MetaShot, a Bengaluru-based sports-tech gaming startup, has raised ₹2 crore in convertible debt from the Karnataka government-backed KITVEN Fund. The investment marks a significant vote of confidence in the company’s mission to redefine sports gaming by blending real-world physical activity with virtual gameplay.
Founded in 2021 by Prince Thomas, Ranjit Kumar Behera, and Ajith Sunny under the parent company Gillidanda Tech Pvt. Ltd., MetaShot is best known for its flagship product, the MetaShot Smart Bat. Launched in August 2023, the device enables users to play cricket in real life while translating their shots into digital matches on consoles and mobile devices. The product has seen widespread adoption, with over one million matches played and a rapidly growing community of users across India and abroad.
This fresh funding comes on the heels of a ₹11 crore round secured earlier this year from Sauce VC, Sharrp Ventures, and Panthera Peak, and a $400,000 pre-seed round in 2023. The new ₹2 crore infusion from KITVEN—an AIF focused on Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comics (AVGC)—will be used to ramp up production capabilities, scale operations, and fuel international expansion, particularly in the UAE and US markets where MetaShot has already begun its rollout.
Commenting on the funding, KITVEN Fund CEO P. V. Harikrishnan highlighted MetaShot’s innovation in sports gaming and its commitment to local manufacturing, aligning with the fund’s goal of supporting scalable tech ventures rooted in Karnataka. “MetaShot is creating a unique India-made product with global potential. We’re excited to back their journey,” he said.
With strategic partnerships already in place with major consumer brands like Britannia, Wrogn, and Tata Capital, MetaShot is rapidly emerging as a leader in immersive sports gaming. The company’s long-term vision is to build a next-generation console gaming experience that merges physical sports and digital entertainment.
The KITVEN Fund is a venture capital initiative supported by the Government of Karnataka through the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T. Its latest AVGC-focused fund has a ₹20 crore corpus dedicated to supporting innovative ventures in animation, gaming, and media technologies.