# Good Game Investments > Good Game Investments (Good Game Ventures) is the family office of NODWIN Gaming founders Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk. 26 companies backed since 2014. Good Game Investments is also known as Good Game Ventures and GoodGame Ventures. Website: https://www.goodgame.ventures/ Contact: queries@goodgame.ventures ## About Good Game Investments, also known as Good Game Ventures, is the family office of Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk, the founders of NODWIN Gaming. We wrote our first cheque in 2014, when most people in India didn't yet take gaming seriously. We're founders who back founders, and we put our own money into the things young Indians spend their evenings and their money on. ### Why we invest We built NODWIN from nothing, and we remember who backed us when it was hard. We invest to do that for other founders, and because we want a stake in the youth economy we work in every day. ### Where we invest Gaming, sports, AI and deep tech, retail, youth culture, hospitality and live experiences, mostly in India. We only invest once a company has revenue. ### How long we stay We usually stay for two rounds. We'll sell early if it helps a founder or brings in a better partner, and we'll buy a small slice of a founder's stake when other investors won't. ### What we've backed 26 companies and 3 funds since 2014: a listed gaming company, regional audio and streaming, a dating app, cricket-bat sensors, convenience stores, restaurants and a maths tutor for schoolkids. ## Track record - First cheque: 2014 - Companies backed: 26 - Exits: 6 - Funds backed as an LP: 3 ## Portfolio - [Novaplay](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#novaplay): Still held. First invested 2014. Sectors: Fintech, Gaming. Payments and aggregation for international game publishers: wallets, cards, codes and in-app purchases. Founders: Gautam Virk, Akshat Rathee. Note: Our first cheque. Website: https://www.novaplay.in/ - [Beyond The Game](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#btg): Exited 2018. First invested 2015. Sectors: Retail, Gaming. NODWIN's gaming merchandise and retail arm. Note: Spun out as part of the NODWIN and Nazara deal in 2018. - [NODWIN Gaming](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#nodwin): Still held. First invested 2015. Sectors: Gaming, Live experiences, Youth & culture. Esports, gaming content and live events for young audiences, including Comic Con India. We hold a founder-level stake and have reinvested. Founders: Akshat Rathee, Gautam Virk. Latest (Aug 2026): Reported to be planning a raise of $100M to $200M ahead of an IPO, after turning EBITDA positive in FY26. Source: https://entrackr.com/news/nodwin-eyes-100-200-mn-fundraise-ahead-of-ipo-11850916 Website: https://nodwingaming.com/ - [SoStronk](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#sostronk): Exited 2022. First invested 2015. Sectors: Gaming. An esports platform that began as a place to play Counter-Strike and grew into a stats and tournament app. Founders: Prashant Prabhakar, Karan Mishra. Note: Dream Sports took control in 2020. We sold our stake in 2022. Website: https://www.sostronk.com/ - [Nazara Technologies](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#nazara): Exited 2025. First invested 2018. Sectors: Gaming. India's first listed gaming and esports company, with games and businesses around the world. Founder: Nitish Mittersain. Latest (Jul 2025): Moved to cut its stake in NODWIN Gaming to below 50%. Source: https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/nazara-to-de-subsidiarise-nodwin-gaming-plans-stake-dilution-below-50-75012.htm Website: https://www.nazara.com/ - [Vested Finance](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#vested): Still held. First invested 2018. Sectors: Fintech. Lets Indians invest in US stocks, ETFs and global private markets. Founders: Viram Shah, Darwin Arifin. Note: Still held. Website: https://vestedfinance.com/in/ - [FrontRow](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#frontrow): Closed 2023. First invested 2019. Sectors: Edtech, Youth & culture. Live classes in music, comedy and other hobbies, taught by well-known artists. Founders: Ishaan Preet Singh, Shubhadit Sharma, Mikhil Raj. Latest (Jul 2023): Shut down and returned the remaining capital to investors. Source: https://inc42.com/buzz/from-raising-17-mn-to-shutdown-frontrow-founder-shares-lessons-on-building-an-edtech-startup/ - [STAGE](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#stage): Still