THAT WAS THEN
Noemie Dupuy, Michael Elman and Dave Lipes, the founders of Budge Studios, based in Montreal, Quebec, already had a successful business providing audio for video games. When the first generation iPad was released in 2010, the 30-something entrepreneurs, some of whom were starting families, saw an opportunity to develop and publish their own games via the iTunes Store; it seemed like a natural transition. But then they quickly realized they could instead tap into a whole new market: interactive video game apps for kids. It was risky to take a new strategy, especially now that they had their families to think about, but it was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up.
THIS IS NOW
The three founders shifted their strategy to focus on interactive apps for kids. Now, 2 ½ years later, the 10-person shop has grown to 40 full-time employees, and has partnered with some of the biggest kids’ brands, including Disney, Nickelodeon, Random House and Warner Bros. Budge Studios’ most popular app, It's a Small World, peaked at the 8th most downloaded paid app on the iTunes Store worldwide.
