Nazara Technologies Ltd., India’s leading interactive gaming and sports media company is also one of the biggest investors and scaling platforms for startups in the gaming and sports ecosystem in India. Nazara today announces its acceleration of investments and commitments of up to USD 20 Million in startups in India, Africa and Middle East in 2020. The company has already undertaken transactions worth USD 50 Million in 13 startups in the last two years and has been the most aggressive investor in the gaming and sports ecosystem in India.
Nazara aims to act as a catalyst to further expedite growth of gaming; esports and sports content across emerging markets. Nazara plans to infuse risk and growth capital in the selected startups besides offering mentorship via the founders of the companies from Nazara’s current portfolio of investments and Nazara’s leadership team.
Besides fund infusion and mentorship, the startup teams can tap into the vast geographical reach of Nazara’s business operations spanning across Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent. They will have access to local payment options with ready-made legal infrastructure to expand into the above geographies apart from reaching out to Nazara’s network of over 100 Million plus monthly active users in India.
The startups will also get an opportunity to leverage network of experts across financial and legal strategy, brand and performance marketing; media ad sales; brand solutions in addition to running games as services.
Nazara Technologies Ltd., CEO, Manish Agarwal says, “Looking at the explosive growth in the interactive entertainment and sports ecosystem, Nazara has decided to up its aggression on investing in the emerging market ecosystem and support early stage startups accelerating the growth of these companies and of the industry at large.”
In the past, Nazara has looked at speed-scaling 13 startups providing them with growth capital. The company plans to apply a similar model for the next set of startups as well while aiming at targeted mentorship on business model refinement and go-to-market strategies. Nazara expects to see the same leadership growth with the new cohort that has been witnessed with the previous set of startups funded by the company.
About Nazara Technologies Ltd.
Nazara Technologies Limited (‘Nazara’) is a leading global interactive gaming and sports media company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Nazara has business operations in 64 countries across emerging markets with services in India, Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius and subsidiary companies in Africa. The company has a diversified portfolio of gaming businesses across free to play mobile games, real money skill gaming, esports and gaming subscription services.
Nazara has a network of over 100 Million players in India. The company has taken licensed mobile gaming rights to popular Indian IP characters like Chhota Bheem, Motu Patlu, Mighty Raju, Shikari Shambhu, Roll #21, Eena Meena Deeka, Oggy and the Cockroaches and Shin Chan. Nazara also owns IP’s like World Cricket Championship (WCC), EPIC Cricket, India Premiership and IPG.TV.
Nazara is also an investor in the gaming and sports ecosystem in India and has consummated transactions worth 50 Million USD in the last 2 years. The company has acquired a majority stake in Next Wave Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., Nodwin Gaming Pvt. Ltd and HalaPlay Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Nazara’s other investee companies include, Mastermind Sports Ltd., Moonglabs Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Bakbuck, CrimzonCode, InstaSportz and NZWorld (NZWorld Kenya Ltd.) to set up operations for real money gaming in Kenya.
Founded by Nitish Mittersain in 2000, Nazara is backed by marquee investors which include West Bridge Capital, IIFL Special Opportunities Fund; Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and Turtle Entertainment GmbH, the IP owner of the world’s largest esports franchise (ESL).
Nazara aims to act as a catalyst to further expedite growth of gaming; esports and sports content across emerging markets. Nazara plans to infuse risk and growth capital in the selected startups besides offering mentorship via the founders of the companies from Nazara’s current portfolio of investments and Nazara’s leadership team.
Besides fund infusion and mentorship, the startup teams can tap into the vast geographical reach of Nazara’s business operations spanning across Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent. They will have access to local payment options with ready-made legal infrastructure to expand into the above geographies apart from reaching out to Nazara’s network of over 100 Million plus monthly active users in India.
The startups will also get an opportunity to leverage network of experts across financial and legal strategy, brand and performance marketing; media ad sales; brand solutions in addition to running games as services.
Nazara Technologies Ltd., CEO, Manish Agarwal says, “Looking at the explosive growth in the interactive entertainment and sports ecosystem, Nazara has decided to up its aggression on investing in the emerging market ecosystem and support early stage startups accelerating the growth of these companies and of the industry at large.”
In the past, Nazara has looked at speed-scaling 13 startups providing them with growth capital. The company plans to apply a similar model for the next set of startups as well while aiming at targeted mentorship on business model refinement and go-to-market strategies. Nazara expects to see the same leadership growth with the new cohort that has been witnessed with the previous set of startups funded by the company.
About Nazara Technologies Ltd.
Nazara Technologies Limited (‘Nazara’) is a leading global interactive gaming and sports media company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Nazara has business operations in 64 countries across emerging markets with services in India, Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius and subsidiary companies in Africa. The company has a diversified portfolio of gaming businesses across free to play mobile games, real money skill gaming, esports and gaming subscription services.
Nazara has a network of over 100 Million players in India. The company has taken licensed mobile gaming rights to popular Indian IP characters like Chhota Bheem, Motu Patlu, Mighty Raju, Shikari Shambhu, Roll #21, Eena Meena Deeka, Oggy and the Cockroaches and Shin Chan. Nazara also owns IP’s like World Cricket Championship (WCC), EPIC Cricket, India Premiership and IPG.TV.
Nazara is also an investor in the gaming and sports ecosystem in India and has consummated transactions worth 50 Million USD in the last 2 years. The company has acquired a majority stake in Next Wave Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., Nodwin Gaming Pvt. Ltd and HalaPlay Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Nazara’s other investee companies include, Mastermind Sports Ltd., Moonglabs Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Bakbuck, CrimzonCode, InstaSportz and NZWorld (NZWorld Kenya Ltd.) to set up operations for real money gaming in Kenya.
Founded by Nitish Mittersain in 2000, Nazara is backed by marquee investors which include West Bridge Capital, IIFL Special Opportunities Fund; Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and Turtle Entertainment GmbH, the IP owner of the world’s largest esports franchise (ESL).
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