community makes the journey faster. From the insights of EIR Kelly Zmak to the shared grit of our participants, connection is our greatest asset. 🚀

Week 9 of the Exel Gaming Accelerator was about visibility 🎮 With Erinrose Sullivan, the cohort focused on marketing, community building, and AI-powered content. Thanks to EIRs Kelly Zmak and Andy Johnson for supporting the teams as they stepped into the spotlight 🚀

Game dev risk alert from mentor Rytis Jadzevičius: Don't skip the tracking! 📊 "The most common risks are not tracking properly things, not testing properly... and leaving it at the last phase of the game." Keep your vision and player needs aligned through constant testing. 🎮

Week 8 of the Exel Gaming Accelerator was about alignment and focus 🎮🧭 The cohort refined priorities and strengthened direction as they move closer to the final stages. Thanks to EIR Kelly Zmak and Mentor of the Week Marcin Paczynski for their guidance 🚀👏

From gaming to social innovation, Faisal Sedrani, Head of Exel, shared valuable insights at @MiskKSA Tour in Jazan 🎮💡 He spoke about how gaming is becoming a serious career and investment sector, and led a hands on workshop on turning innovative ideas into real social impact.

Monetization advice from mentor Marcin Paczyński: Simplicity is key! 🔑 "You need to have it as simple as possible because you need to make sure that it is extremely easy for the new player to understand..." Avoid overwhelming your audience. Keep it simple, then grow! 📈

Week 7 of the Exel Gaming Accelerator was about looking ahead 🎮🚀 With Rytis Jadzevičius, the cohort focused on growth, scalability, and preparing for the next stage beyond the program. Sharper priorities, clearer direction, and stronger positioning moving forward 📈🔥

Proud to spotlight DaFluffs Games, a graduate of Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 1 🎮 A gameplay-first mobile studio from the MENA region building fun and polished experiences for players everywhere 🌍 Their debut game, Dungeon Blast! reached 20,000+ players during its tech launch 🔥 The journey is just getting started 🚀

Week Six of Exel Gaming Accelerator Cohort 2 focused on monetization and game economics 🎮💰 With Marcin Paczynski, the cohort explored monetization models, virtual goods, predictive design, and A/B testing. The week wrapped with a VC session connecting game design decisions to investment readiness 🚀📈