Nazara Technologies Partners Launch LVL Zero Gaming Incubator with $100,000 Equity-Free Grants for Indian Startups

LVL Zero, a new gaming incubator, was launched in Chennai at the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2025. This initiative is a collaboration between Nazara Technologies, MIXI Global Investments, and Chimera VC, with Google as a knowledge partner. The primary objective of LVL Zero is to strengthen the Indian game development ecosystem by preparing startups for investment and publishing, while also providing them with essential tools and mentorship. Indian gaming startups are eligible to apply for this program.

LVL Zero features an equity-free grant pool totaling $100,000. Each cohort will comprise 10 startups, with each selected startup receiving $10,000 in grants, meaning no equity is taken by the incubator. Over the next five years, the program aims to support more than 100 startups. This initiative comes at a time when India's gaming market is experiencing rapid growth, valued at approximately $3.8 billion in FY25 and projected to reach $9.2 billion by FY29, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%.

Despite the significant increase in gaming startups, few have achieved large-scale global publishing or live operations. LVL Zero intends to address this by leveraging the growing international interest in India's gaming industry. Nazara Technologies, India's sole publicly listed gaming company, contributes its extensive expertise in mobile gaming, esports, and publishing. MIXI Global Investments, the venture capital arm of Japan's MIXI, Inc., offers global market access. Chimera VC specializes in providing capital and network support to early-stage Indian gaming startups.

Google, as the knowledge partner, will offer mentorship and technical guidance through its Google Play platform, assisting startups in expanding their reach and user engagement.

Impact This initiative is expected to significantly bolster the Indian gaming startup ecosystem, fostering innovation and helping more companies achieve global success. This could lead to increased investor interest in the sector and potentially boost the performance of publicly listed Indian gaming companies like Nazara Technologies. The impact on the Indian gaming sector is rated 7/10.

Difficult Terms: Incubator: A program designed to help new companies and startups grow by providing support, resources, and mentorship. Startups: Newly established companies designed to grow fast, often technology-driven. Investor Readiness: The state of a startup being prepared to attract investment, having solid business plans, financial projections, and a strong team. Publisher Readiness: A startup's preparedness to partner with a game publisher for distribution, marketing, and further development. Equity-Free Grant: Financial support provided to a startup that does not require them to give up any ownership (equity) in their company. CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate): A measure of an investment's annual growth rate over a specified period of time longer than one year. Corporate Venture Capital (CVC): Investment funds operated by large corporations to invest in external startups that are strategically aligned with the corporation's goals. Esports: Competitive video gaming, often as a professional sport. Google Play: A digital distribution service operated by Google for mobile applications on Android devices.