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Tag: Salone Sehgal

  • Swipe right on India’s next digital revolution

    Swipe right on India’s next digital revolution

    MUMBAI: Forget just astrology, bollywood and cricket, India’s digital appetite now runs from A to G. According to the Swipe Before Type report unveiled at Lumikai Insignia 2025, Indians are now paying for astrology, bollywood, cricket, dating, education, fandom, and gaming, reflecting a seismic shift from the old offline A-B-C of entertainment to a mobile-first, monetised mosaic.

    Launched by Lumikai, India’s first gaming and interactive media VC fund, the report unpacks how a generation raised on touchscreens is swiping, streaming, and spending its way into new digital frontiers. The insights, drawn from nearly 3,000 mobile users, reveal a nation that’s not just watching but participating.

    Women now make up 46 per cent of India’s interactive media audience, two-thirds hail from non-metro regions, and a whopping 80 per cent use UPI for payments. Half of them subscribe to multiple apps, and one in two downloads a new app every week, proof that India’s entertainment economy is no longer passive, it’s passionately participatory.

    Gaming, once a niche, now commands the biggest share of digital wallets, with players willing to pay for upgrades, skins, and ad-free experiences. Video streaming remains king, with 54 per cent of users paying for premium plans across Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar. Social platforms, meanwhile, are transforming into mini marketplaces where virtual gifting, in-app purchases, and even astrology consultations drive recurring revenue.

    New content trends are also taking hold. Microdramas and short-form storytelling are capturing bite-sized attention spans, while anime has gone mainstream, led by hits like One Piece and Naruto. AI adoption is accelerating too, metro users are 2.5 times more likely to integrate AI into their daily routines than their non-metro counterparts.

    “India has moved from paying for A-B-C offline to A-B-C-D-E-F-G online,” said Lumikai founder and managing partner Salone Sehgal. “Cultural shifts and tech habits are creating entirely new monetisation frontiers.”

    As Sehgal puts it, India isn’t just watching the digital future unfold, it’s swiping it into existence.
     

  • Swipe right on Bharat Lumikai unlocks the new face of digital play

    Swipe right on Bharat Lumikai unlocks the new face of digital play

    MUMBAI: India’s gaming and interactive media scene just got a reality check and it’s not coming from the usual suspects in metros. In a swipe-worthy new consumer report titled “From Swipes to Stories”, Lumikai, the country’s first interactive media VC, has laid bare the habits, preferences, and quirks of India’s 12.5 billion dollars new media economy and it’s more Bharat than hindi flims.

    Unveiled at WAVES 2025, the report dives deep into how mobile-first, non-metro audiences are rewriting the digital playbook. A few standout facts? 44 per cent of gamers in India are now women, up from 41 per cent last year, and a whopping 66 per cent of all players come from non-metros. The rise of this culturally rooted, tier-2+ gaming community marks a seismic shift in India’s entertainment map.

    South India emerges as the undisputed champion of screen time, with users spending 1.6x more on interactive platforms than the national average. And while Instagram and OTTs top the leaderboard everywhere, dating apps sneak into the North’s top three, proving Delhi really does love its drama with a dash of romance.

    Gaming itself now gulps 13 hours a week up 30 per cent from FY23 and smartphones are the arena of choice for 99 per cent of players. Consoles and PCs remain niche, and players cite data costs, ads, and hardware limitations as the top killjoys.

    The motivations behind the joystick? Relaxation (75 per cent), social connection (51 per cent), and self-expression (45 per cent) making gaming India’s emotional escape hatch, right alongside music and movies. While only 32 per cent splurge on in-game goodies immediately, 56 per cent convert to paid users within a week, lured by perks like ad-free play and performance upgrades.

