ARC Raises $1.20 Million in Pre-Seed Funding
ARC, a startup focused on creating innovative gaming hardware, has successfully closed a pre-seed funding round, securing $1.20 million (Rs 10.5 crore). The round was led by Chimera VC and MIXI Global Investments, with additional participation from Dhruv Vohra, Director at Meta APAC, in a personal capacity.
Founded by Jobin Joseph, ARC is developing a purpose-built gaming console designed to enhance the portable gaming experience. The device features custom hardware, tactile controls, and offers developer insights through diaries and engineering updates.
Development Focus
The freshly acquired funds will be channelled into several key areas, primarily focusing on the development and commercialization of ARC X1, their flagship portable gaming system. This includes furthering hardware engineering, product validation, and setting up manufacturing and supply chain operations.
Investing in Technology
ARC is also committed to advancing its proprietary gaming operating system, OWL OS. The platform supports native Android games and allows for PC game compatibility through ARC's software stack, as well as cloud gaming capabilities.
"This funding will enable us to deepen our technology and accelerate product development," said Jobin Joseph, Founder of ARC. "We're moving closer to launching ARC X1, making dedicated portable gaming more accessible."
Market Strategy
The startup aims to tap into India's large mobile-first gaming market, where there is currently a low penetration of dedicated gaming hardware. By investing in team expansion and strategic partnerships across gaming, cloud, content, and technology sectors, ARC plans to bring its products to a wider audience.
Conclusion
With this investment, ARC is poised to make significant strides in the portable gaming industry, offering a new level of gaming accessibility and experience to users in India and potentially beyond.