Bengaluru-based Game Theory raises funding from prominent sports personalities

Bengaluru-based sports gamification tech platform Game Theory has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from prominent sports personalities.

These sports personalities include Padma Bhushan awardee and former India No. 1 badminton player Pullela Gopichand, former world squash No. 10 Saurav Ghosal, and Khel Ratna Awardee and current India No. 1 table tennis player Sharath Kamal. 

Prior to this round, the startup raised $2 million in October 2023 from Rainmatter, a startup accelerator fund initiated by Nithin Kamath's Zerodha, Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna, WEH Ventures, Prequate Advisory, and angel investors, including Balakrishna Adiga.

Purpose of fundraising

According to founder Sudeep Kulkarni, the raised funding will be used primarily to develop Game Theory's programming infrastructure, which will help deliver high-quality coaching programs effectively.

Game Theory focuses on helping people find skilled players to play with and organize games in physical sports. The startup has gained significant traction in its badminton and swimming programs.

Expansion and technological development

The startup also aims to expand its presence city-wise across India within the next year. Currently, Game Theory operates in 15 venues in Bengaluru, with five more expected to open soon.

Notably, A significant portion of the platform's users are children, and Game Theory aims to provide consistent training at the grassroots level.

Kulkarni emphasized the role of technology in enhancing sports education by offering consistent feedback to parents, which in turn increases interest in sports.

Investor comments

Pullela Gopichand, who is also the Chief National Coach for the Indian badminton team, said, “Our country has seen significant growth in badminton over the last few years, with aspirants from across all economic strata wanting to participate in the sport. To generate a large talent pool for the future, a strong grassroots program is a necessity. By investing in this venture, I hope to contribute to building a robust sports ecosystem that nurtures talent from the grassroots level."