Games24x7 partners Karnataka govt for gaming accelerator programme

(L-R) Rajat Bansal, CTO, Games24x7 with Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge, Karnataka IT secretary Dr. Ekroop Caur IAS, KITS MD Darshan HV

Skill-based gaming company Games24x7 said on December 1 that it has partnered with the Karnataka Government to launch an accelerator programme called GameTech Accelerate to boost growth in the burgeoning sector.

The programme was inaugurated by Karnataka's Information Technology and Bio-Technology (IT-BT) Minister Priyank Kharge along with state IT secretary Ekroop Caur and Games24x7 Chief Technology Officer Rajat Bansal at the Bengaluru Tech Summit.

GameTech Accelerate will be a six-week hybrid (in-person and virtual) accelerator programme designed for early-stage gaming firms. Startups that are bootstrapped or those that have raised funding of less than $5 million and have developed a minimum viable product (MVP) can apply for this programme.

Through this programme, Games24x7 will help identify and mentor ventures offering innovative and viable solutions, connecting them to investors, the company said in a statement. It has partnered with Amazon's cloud unit Amazon Web Services (AWS) for this initiative.

GameTech Accelerate will focus on four key areas: new games (real money, casual, hyper casual, educational, simulation, strategy, and massively multiplayer online game(MMO)), real-time analytics, telemetry and personalisation, security and anti-cheating measures; and community and social integration.

"Karnataka boasts one of the most vibrant technology startup ecosystems in the nation, and we are dedicated to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship through initiatives like these" Kharge said.

"The online gaming sector in India is rapidly evolving, and it is crucial to support this industry, which not only generates employment opportunities but also fosters innovation, contributing significantly to our digital economy" he said.

Startups shortlisted for the programme will be disclosed at the forthcoming GAFX event in Bengaluru scheduled for January 2024.

Following the accelerator programme, select startups will get access to virtual mentoring sessions from Games24x7 and AWS experts between January-February 2024 along with a virtual investor session in the first week of March 2024. These startups will also get AWS cloud credits as part of the programme, the company said.

"Games24x7's accelerator programme represents our firm commitment to unlock the gaming industry's full potential. Our winners won't just receive accolades and mentorship; they'll pitch to potential investors, gaining crucial support to transform their visionary ideas into reality” Bansal said in a statement.

In November 2022, Games24x7 had set up a corporate venture capital arm with a corpus of Rs 400 crore to back early-stage startups in the interactive entertainment space in India over the next five years.