held. First invested 2019. Sectors: Youth & culture. A streaming service for shows and films in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri and other regional languages. Founders: Vinay Singhal, Praveen Singhal, Shashank Vaishnav. Latest (2025): FY25 revenue grew six times to ₹111 crore. Source: https://entrackr.com/fintrackr/ott-platform-stages-revenue-jumps-6x-to-rs-111-cr-in-fy25-11106217 Website: https://www.stage.in/ - [Studio Sirah](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#sirah): Still held. First invested 2019. Sectors: Gaming. An Indian studio making Kurukshetra: Ascension, a card battler based on the Mahabharata. Founders: Abhaas Shah, Prateek Shah. Latest (2022): Raised $2.6M in a round led by Kalaari Capital, with Lumikai, to take Kurukshetra global. Source: https://india.entrepreneur.com/news-and-trends/studio-sirah-raises-26-million-in-pre-series-a-funding/443621 Website: https://www.studiosirah.com/ - [TrulyMadly](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#trulymadly): Still held. First invested 2019. Sectors: Youth & culture. A dating and matchmaking app built for India beyond the big metros. Founders: Snehil Khanor, Amit Gupta. Note: We backed Snehil Khanor's relaunch of the company in 2019, and invested again in a later round. Website: https://trulymadly.com/ - [Kuku FM](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#kukufm): Exited 2025. First invested 2020. Sectors: Youth & culture. Audiobooks and audio stories in Indian languages. Founders: Lal Chand Bisu, Vikas Goyal, Vinod Kumar Meena. Latest (Oct 2025): Raised $85M in a Series C led by Granite Asia. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/15/indias-kuku-snags-85m-as-mobile-content-wars-intensify/ Website: https://kukufm.com/ - [One Impression](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#oneimpression): Still held. First invested 2020. Sectors: Youth & culture. Connects brands with creators for influencer campaigns. Founders: Apaksh Gupta, Jivesh Gupta. Note: Still held. Website: https://www.oneimpression.io/ - [STAN](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#stan): Exited 2024. First invested 2021. Sectors: Gaming, Youth & culture. An app where esports fans follow and support their favourite creators. We backed the India company in 2021, which then moved into STAN Singapore. Founders: Parth Chadha, Gyanesh Kumar. Latest (Sep 2024): Nazara bought a 15.86% stake for about $2.2M. Source: https://entrackr.com/2024/09/nazara-acquires-15-86-stake-in-e-sports-startup-stan-for-2-2-mn/ Website: https://getstan.app/ - [StanceBeam](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#stancebeam): Still held. First invested 2021. Sectors: Sports, AI & deep tech. Bat sensors and analytics that measure a cricketer's swing. We have reinvested. Founders: Arminder Thind, Ishwinder Pal Singh. Latest (FY25): Revenue rose to ₹2.3 crore, about 15 times the year before. Source: https://inc42.com/company/stancebeam/ Website: https://www.stancebeam.com/ - [Stupa Sports Analytics](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#stupa): Still held. First invested 2021. Sectors: Sports, AI & deep tech. Computer vision that turns table tennis matches into stats, broadcasts and data feeds. Founders: Megha Gambhir, Deepak Malik. Latest (May 2024): Raised a pre-Series A round led by Centre Court Capital and PeerCapital. Source: https://entrackr.com/2024/05/stupa-sports-analytics-raises-rs-2-8-cr-in-pre-series-a-round/ Website: https://stupaanalytics.com/ - [The New Shop](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#newshop): Still held. First invested 2021. Sectors: Retail. A franchise network of 24/7 convenience stores across smaller Indian cities. Founders: Aastha Almast, Charak Almast, Mani Dev Gyawali. Latest (Jan 2025): Took over the 24Seven store chain from Godfrey Phillips and started raising $25M. Source: https://www.business-standard.com/companies/start-ups/new-shop-looks-to-raise-25-million-to-accelerate-store-expansion-125011300706_1.html Website: https://thenewshop.in/ - [KGeN](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#kgen): Still held. First invested 2022. Sectors: Gaming, AI & deep tech. Proof of Gamer: a reputation and data layer that connects game studios with real players. Founders: Manish Agarwal, Ishank Gupta. Latest (Sep 2025): Raised $13.5M in a round led by Jump Crypto, with Accel and Prosus Ventures. Source: https://games.gg/news/kgen-has-now-secured-over-43-million/ Website: https://kgen.io/ - [Congo](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#congo): Closed 2026. First invested 2024. Sectors: Hospitality, Live experiences. A rainforest-themed restaurant and bar on Golf Course Road, Gurugram. Founders: Anurag Dania, Abhishek Mathur. Note: Closed in 2026. - [Covah](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#covah): Still held. First invested 2024. Sectors: Hospitality, Live experiences. A Mediterranean and Asian restaurant and bar in Gurugram. Founder: Abhishek Mathur. Latest (Apr 2025): Raised $3M, backed by Akshat Rathee, to open in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. Source: https://india.entrepreneur.com/news-and-trends/akshat-rathee-backs-hospitality-visionary-abhishek-mathur/489978 Website: https://www.instagram.com/covahindia/ - [1312 Interactive](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#1312): Still held. First invested 2025. Sectors: Gaming. A publisher taking PC and console games made in India to players around the world. Founders: Deepak Gurijala, Raviteja Mantena. Latest (2025): Closed its pre-seed round, with Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk among the investors. Source: https://www.gamingamigos.com/post/1312-interactive-india-pre-seed-funding Website: https://1312interactive.com/ - [Anra Homes](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#anra): Still held. First invested 2025. Sectors: Real estate. Holiday-home projects for Indian families. In stealth. Note: In stealth. - [OnePlay](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#oneplay): Exited 2026. First invested 2025. Sectors: Gaming, AI & deep tech. Cloud gaming that streams PC games to phones, TVs and laptops, so players don't need a gaming PC. Founders: Harshit Jain, Abhik Saha. Latest (Nov 2024): Brought on Akshat Rathee as a strategic investor and adviser. Source: https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/oneplay-onboards-akshat-rathee-as-strategic-investor-and-advisor-47164.htm Website: https://www.oneplay.in/ - [Project BucketList](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#bucketlist): Still held. First invested 2025. Sectors: Live experiences. A travel company for people working through their bucket lists. In stealth. Note: In stealth. - [Meta Fashion](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#metafashion): Still held. First invested 2026. Sectors: Youth & culture, Gaming. Digital clothing for Roblox, Fortnite and other games, with the best sellers made into real clothes. Founders: Arjun Goel, Sanjay Goel. Latest (May 2026): Raised a $400K pre-seed round led by Lumikai. It has sold 2.5 million virtual items. Source: https://www.analyticsinsight.net/amp/story/press-release/lumikai-leads-400k-pre-seed-round-in-meta-fashion-a-digital-ai-fashion-platform-run-by-a-19-year-old-building-zara-for-the-virtual-world Website: https://metafashion.in/ - [Spolto](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#spolto): Still held. First invested 2026. Sectors: Sports. Books sports coaches for kids and adults in Pune and Mumbai, at home or at a venue. Founders: Safa Soltani, Divesh Nathani. Latest: Raised a $1M seed round and bought The Coach Crew, a Mumbai coaching aggregator. Source: https://www.pocketful.in/news/pune-based-sports-tech-startup-spolto-raises-$1-million-in-seed-funding/ Website: https://spolto.com/ - [SwaVid](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#swavid): Still held. First invested 2026. Sectors: Edtech, AI & deep tech. An AI tutor for classes 6 to 10 that finds the maths and science a child missed in earlier years and teaches it again. We invested alongside Lumikai. Founders: Arjav Doshi, Preet Shah. Latest (Sep 2026): Went live for students in classes 6 to 10, ten months after the founders started on the idea. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7509598336245563392/ Website: https://www.swavid.com/ ## Funds backed as an LP - [BITKRAFT Ventures](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#bitkraft): LP since 2018. Fund. Sectors: Gaming. A global early-stage fund for gaming and interactive media. Its portfolio includes Higgsfield, the AI studio we used to make the film at the top of this page. Partner: Jens Hilgers. Note: We have been an LP since 2018. Website: https://www.bitkraft.vc/ - [Lumikai](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#lumikai): LP since 2024. Fund. Sectors: Gaming. India's first gaming and interactive media fund. We are an LP, and Lumikai also invests alongside us: it backed SwaVid and led Meta Fashion's pre-seed round