South Korean gaming giant Krafton, renowned for titles like PUBG: Battlegrounds, continues to strategically expand its footprint in the burgeoning Indian digital landscape. Through its Indian unit, the company recently announced an undisclosed investment in Shuru, an Indore-headquartered, location-based social networking platform. This move signifies Krafton’s commitment to engaging more effectively with regional audiences and fostering grassroots community connections in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Shuru: Empowering Local Communities Digitally
Founded by Mayank Bhangadia and Harsh Chhabra, Shuru is a hyperlocal platform dedicated to digitally empowering communities. It achieves this by fostering local connections through various features such as general trending updates, local shop information, buy-sell listings, and classifieds. The startup boasts a significant user base, claiming over 2 million monthly active users across India, with 650,000+ locations on board and recently surpassing 1 crore installations.
Mayank Bhangadia, an IIT Delhi alumnus, brings considerable experience to the table, having previously co-founded Roposo, a short-video platform that garnered 100 million users before its acquisition by InMobi’s Glance. Harsh Chhabra, who spearheaded product development at Roposo, later went on to found GoParento, a parenting community app. This strong founding team, coupled with Shuru’s impressive growth, made it an attractive proposition for investors.
A Synergistic Partnership: Krafton and Shuru
The investment in Shuru is a strategic alignment for both companies. For Krafton, this partnership is a key component of its broader strategy to broaden its reach for its games across local markets. Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of Krafton India, highlighted that the investment will help them engage more effectively with regional audiences and drive grassroots-level community connect. He emphasized that Shuru’s user-centric approach perfectly aligns with Krafton India’s vision of providing tailored experiences for local users across the country.
On the other hand, Shuru stands to significantly benefit from Krafton’s expertise. Mayank Bhangadia, CEO of Shuru, expressed enthusiasm about leveraging Krafton’s proficiency to extend high-engagement games and features to Shuru’s rapidly expanding user base. This collaboration presents unprecedented opportunities for civic engagement, local updates, and business development within the platform. Nihansh Bhat, Lead – Corporate Development, Krafton India, reiterated this synergy, stating their aim to enhance user experiences, amplify regional connect, and contribute meaningfully to the evolving Indian hyperlocal digital landscape.
krafton Broader Investments in the Indian Ecosystem
This investment in Shuru is not an isolated incident but rather a continuation of Krafton’s significant commitment to the Indian startup ecosystem. Since 2021, Krafton has invested over $200 million in various Indian startups spanning interactive entertainment, gaming, esports, and technology. Beyond direct investments, the company also actively supports the local gaming ecosystem through initiatives like the Krafton India Gaming Incubator (KIGI).
The participation of existing investors like Omidyar Network India and Eximius Ventures in this funding round further underscores the confidence in Shuru’s potential and the growing importance of hyperlocal platforms in India. Krafton’s continued strategic investments demonstrate its long-term vision for the Indian market, aiming to integrate its gaming prowess with local digital ecosystems for mutual growth and enhanced user engagement.
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