Japan’s Sony Innovation Fund invests in Indian mobile-first social gaming platform STAN

STAN, a homegrown mobile-first social gaming platform, announced that Sony Innovation Fund, the corporate venture capital arm of Sony Group Corporation, has joined its ongoing Series A round.

The round also witnessed participation from Hyderabad Angels Fund (HAF VC). The startup has raised $10.5 million in its Series A funding round to date.

In late July 2025, Stan raised $8.5 million in a funding round with participation from Japanese gaming giants, including Bandai Namco Entertainment INC., Square Enix and Reazon Holdings, as well as Google’s AI Futures Fund, Aptos Labs.

“We believe the future of gaming goes beyond compelling titles and advanced gameplay. It lies in building dynamic ecosystems where creators, gamers, and developers come together to shape shared worlds. STAN embodies this vision of building an inclusive gaming community, and we’re excited to support their efforts to create a social layer for the next generation of gamers,” said Kazuhito Hadano, CEO of Sony Ventures Corporation.

“We see that participation of Sony Innovation Fund to STAN reinforces our belief in the strength of our vision and India’s pivotal role in the global gaming landscape. Together with our investors, we aim to build the most creator-empowering, mobile-first platform that redefines how gaming communities connect and thrive,” said Parth Chadha, Co-founder & CEO of STAN.

“We believe India is at the cusp of a massive transformation in gaming and digital communities. STAN’s unique ability to merge social experiences with creator monetisation positions it as a global category-defining company. We’re proud to continue supporting the team alongside other supporting companies and other global leaders as they build the future of gaming from India,” said Kalyan Sivalenka, Managing Partner at Hyderabad Angels Fund (HAF.VC).