Serious Play Conference, SGSCE, and DSET Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Serious Games and Simulation-Based Training

The Serious Play Conference, the Serious Games Showcase and Challenge Europe (SGSCE), and the Defence Simulation, Education and Training (DSET) Conference are pleased to announce a new strategic collaboration designed to elevate the impact, visibility, and innovation of serious games across sectors including defence, education, and corporate training.

This partnership brings together three influential organisations committed to advancing game-based learning and simulation technologies. The collaboration aims to foster greater knowledge exchange, provide more impactful showcase opportunities, and strengthen the global community of developers, educators, and end-users.

“This collaboration represents a significant step forward for the global serious games community,” said Paul Darvasi, organiser of the Serious Play Conference. “Together, we are building a stronger, more unified platform to support innovation and amplify impact.”

Key Elements of the Partnership:

• Collaborative Working: Shared sessions, cross-conference speakers and joint offers to the Serious Games community will offer rich, multidisciplinary learning experiences.
• Expanded Recognition: Unified award and showcase tracks across events will highlight excellence and innovation in serious games development.
• Global Community Building: Combined networks will extend the reach for stakeholders across defence, education, health, and commercial training sectors.

Sam Cullimore, Serious Games Lead at Ruddy Nice Ltd and organiser of SGSCE, added:
“SGSCE has long served as a launchpad for creative and effective game-based solutions. By aligning with DSET and Serious Play, we’re creating broader opportunities to showcase talent and accelerate adoption.”

Tess Butler, CEO of DSET, commented:
“DSET is rooted in solving real-world challenges through simulation, serious games, wargaming, and training. This partnership deepens our connections with the serious games sector and expands the toolkit available to defence and beyond.”

Further details, including event dates, submission guidelines, and opportunities to participate across the conferences are all available online at https://dset.co.uk/seriousgames/ and https://seriousplayconf.com/

Media Enquiries:
Louise Hart
Marketing Director
Ruddy Nice Ltd
📧 louisehart@ruddynice.com
🌐 www.dset.co.uk

North East Tech Sector Preps for £400m UK Defence Innovation Fund Opportunity

Sunderland, UK – 2nd May 2025 – Sunderland Software City, a leading force in driving digital innovation and skills across the North East, has announced a new strategic partnership with Ruddy Nice, a renowned platform connecting global Aerospace, Blue Light and Space industries in XR, AI, Cyber, Training, and Education.

Entering the aerospace sector can be challenging, especially for startups or SMEs unfamiliar with procurement processes. However, the North East stands out as a national leader, with 15% of Ministry of Defence spending in the region going to SMEs, the highest proportion in the UK. This is a clear strength, highlighting the region’s agility, innovation, and ability to deliver. 

The Government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2027 represents an additional £6.4 billion investment, with a minimum of 10% of the equipment budget allocated to novel technologies, including AI-enabled tech. This strategic focus creates significant opportunities for innovative North East SMEs.

David Dunn, CEO of Sunderland Software City, said:

“At Sunderland Software City, we are actively seeking opportunities both nationally and internationally to help companies from the North East’s tech ecosystem grow. When we find them, we strive to make them accessible and impactful.”

Tess Butler, CEO of Ruddy Nice, added:

“Ruddy Nice is excited to collaborate with Sunderland Software City to help accelerate SMEs and genuine innovation into the aerospace industry. We understand the complexities of the systems and the costs involved, and we’re committed to reducing these challenges. This partnership is a step towards making the aerospace sector more accessible.”

Over the coming months, Sunderland Software City and Ruddy Nice will launch a series of initiatives to connect the North East tech sector with emerging aerospace opportunities. To stay informed and get involved, follow our channels and be part of the conversation.

About Sunderland Software City
Sunderland Software City empowers digital growth in the North East by connecting people, skills, and business opportunities. It supports startups, scale-ups, and enterprise through innovation programmes, expert advice, and ecosystem-building activities.

About Ruddy Nice 

With savvy Aerospace marketing expertise and veterans with specialist sector know-how, Ruddy Nice are a strong squad that make an impact for each and every one of our global Defence and Aerospace clients.

Our core values are what we live and grow by; Delivering a meaningful, collaborative, and inclusive environment that enables Government, Industry, and Academia to drive change. We run an annual conference and year-round activities at The Studio fostering collaboration and capability development.

Media Contact:
Kai Richardson
kai.richardson@sunderlandsoftwarecity.com

DSET 2025: A Decade of Innovation Marks a New Era with the Launch of the British Army Security and Cyber Conference

Bristol, UK – 8th – 10th July – DSET 2025 is set to be the most groundbreaking edition yet, celebrating its 10th anniversary with the launch of the British Army Security and Cyber Conference. This new addition reinforces DSET’s commitment to advancing defence technology, wargaming, and cybersecurity amidst an era of increasing global threats and operational challenges.

Introducing the British Army Security and Cyber Conference

DSET 2025 is proud to announce the launch of the British Army Security and Cyber Conference, a dedicated event running alongside the main conference to tackle the ever-evolving threats in cyber warfare, digital, physical, and personal security. This pivotal addition will offer cutting-edge insights, expert panels, and collaborative discussions designed to strengthen the security and protection of Army people, information, and assets. 

The conference will culminate in an exclusive Security and Cyber Awards Dinner, recognising excellence and innovation within the cyber and security community.

Kristina Evans, Chief Security Officer, for the British Army, expressed her enthusiasm for this new initiative:

“The British Army Cyber and Security Conference at DSET 2025 is a crucial step forward in addressing the evolving challenges of modern warfare. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, we must maintain advantage by fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuing to develop our skill and expertise across the Defence community. Our physical and personal security challenges are equal to that in the cyber arena and this event will serve as a vital platform to equip us with the knowledge and partnerships needed to safeguard our future.”

DSET 2025: A Year-Round Hub for Innovation & Collaboration

Beyond the annual event, DSET is now a 365-day working community. The newly opened Serious Games, Simulation, and Wargaming Studio (The Studio) in Salisbury, UK serves as a dedicated centre for training, education, and research. The Studio provides an immersive space for collaboration, supporting organisations such as Varjo, Valkyrie Technologies, First Coding, ETSA, Fight Club International, and Women in Security, Defence, and Medicine.

Additionally, DSET continues to pioneer education with the return of the Analysis, Modelling and Simulation Course, and the launch of the Wargaming Essentials CPD course in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University. From entry-level to foundation degree qualifications, DSET is committed to fostering #NextGen talent, with opportunities available for students as young as 12.

A Decade of Excellence – The Biggest and Brightest DSET Yet!

As DSET marks its 10th anniversary, this milestone event will be the largest and most dynamic yet, reinforcing its reputation as the go-to global platform for defence, security, wargaming, and cyber innovation. DSET 2025 will address these urgent priorities, bringing together over 2,000 international professionals from Defence, Government, Academia, and Industry.

Join us for DSET 2025 – where people, collaboration, and action drive the future of defence and security.

For further information, media inquiries, or partnership opportunities, please contact:

Abbie Pierce
abbiepierce@ruddynice.com
07974 180166