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Indian mobile-first social gaming platform STAN has announced a significant boost to its Series A funding round, raising $10.5 million to date. The latest investment round saw the participation of Sony Innovation Fund, the venture capital arm of Sony Group Corporation, alongside Hyderabad Angels Fund. This development reinforces STAN's vision for building a creator-empowering, mobile-first gaming community.
Earlier in July 2025, STAN had already secured $8.5 million from notable investors, including Japanese gaming giants Bandai Namco Entertainment INC., Square Enix, and Reazon Holdings, as well as Google’s AI Futures Fund and Aptos Labs. The continued support highlights strong confidence in STAN's unique approach to integrating social experiences with creator monetization in the gaming sector.
Quotes:
Kazuhito Hadano, CEO of Sony Ventures Corporation, stated, "We believe the future of gaming goes beyond compelling titles and advanced gameplay. It lies in building dynamic ecosystems where creators, gamers, and developers come together to shape shared worlds. STAN embodies this vision of building an inclusive gaming community, and we’re excited to support their efforts to create a social layer for the next generation of gamers."
Parth Chadha, Co-founder & CEO of STAN, expressed, "We see that participation of Sony Innovation Fund to STAN reinforces our belief in the strength of our vision and India’s pivotal role in the global gaming landscape. Together with our investors, we aim to build the most creator-empowering, mobile-first platform that redefines how gaming communities connect and thrive."
Kalyan Sivalenka, Managing Partner at Hyderabad Angels Fund, added, "We believe India is at the cusp of a massive transformation in gaming and digital communities. STAN’s unique ability to merge social experiences with creator monetisation positions it as a global category-defining company. We’re proud to continue supporting the team alongside other supporting companies and other global leaders as they build the future of gaming from India."
Impact
This funding is expected to accelerate STAN's product development, enhance its platform capabilities, and expand its user base, particularly within India's rapidly growing gaming market. It signifies substantial investor confidence in the Indian gaming startup ecosystem and its potential for global leadership. The investment could lead to increased competition and innovation within the social gaming and creator economy spaces in India.
Rating: 7/10
Difficult Terms Explained:
- Mobile-first social gaming platform: A digital service designed for playing games on mobile devices that also allows users to interact and connect with each other, similar to a social network.
- Series A funding: An early stage of venture capital financing for startups that have demonstrated a business model and are looking to grow their operations, acquire customers, and expand their market reach.
- Corporate venture capital: Investment made by a large corporation (like Sony Group Corporation) into smaller, external startup companies. This is often done to gain strategic insights, access new technologies, or foster innovation.
- Ecosystem: In the context of gaming, this refers to the interconnected network of participants, including players, developers, content creators, and the platform itself, all interacting within a shared environment.
- Creator monetisation: The process by which individuals who create content on a platform (like gaming streams or guides) can earn revenue, often through advertising, subscriptions, or direct payments from their audience.