Why This Matters
Founded by Jobin Joseph and Kaustubh K. Jadhav, ARC is developing ARC X1, an ARM-based portable gaming device powered by Qualcomm technology that supports Android gaming, PC-game compatibility and cloud gaming. The company is also building OWL OS, its proprietary gaming operating system, and has already crossed 50,000 waitlist sign-ups ahead of launch.
What's the Bigger Picture?
India's gaming market is gradually moving beyond mobile gaming, creating opportunities for startups building dedicated hardware, operating systems and gaming infrastructure. ARC's approach reflects a broader push to make premium gaming experiences more accessible while developing homegrown technology across the gaming stack.
Key Takeaways
The ₹10.5 crore round was led by Chimera VC and MIXI Global Investments, with participation from Meta APAC Director Dhruv Vohra in his personal capacity. ARC will use the capital for hardware engineering, product validation, manufacturing and supply-chain readiness, while expanding its team, go-to-market efforts and strategic partnerships ahead of the ARC X1 launch.
