By Sagar V. Mankar Krafton India, the gaming company behind BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), has launched the Krafton India Gaming Incubator, or KIGI, to nurture creativity, innovation, and talent in the Indian gaming industry.
KIGI’s primary objective is to support and empower the gaming ecosystem in India by encouraging promising Gaming developers.
Over the years, India has witnessed a rise in gaming enthusiasts and developers, and KIGI aims to play a major role in this growth. The program’s vision is to promote at least 6 to 10 gaming teams annually, with program durations ranging from six months to a year.
Selected startups entering the KIGI program will receive valuable guidance, mentorship, and access to Krafton’s vast resources. Key components of the incubator program include financial support, typically ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, to meet the unique needs of each venture under incubation.
Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India expressed his opinion about this initiative:
“We are excited to nurture the next generation of gaming talent in the country and align with the government’s vision of upskilling the Indian workforce and increasing employability”.
KIGI Program will also be applicable to actively seeking early-stage startups, including those still in the “conceptualization” phase. It extends its arms to consider student teams from colleges or schools and independent developers as potential candidates for incubation. Participants will also gain access to Krafton’s internal resources, such as data analytics and market research, to move forward with their individual projects.
It’s important to note that KIGI does not consider applications from organizations primarily focused on gambling or real-money gaming.
Mentorship from the Gaming Industry Titans
A standout feature of the KIGI program is the opportunity for participants to receive mentorship from prominent figures from the gaming industry. These mentors include accomplished gaming executives, seasoned game developers, and experts from South Korea, a global gaming hub. Notable mentors in the program include Dave Curd, Creative Director at PUBG Studios, and Harns Kim, Game Producer at Krafton, Inc.
Beyond Incubation
After completing the KIGI program, participants will find opportunities to publish their creations with financial backing from external investors. But that’s not it, they will also receive equity investments from Krafton. This holistic approach ensures that the journey doesn’t end with incubation but continues toward discovering the full potential of their gaming ideas.
Last year, KRAFTON India also announced to invest $150 Million over the next two to three years in Indian gaming and esports.
First Cohort
Updated on March 15th, 2024: 6 months after the announcement, Krafton India launched its first cohort under KIGI and selected 2 Indian Startups:
- ReDimension Games: developing an action-adventure game, ‘Sojourn Past’
- Shura Games: developer of culinary puzzle adventures mobile game ‘Spice Secrets’
On September 29th, 2024, Krafton India added another two startups in its first cohort:
- Arjuna Studios: Currently developing “Gangster Carnival,” an exciting battle royale game
- Dunali Games: Working on “Tale of Honour,” an Android strategy-driven stealth puzzle game