    Commenting on the report launch Lumikai founder and managing partner Salone Sehgal said, “One of the report’s most defining conclusions is the evolution of the Indian user from player to creator. Interactivity has emerged as the core currency of engagement, and platforms that enable connection, competition, and expression will lead this next chapter. It is deeply meaningful to have presented the report at WAVES 2025, a global stage that reflects our shared vision for India as a global powerhouse in new media and gaming. It is evident how India is building its own interactive entertainment paradigm where UPI-powered microtransactions meet mobile-first storytelling. With improved access and infrastructure, India’s interactive media market touched 12.5 Bn dollars in FY24, driven by vernacular content, microtransactions, and social gaming experiences that resonate with Bharat’s cultural fabric.”

    Doubling down on interactivity as the way forward Lumikai vice president Aditya Deshpande said, “The report delineates how the opportunity to build lasting value in India’s interactive media ecosystem lies in building sustainable, culturally resonant models. These are ecosystems where monetization aligns with user psychology, discovery is inherently social, and localization drives depth of engagement. For developers, this means designing experiences that optimize for low-data usage and micro-transactional access. For investors, it means backing models that prioritize long-term retention over viral spikes. And for policymakers, the signal is clear: gaming is no longer peripheral. Interactivity is the language, and systems of play are the engines driving this economy forward.”

    Based on insights from nearly 3,000 mobile users, this isn’t just a data dump, it’s a pulse check on a nation clicking, tapping, and swiping its way into a homegrown media future. From small-town streamers to microtransaction mavens, India’s new media user is lean-forward, socially wired, and anything but passive.

  • “Indian stories told well, can move the world:” SS Rajamouli at Lumikai Insignia

    “Indian stories told well, can move the world:” SS Rajamouli at Lumikai Insignia

    Mumbai: Academy Award-winning filmmaker SS Rajamouli participated in a keynote session at Lumikai Insignia, India’s top interactive media and gaming summit. He shared the stage with global tech leaders, including Cevat Yerli, Raja Koduri, and Abdullah Alorainy of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

    Reflecting on his journey from Magadheera to Baahubali and RRR, Rajamouli discussed his focus on high-quality storytelling, blending technology and talent to realize his vision. He stated, “Belief finds believers. With faith that it can be done, we find people who help us achieve it.” Through films like Magadheera and Eega, he pioneered the use of VFX and graphics to enhance storytelling in Indian cinema.

    The success of Baahubali and RRR set new quality standards, bringing Indian cinema to global audiences and achieving both critical and commercial success.

    Rajamouli highlighted the importance of cultural authenticity and quality in his work, explaining, “When we created Baahubali or RRR, every bit was made for Indian viewers with an Indian psyche embedded within. And once audiences taste quality, they demand it. With access to incredible content on their mobile devices, they are expecting even better. Quality in entertainment is non-negotiable.”

    The panel also discussed the growth opportunities in India’s interactive media sector, driven by the country’s young, digitally native audience. They explored the expanding role of AI in entertainment, noting its rapid development.

    Commenting on the evolving audience palate for immersive entertainment, Lumikai founding general partner Salone Sehgal said, “With a young, increasingly affluent audience and a consumer base exposed to global best, the need for entertainment that is high quality and culturally resonant has never been higher. Visionaries like SS Rajamouli have paved the way for fusing storytelling with technology successfully taking Indian films global. It was our privilege to learn from him at Lumikai Insignia. His unique insights fuelled founders in interactive media gaming who have similar aspirations.”

    Capitalising on this one-of-a-kind congregation of industry leaders, Lumikai, an Indian interactive media and gaming VC fund, unveiled its highly anticipated ‘The Lumikai State of India Interactive Media and Gaming Report’ for 2024. This seminal research series has established itself as the authoritative resource for understanding India’s gaming landscape. It has been consistently referenced by government bodies guiding policy decisions and industry planning.

  • AutoVRse secures $2M funding led by Lumikai for enterprise VR solutions

    AutoVRse secures $2M funding led by Lumikai for enterprise VR solutions

    Mumbai:  AutoVRse, a VR/AR tech startup, today announced the successful closure of a $2 million funding round led by Lumikai. This marks a significant milestone in AutoVRse’s journey, having already delivered cutting-edge VR solutions to multiple Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders including Shell, Godrej, Bosch, Tata Motors, Ultratech Cements, Aditya Birla Group, and many others.

