Major funding boost for Welsh games industry software firm
Cheptsow-based Breaking Change has secured more than £1m in equity and grant support
Left to right: Ben Laws, co-founder and chief technology officer of Breaking Change; Jonathan Quinn, co-founder and chief executive of Breaking Change and Tom Linney, investment executive at the Development Bank of Wales.
A Chepstow-based technology firm focused on the global games industry has secured more than £1m in funding to support its drive to commercialisation.
Breaking Change is developing software infrastructure that helps game studios model, simulate and maintain the complex systems that underpin modern games, such as vehicles, weapons, progression and economies, more quickly, safely and efficiently. The platform combines simulation technology with AI-assisted authoring, helping studios build deeper gameplay systems without relying on months of bespoke engineering.
The funding package includes £735,000 in equity investment, led by the Development Bank of Wales and Haatch, alongside an Innovate UK Growth Catalyst grant. The development bank’s technology venture investments (TVI) team has invested £350,000 from the Wales Flexible Investment Fund (WFIF), with Haatch contributing £285,000. The remaining equity investment includes participation from Saola Ventures and prominent games industry business angel Dr Tomas Rawlings.
The funding will enable the company to expand its team, progress its simulation and AI R&D, and begin piloting its technology with studios later this year as it prepares for wider commercial rollout.
Dr Jonathan Quinn, co-founder and chief executive of Breaking Change, said:“The games industry is at a real inflection point. Player expectations are rising, but the tools available to studios haven’t kept pace with the complexity of modern games.
“Our platform is designed to remove some of the biggest technical barriers, helping studios build richer, more dynamic experiences while reducing the risk and cost of development. This funding package allows us to advance the platform, move into real-world pilots, and work directly with studios to prove that value.
I also gratefully acknowledge earlier grant and programme support from Media Cymru, Innovate UK and the UK Games Fund, alongside founder backing from the Royal Academy of Engineering. This support has also been instrumental in the company’s growth to date and in building the foundations for its next phase.”
Dr Quinn previously held senior roles at Aardman, Dovetail Games and Reach Robotics, where he helped deliver internationally recognised products and supported multi-million-pound fundraising. He is joined by co-founder and chief technology officer Ben Laws, alongside senior engineers James Munro and Ivo Hinov, who bring expertise in real-time systems, simulation and game development.
Tom Linney, investment executive at the Development Bank of Wales, said:“Breaking Change is an exciting example of a Welsh-based technology company with global potential. The team brings a strong track record and deep technical expertise in a sector that is evolving rapidly.
“We’re delighted to support the business as they look to redefine how complex game systems are built and maintained. The team has a compelling vision and the technical capability to execute it, and we look forward to seeing their technology adopted by studios in the months ahead.”
