STAN raises $8.5M from Google, Nazara, Aptos Labs, others to scale its mobile-first platform uniting gaming and social experiences

• Backed by global VCs, gaming giants and Google’s AI Futures Fund, STAN is redefining India’s social and gaming landscape
• Funding will be used to expand STAN’s presence in India and other mobile-dominated markets
• Redefining community and social interactions beyond metros—emerging as India’s homegrown answer to Discord
  

National, July 31st, 2025 — STAN, one of India’s leading social gaming platforms, has raised $8.5 million in a new funding round with participation from leading Japanese gaming giants including Bandai Namco Entertainment INC., Square Enix and Reazon Holdings, as well as Aptos Labs, Google’s AI Futures Fund & King River Capital.The newly raised funds position STAN at the forefront of India’s rapidly growing gaming and social ecosystem, as it builds the leading community platform tailored for mobile-first, emerging markets.

The funding round also witnessed participation from existing investors, including General Catalyst, GFR Fund, Pix Capital. Their continued backing highlights a high level of confidence in STAN’s long-term mission, product strength, and growth trajectory.

In India and across mobile-first markets, millions turn to platforms like WhatsApp and Discord to connect—but these weren’t built for the next generation of creators and gaming communities. They miss the tools needed to grow, engage, and monetize. STAN is India’s homegrown answer—purpose-built for Gen Z gamers and creators. From voice-led Clubs and live game integrations to monetization tools and creator-first discovery, STAN empowers users to build vibrant, high-energy communities. Starting with gaming and expanding into culture, STAN is reimagining social from the ground up for Bharat and beyond.

The funding will be used to expand STAN’s presence in India and other mobile-dominant markets, invest in AI-led personalizations and creator tooling, and launch new integrations for publishers and partners looking to build inside gaming-led communities. STAN is building Universal Gamer Profiles on-chain—giving users a persistent identity across games, platforms, and devices. By leveraging blockchain technology, STAN enables true digital ownership, interoperable rewards, and transparent creator monetization. These on-chain profiles will serve as the foundation for unlocking achievements, reputation, and rewards across STAN’s ecosystem and partner networks.

The platform enables creators to build and monetize communities through shoutouts, subscriptions, and brand-led activations; offers publishers native distribution powered by creator engagement. With over 25 million+ downloads and a strong user base in India’s tier-2 and tier-3 markets, STAN is pioneering a new behavior in gaming where gameplay becomes a social layer, not just a content stream.

“Gaming is no longer just play, it’s identity, conversation, and community,” said Mr. Parth Chadha, Co-founder and CEO of STAN. “We’ve built STAN with India at the core and the user at the center. Every product decision is grounded in what drives real value for our creators and communities. In the last two years, we’ve grown 25x  —purely through product-led growth. This is just the beginning! We’re building the next billion-dollar social company out of India, and we’re doing it the only way we know—fast, focused, and user-first.”

“India is one of the most dynamic gaming markets in the world, and the next wave of web3 adoption will be driven by platforms that meet players where they are: mobile-first, social, and creator-led,” said Vinayak Rao, Head of Gaming at Aptos Labs. “STAN’s vision for on-chain gamer profiles and community-powered experiences aligns perfectly with Aptos Labs’ mission to enable real ownership and identity in gaming—and we’re thrilled to support them as they scale across India and beyond.”

Tailored for mobile-first generation, STAN has emerged as the one stop go-to platform for gaming creators, publishers, and communities. STAN is a mobile optimized platform for gaming unlike global platforms such as Discord and Twitch originally designed for PC and console-first users.  STAN is shaping the future of gaming and digital culture in India.

About STAN

STAN is the leading mobile-native social platform for gaming creators, publishers, and communities. With tools for live audio, creator clubs, and real-time monetization, STAN makes it easy to connect, grow, and activate gaming culture. Available on Android and iOS.