    The funding will primarily be utilized to further enhance AutoVRse’s foundational enterprise product, VRseBuilder, “an end-to-end modular technology stack and SAAS platform to integrate VR into workflows of industries like manufacturing, construction, engineering, oil and gas, automotive, replacing ineffective manual instruction and/or expensive simulation techniques for purposes ranging from safety training to sales and collaborative remote work.”

    270 million accidents occur in heavy industries, costing them $1.25 trillion globally. VrseBuilder is a one-stop, self-serve, modular, SAAS-style platform that empowers large organizations to effortlessly create, deploy, and manage VR training solutions and applications at scale, in real-time, across the world.

    This funding will enable AutoVRse to augment its team with top-tier talent, and spearhead expansion efforts in the United States and expand its product suite. The company also plans to set up a B2B sales team in the US to drive qualified lead generation and facilitate market expansion.

    The company also leverages their state-of-the-art, in-house game studio for cutting-edge research and development while building District M, the Multiverse Dance Festival – a social, multiplayer, rhythm VR game. The game’s demo was launched on the Oculus AppLab two years ago and will soon be launched on Meta and PlayStation. The gaming division works closely with the enterprise division to leverage innovations for enterprise product development.

    AutoVRse co-founders Ashwin Jaishanker, and Adarsh Muthappa, enthusiastically shared their outlook for the company’s future, saying, “Virtual Reality (VR) wields transformative potential across diverse industries. Our enterprise solutions offer a world-class, ready-to-use, modular technology stack with SAAS-enabled deployment for purposes ranging from worker safety training to sales training and remote work design collaborations. An example of the real-world impact of our VR tech was our partnership with UltraTech Cements, where we deployed VR safety training modules across 51 plants in India and trained 50,000+ workers in VR—reducing factory incidents and saving lives. We leverage our in-house game studio to test, iterate, experiment and deliver immersive and cutting-edge innovative experiences for our enterprise clients. This cutting-edge research and cross-pollination of technology has also helped us create an immersive gaming experience with an original IP like District M.  Our vision is to build a foundational VR-OS (VR operating system) for enterprises, alongside world-class, meaningful, social, and fun experiences for consumers.”

    Speaking on the announcement, Lumikai founding general partner Salone Sehgal said, “AutoVRse’s technology and solutions for enterprises, compete with the global best. Their focus on innovation and providing scalable, VR-led solutions for very real problems facing heavy industries, coupled with their innovative, state-of-the-art gaming studio, is a powerful combination—paving their rise to becoming a world leader in the VR space. At Lumikai, we are super excited to be lead investors and partner with Ashwin, Adarsh, and the AutoVRse team to build a world-class, enduring AR/VR company.”

    Pushing the limit of what is possible in the immersive media space and delivering consistently path-breaking deployments in the field of enterprise VR/AR for more than 7 years, AutoVRse, has evolved into a pioneer in the AR/VR landscape transforming various industries with their tech prowess. The company’s flagship product, VRseBuilder’s primary goal is to help organizations adopt VR at scale, easily. It consists of 4 components, namely:

       Readymade VR Content Library: Safety and process training VR modules designed with a modular, VR-centric design philosophy

    •    VR-Native Learning Management System: Schedule sessions, assign modules, access performance reports, and observe evaluation metrics in real-time, offering unparalleled training flexibility
    •    Deployment Platform & Knowledge Repository: A secure web dashboard that helps IT and Security teams manage VR users, devices and content by seamlessly integrating with LMS and SSO systems, allowing users to upload videos and PDFs and manage the organization’s VR knowledge repository
    •    Unity SDK + Infinity Workshop: Rapidly prototype VR apps with a no-code editor and massive library of modular blocks (assets, templates and fully finished VR training modules)

    Also participating in this round was angel investor Yash Kotak, Founder and CEO of Jumper.ai, who said “Jumping into AutoVRSe was a no-brainer. Right from the get-go with the founders and the team, I could feel the energy, the focus, and that unstoppable drive to conquer the VR scene. With its fundamentally strong tech, flawless execution, and sky-high market potential, investing was a total blast from day one.”

