In an initiative to accelerate India’s startup ecosystem, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Krafton India Pvt. Ltd. to support entrepreneurs working across digital entertainment and emerging technology sectors.
The agreement seeks to create structured pathways for startups to scale, innovate, and align with industry demands. It focuses on high-growth areas, including online gaming, e-sports, interactive media, and artificial intelligence-driven solutions, sectors that are rapidly shaping the country’s digital economy.
Strengthening innovation through industry collaboration
The partnership is designed to bridge the gap between early-stage startups and established industry ecosystems. Under the initiative, participating startups will gain access to mentorship, industry insights, and knowledge-sharing platforms, along with opportunities for collaboration that could help transform ideas into viable products.
A key objective of the programme is to support startups in achieving proof-of-concept development and gaining market access. By integrating them into existing industry networks, the collaboration aims to prepare ventures for handling future scale and evolving technological demands.
Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary at DPIIT, described the collaboration as a significant step towards strengthening India’s digital and creative economy. He emphasised that such partnerships play a crucial role in enabling startups to innovate, expand, and develop globally competitive solutions in emerging sectors.
Focus on skill-building and emerging technologies
As part of the agreement, DPIIT and Krafton India will explore organising innovation challenges under the India Startup Grand Challenge framework. These efforts will be complemented by targeted hackathons, workshops, and masterclasses focused on specialised areas such as game design, animation, immersive technologies, e-sports management, and AI applications.
These initiatives are expected to provide startups with hands-on exposure to industry practices while fostering technical and creative capabilities. The emphasis on immersive technologies and artificial intelligence reflects a broader shift towards next-generation digital experiences and advanced computing solutions.
Building a connected startup ecosystem
Beyond skill development, the collaboration aims to deepen engagement within the startup ecosystem through participation in Startup India events and outreach programmes. These efforts are intended to widen participation and encourage more innovators to enter the space.
Startups selected under the programme may also receive pilot collaboration opportunities with industry players. Further partnerships could follow based on performance and outcomes, offering a pathway for sustained growth and commercialisation.
The MoU was formally signed by Shri TLK Singh, Deputy Secretary at DPIIT, and Shri Vibhor Kukreti, Head of Government Relations at Krafton India, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
The initiative signals a growing recognition of the role that public-private partnerships can play in shaping India’s innovation landscape, particularly in sectors where technology, creativity, and global competitiveness intersect.