in 2026. Partner: Salone Sehgal. Note: We have been an LP since 2024. Website: https://www.lumikai.com/ - [Centre Court Capital](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#centrecourt): LP since 2025. Fund. Sectors: Sports. A Mumbai fund for sports, sports tech, wellness and gaming. In 2024 it led the pre-Series A of Stupa, one of our companies. Partner: Mustafa Ghouse. Latest: Closed its first fund at ₹410 crore. Source: https://inc42.com/buzz/sports-focussed-vc-firm-centre-court-capital-closes-maiden-fund-at-inr-410-cr/ Website: https://centrecourtcapital.com/ ## What worked - We wait for revenue. A company that already sells something gives us a real number to help move, and it keeps us away from hype. - Selling to strategic buyers has worked. Nazara and Dream Sports gave us exits at times when an IPO wasn't on the table. - We buy part of a founder's stake when other investors won't. A founder with some money in the bank stays in the game longer. - Our network helps. We introduce brands, publishers and event partners we know through NODWIN, and sometimes one of them becomes a company's first big customer. ## What didn't work - FrontRow (2019 to 2023). Live classes taught by celebrities. It grew while people were stuck at home, and demand fell away once they went back out. The founders shut it in 2023 and returned the money that was left to investors. What we learned: We bet on a lockdown habit. Now we ask what a product looks like after the moment that made it has passed. - Congo (2024 to 2026). A rainforest-themed restaurant in Gurugram, and a very large one, in a city where new places keep opening. It became the place big companies and call centres booked for a night out, and it shut in 2026. What we learned: It was too big. People go back to places that feel small and offer something they can't get elsewhere, and large groups care more about cost per head than about how good the dinner is. ## Why we took those risks In 2014, gaming in India meant cyber cafés and a handful of people who took it seriously. We were two of them. NODWIN started as a bet that young Indians would one day watch, play and pay for games the way the rest of the world did. That bet worked, and it shaped how we invest. A lot of what we back looked early or odd to someone when we first talked about it: streaming in Haryanvi, sensors on cricket bats, a dating app for smaller cities, digital clothes for Roblox. We take these risks because we've watched what happens when a young audience finds something it likes. It usually grows faster than the spreadsheet said it would. We try to keep the risks survivable. We wait for revenue, we write cheques we can afford to lose, and we usually stay for two rounds so a founder isn't raising alone. When something doesn't work, we say so and write down why. That's what Side B is for. We aren't a fund with a deadline. It's our own money, so we can be patient with founders and quick to help them. Mostly, we like it when founders make money. That's the good game. ## Team - Akshat Rathee, Co-founder. I co-founded NODWIN Gaming with Gautam and run it as managing director. I began in management consulting at EY and have since started more than 20 companies across gaming, sports tech, clean energy and hospitality. At Good Game I invest in other founders and help them find revenue and raise their next round. - Gautam Virk, Co-founder. I co-founded NODWIN Gaming with Akshat, and we set up Good Game together to back other founders with our own money. We wrote the first cheque in 2014. - Abhishek Mathur, CEO. I run Good Game Investments day to day. I've spent fifteen years across law, finance and hospitality, and I co-founded Covah. ## Pitching We look at companies that already have revenue, in any of the sectors on this tape. Send a short deck, your latest numbers and what you'd do with the money. Email queries@goodgame.ventures ## Sections of the website - [What is Good Game Investments?](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#about) - [The Mix: our portfolio](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#mix) - [Side A: what worked](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#side-a) - [Side B: what didn't](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#side-b) - [Funds we back](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#lps) - [Why we took those risks](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#notes) - [The team](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#band) - [Pitch us](https://www.goodgame.ventures/#pitch)