    Additional prominent figures in the funding round include Rajat Monga, co-founder of TensorFlow and Inference.io and Viswanathan Krishnamurthi, ex-CIO/VP at Yahoo & Eaton.

    While talking about this the Co-founder of TensorFlow and Inference.io, Rajat Monga, also added “AR/VR is where we are all headed, and with Oculus Quest (and now Apple Vision Pro), people think of consumer apps. I loved how Ashwin and the team understood the space and focused on enabling enterprises to bring their ideas to reality.”

  • Rajeev Chandrasekhar to deliver keynote at India’s largest online gaming convention on 5 Dec

    Rajeev Chandrasekhar to deliver keynote at India’s largest online gaming convention on 5 Dec

    Mumbai: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) and the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) is all set to organise the first edition of the nation’s largest gaming conference, the Indian Gaming Convention (IGC), on December 5, 2023, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, will deliver the keynote address at the valedictory session.

    Leading policymakers, regulators, gaming industry captains, marketers, game developers and service providers will converge on one platform to address the IGC, which is expected to draw more than 700 delegates, including senior professionals of the online gaming ecosystem of the country.

    Among stalwarts of the gaming landscape who will share their insights at the IGC will be Dr. Trivikraman Thampy, Co-founder, Games24x7; Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder & CEO, Zupee; Salone Sehgal, General Partner, Lumikai; Ishita Grover, Director (Marketing), Oneplus; Deepak Jacob, General Counsel, DreamSports, and Anuraag Saxena, CEO, EGF.

    International speakers, addressing the IGC will include Jean Major, a former Canadian regulator currently on the Board of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, and Sarah Ramansaukas, a player safety expert from the UK, who co-founded The Game Safety Institute.

    Elaborating on the context of the convention IAMAI chairman and Dream Sports CEO and co-founder Harsh Jain said, “2023 has been a defining year for India’s Online Gaming industry, marked by multiple positive developments like MeitY’s appointment as our nodal ministry, notification of the IT regulations and clarity on taxation. These developments will facilitate the industry’s sustainable and responsible growth over the long term. I look forward to insightful discussions at IGC, where the focus will be on exploring collaborative strategies between industry, Government, and the ecosystem to enable a safe, trusted, and accountable Indian online gaming industry that can emerge as the global hub for gaming.”

    IAMAI Online Gaming Committee chairman and Games24X7 Co-founder & Co-CEO Bhavin Pandya said, “The Indian online gaming industry is going through a tectonic shift, with 2023 being a landmark year in its evolution. Key tax and policy frameworks have laid a robust foundation for the online gaming sector, but there is a long way to go from here. This underscores the need for platforms like the Indian Gaming Convention (IGC) where open and honest dialogues between industry and government, stakeholders and partners, and visionaries and innovators are earnestly facilitated. Such platforms are crucial for our industry to seize opportunities and face challenges collectively. I’m confident that the IGC will evolve into a central platform which will play an instrumental role in shaping the future of the online gaming industry in India.”

    More than 35 of subject-experts will deliberate upon the opportunities and challenges before India’s online gaming industry 360 degrees in 10 of sessions, including keynotes, fireside chats, and panel discussions. Some of the key sessions of the IGC will be on “Future of Gaming: Fuelling Innovation to Make India a Global Gaming Hub”, “Empowering the Digital Landscape: Online Gaming’s Role in Fueling Digital India”, ”Building a Robust National Regulatory Framework for Online Gaming”, “Investor Insights: How Can the Industry Build Through Regulatory Shifts”, “Gaming’s Role in Promoting Culture, Education, and sports”, and “Voices of the game: Online gaming in India, a user-speaks experience”.

