Government-Backed Support for Emerging Game Studio
Glass Jar Interactive (GJI), a DPIIT-recognised video game and entertainment studio, has secured a government-backed grant and is now incubated at the CREATE Incubation Centre at Indian Institute of Information Technology Lucknow (IIIT Lucknow). While the financial terms of the grant were not disclosed, the development marks a significant milestone for the studio as it scales original IP-led game development from India.
Recognition Under Startup India
Glass Jar Interactive is recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Startup India initiative. Its incubation at CREATE places the studio within a government-supported, institutionally backed ecosystem focused on nurturing early-stage, technology-driven innovation.
CREATE’s Role in Startup Enablement
CREATE (Confederation for Research, Entrepreneurship & Technology Enablement) is IIIT Lucknow’s incubation and entrepreneurship centre and is recognised by the Government of Uttar Pradesh under the StartInUP framework. The centre provides startups access to structured mentorship, academic and technical resources, and linkages to state and national startup programmes aimed at accelerating innovation.
Founder’s Perspective on Creative Freedom
“Building games from India for a global audience requires patience, creative freedom, and the right institutional support,” said Raunaq Kavalu, Co-founder and Director, Glass Jar Interactive. “Being part of CREATE at IIIT Lucknow gives us the space to experiment, learn, and focus on creating original IP without losing sight of global quality and long-term impact.”
Debut IP ‘Ghatika’ in Development
Glass Jar Interactive is currently developing Ghatika, its debut original intellectual property. The narrative-driven action-adventure game is set in a fantasy world and follows the collapse of an empire, placing players in the role of leading survivors while uncovering the secrets of a lost civilisation. The project reflects the studio’s focus on interactive storytelling and gameplay-first experiences for PC and console platforms.
Aligned with India’s Growing Gaming Push
The development comes at a time when the Government of India is actively strengthening the domestic gaming and media ecosystem. India’s media and entertainment industry is projected to surpass $100 billion by 2030, with gaming expected to be a major growth driver.
Building Global Games from India
With institutional backing, government support, and access to academic resources, Glass Jar Interactive is positioning itself to build globally competitive, culturally grounded games from India contributing to the country’s evolving role in the global gaming landscape.
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