Mumbai, Aug 31 (INB) The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and startup accelerator program of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, WaveX have collaborated to launch India’s first media tech startup incubator focused on the AVGC-XR sector, an official statement said.
This initiative is designed to support ventures working in audio, visual, comics, gaming, and extended reality by providing a structured environment for growth and commercialization.
The incubator will operate in two distinct phases. The first, known as the Active Phase, will offer support in business modeling, product development, pitching, branding, fundraising, and navigating media regulations. Startups will also gain access to sandbox testing opportunities across OTT platforms, VFX, VR, gaming, animation, publishing, and post-production. The second phase, referred to as the Passive Phase, will shift focus to global showcases through Waves Bazaar, lighter mentorship, investor engagement, and industry networking.
Startups selected for the program will work from the IICT campus and benefit from facilities such as co-working spaces, AV and digital labs, hosting servers, high-speed connectivity, and cloud credits from AWS and Google. Future integration with India AI compute services is also planned. The program will include masterclasses by professionals from global tech companies, alongside bootcamps, policy clinics, and investor connect sessions.
WaveX will oversee the governance of the incubator, with quarterly reviews conducted under the mentorship of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Fifteen startups will be selected for the first cohort, with a monthly fee of ₹8500 plus GST. Applications are open until September 7, 2025, and can be submitted online at wavex.wavesbazaar.com.
IICT, launched in July 2025 through a joint venture between the Government of India, Government of Maharashtra, and industry bodies such as FICCI and CII, is focused on building capacity in the AVGC-XR domain. With academic and industry linkages that include collaborations with Google, Adobe, and Meta, IICT offers specialized programs in gaming, post-production, animation, comics, and XR, and now expands its role by anchoring this incubator initiative.
