Bengaluru hosts LVL Zero Demo Day as 10 gaming startups pitch global ambitions

Bengaluru hosts LVL Zero Demo Day as 10 gaming startups pitch global ambitions (Pic/Special arrangement)

LVL Zero, India's first gaming incubator backed by MIXI Global Investments, Nazara Technologies and Chimera VC, concluded its inaugural 100-day incubation programme with a Demo Day in Bengaluru, where 10 game development startups pitched their products and business strategies to investors, publishers, and industry leaders.

The event brought together representatives from leading gaming companies, venture capital firms, and technology platforms to witness the next generation of Indian game development studios preparing for global markets.

The inaugural cohort was selected from more than 240 applications received from across India. During the 100-day programme, each startup received an equity-free grant of USD 10,000, along with mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to publishers and industry experts to refine their products and prepare for commercial launches, publishing partnerships, and fundraising.

The participating startups included Kyrel Games, Trojan Productions, Wrought Studios, Impulse Mechanics, YK Game Studio, Arckon Arts, Xigma Games, Prescription Studios, Rudrac Games and KALP Studio. Their projects spanned PC, console, and mobile platforms, covering genres such as narrative adventures, strategy games, sandbox experiences, cooperative puzzle titles, psychological horror, and experimental gameplay.

Major technology companies including Sony, Krafton and Google were also present

Throughout the day, founders presented their products, development journeys, and growth plans to an audience comprising investors, publishers, and ecosystem stakeholders.

The event attracted participation from major gaming and technology companies, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, Krafton, Roblox, Unity, and Google, alongside investment firms such as Accel, Blume Ventures, Elevation Capital, India Quotient, Venture Catalysts and the Yale University Endowment Fund, reflecting increasing investor interest in India's growing game development ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of Investments at MIXI Global Investments, Tomoharu Urabe, said, "The incubator was created to help India's game development talent build globally competitive studios rather than simply individual games."

He added, "Over the last 100 days, we've seen founders refine their products, sharpen their business thinking, and take meaningful steps toward building globally competitive studios. Demo Day reflects what can happen when founders, mentors, investors, and publishers come together with a shared vision of building the future of gaming."

The incubator was launched to address a key challenge within India's gaming industry by helping developers transition from building games to building sustainable businesses. Participants received support across funding, mentorship, talent, distribution, and global expansion opportunities.

Deepak MV, Head of Strategy at Nazara Technologies, said, "India has no shortage of talent or creativity. What has often been missing is structured support, mentorship, and access to the right networks. The progress made by these startups over the last 100 days reinforces our belief that initiatives like LVL Zero can help build a sustainable pipeline of globally competitive gaming companies from India."

Krish Anurag, Managing Partner at Chimera VC and Founding Partner of LVL Zero, said, "The diversity of projects showcased across PC, console, mobile, narrative, strategy, and multiplayer experiences highlights the depth of talent emerging from India. More importantly, it demonstrates that Indian studios are increasingly building with global ambition from day one."

The Demo Day also served as a networking platform, enabling startups to engage with potential investors, publishers and strategic partners as they move into the next phase of growth.

The organisers cited the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Industry Report 2026, which estimates that Indian studios with globally successful titles generated between USD 0.8 billion and USD 1.2 billion in revenue during 2025-26, with 40 to over 90 per cent of earnings coming from international markets. The report projects that global revenues from games developed in India could grow by 20-30 per cent annually to reach USD 2.8-4.8 billion by 2028-29.

Looking ahead, LVL Zero said it plans to support more than 100 gaming startups over the next five years, with the aim of strengthening India's position as a global hub for game development and original intellectual property.