    Value Leaf is the Platinum Partner of the IGC, and it is being supported by the Government of Telangana.

  • Eloelo secures $22M in pre-series B round led by Courtside Ventures and Griffin Gaming Partners

    Eloelo secures $22M in pre-series B round led by Courtside Ventures and Griffin Gaming Partners

    Mumbai: Eloelo, India’s leading live entertainment and social gaming platform, announced raising $22 million in its pre-series B round. The round was jointly led by Courtside Ventures and Griffin Gaming Partners, joined by MIXI Inc along with existing backers Waterbridge Ventures, Lumikai Fund, Kalaari Capital,  Convivialite Ventures and Rocket Capital investing in the round.

    With this fresh funding, Eloelo has now raised a total of $37.5 million. The funds from this round will be utilized to forge partnerships with creators, develop innovative tools across AI & AR for them, attract a broader pool of tech and product talent, and strengthen revenue generation and monetisation initiatives. The round comes 14 months after its Series A round of $13 million in June 2022.

    “Courtside is thrilled to co-lead the investment in Eloelo alongside Griffin Gaming Partners,” said Courtside Ventures Partner Kai Bond. “Eloelo is pioneering a new form of entertainment in India.  Through a unique combination of game participation within live streaming, they are building the next generation of social networking that enables true interactivity within their community”.

    Eloelo, ranks among the top three apps in India on the Google Play Store in Entertainment, combining audio and video live chatrooms with interactive games and shows that enable millions of users and creators to connect with each other. The platform has over 37 million users and 120K creators.

    Eloelo CEO & founder Saurabh Pandey said, “Eloelo wants to be a “party in your pocket”, where users are not just watching a livestream but are part of the experience. Social Media is supposed to help you belong but most alternatives let you consume content solitarily. We are pioneering a new category of Live Social Entertainment– almost like a ‘Digital Third Place’ where young Indians are always connected. Our growth of 400% Y-o-Y showcases the love users have given the product. This fundraising in such a testing macro environment further enforces the belief our investors have in our vision”.  

    Eloelo is leading with a unique blend of Live Entertainment with Games and Communities — a contemporary social network tailored to the communication preferences of young Indians. The company’s primary distinguishing features include its ability to get users to simply push-t0-talk inside various chat rooms, in-house games integrated into live streams and its focus on clean entertainment for family audiences.

    “At Griffin, we’re inspired by India’s rapidly evolving market landscape, led by innovative companies like Eloelo. Through the magic of gamification, Eloelo is transforming live streams into captivating experiences that translate to deep audience engagement. The platform has attracted a vast community of content creators, driving its growth to nearly 40 million users — a striking testament to the potential ahead for Eloelo”, said Griffin Gaming Partners managing director & co-founder Nick Tuosto.

    A CYG report estimates the global live-streaming market at $46 billion, with India’s current share at $2 billion. Eloelo is steadily launching various ways for creators to generate revenue, including gifting inside chatrooms, participation in group audio calls, and hosting game shows.

    “As EloElo’s first VC partner, we are impressed with their scale and evolution from a live gaming app to a platform bringing audiences together in multiple live formats. Its immersive, engaging, product-led approach has made it the go-to app for audiences and creators alike. With this funding, Eloelo is set to further establish itself as the preferred digital destination for India’s social and entertainment needs”, said Waterbridge Ventures partner Anjali Sosale.

    Lumikai Fund’s founding general partner Salone Sehgal said, “Saurabh and Team Eloelo’s bold vision to design a truly India-first, participatory social entertainment platform, is disrupting existing entertainment mediums like TV. Eloelo’s category-leading interactive formats have transcended gender, age and language barriers to become a true digital destination.”

    The App is live in six languages and aims to add many more in the next few months seeing the adoption from Tier two, three audiences. It uses a blend of AI and manual content moderation to maintain a secure environment for all users.