Helika and Avalanche are bringing their joint Accelerator Demo Day to Pocket Gamer Connects Summit San Francisco on March 9, 2026. The event highlights the work of studios participating in a 12-week accelerator program designed to support game development, publishing, and scaling on the Avalanche platform. The program offers funding, mentorship, and access to Helika’s publishing tools, culminating in this public showcase where studios can connect with investors and industry partners.
Introducing Helika’s AI-Powered Publishing Engine
A central feature of the event is a first look at Helika’s Publishing Engine, an AI-powered system aimed at simplifying the publishing process for game studios. Many studios struggle with fragmented workflows, relying on multiple agencies and tools to manage acquisition, content, community engagement, and live operations. Helika’s platform integrates these functions into a single modular infrastructure. The Content Creation Engine, a core component of the system, allows studios to animate characters and game worlds across social and community channels, making publishing more measurable and repeatable while strengthening the connection between players and games.
Supporting Game Economies with Avalanche
Avalanche contributes to the accelerator by providing embedded financial infrastructure, allowing studios to manage in-game economies without requiring players to navigate blockchain technology. The platform supports cross-game loyalty currencies and real-time microtransaction settlement, offering developers efficiency, speed, and auditability. This infrastructure aims to help studios operate complex gaming economies while keeping the focus on player experience.
Showcasing the Accelerator Cohort
The Demo Day will give participating studios the opportunity to present their projects to publishers and potential investors. Helika CEO Anton Umnov explained that the accelerator focuses on producing shipping games rather than presentations, emphasizing practical outcomes over theory. Helika CPO Ilya Abugov highlighted that the event coincides with GDC week, a period when the industry looks for emerging trends and innovative teams. Parker Heath, gaming partnerships lead at Ava Labs, added that the accelerator cohort represents some of the strongest new talent in the gaming sector, and PG Connects provides an ideal stage to show their work.
How to Attend
The Demo Day will take place on March 9 at 715 Harrison in San Francisco during GDC week. Delegates attending PG Connects can meet with Helika and Avalanche representatives to request demo access or schedule meetings with the accelerator teams.
Source: PocketGamer
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Helika and Avalanche Accelerator Demo Day?
It is a showcase event where studios from a 12-week accelerator program present their games, meet investors, and get exposure to publishers. The event also features a preview of Helika’s AI-powered Publishing Engine.
When and where is the Demo Day?
The event will take place on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 715 Harrison in San Francisco during the week of GDC.
What is Helika’s Publishing Engine?
The Publishing Engine is an AI-powered infrastructure designed to integrate content creation, community engagement, live operations, and other publishing workflows into a single platform, helping studios publish games at scale.
How does Avalanche support game studios?
Avalanche provides embedded financial tools, including cross-game loyalty currencies and real-time microtransaction settlement, allowing studios to manage in-game economies efficiently without exposing players to blockchain complexity.
Who should attend the Demo Day?
Game studios looking to scale, publishers seeking new talent, and investors interested in emerging game projects will find the event relevant.
