Jio Platforms Invests in AR Gaming Startup Krikey

Jio Platforms, India’s leading telecommunications company—having secured over $20 billion in investment this year from prominent investors like Facebook and Google—is spearheading a funding initiative for a San Francisco-based startup specializing in augmented reality mobile games.

Jio is leading the Series A funding round for Krikey, a company established by sisters Jhanvi and Ketaki Shriram, the Indian firm announced on Wednesday. While the specific amount of Krikey’s Series A funding was not revealed, Jio stated that Krikey has collectively raised $22 million to date.

Prior to this, Krikey had not publicly reported any previous financing activities, as indicated by data from Crunchbase, CBInsights, and Tracxn. Jio also did not disclose the other investors involved in Krikey’s latest funding round.

Coinciding with this announcement, Krikey has launched Yaatra, a new AR game that immerses players in an action-adventure narrative centered around defeating an army of monsters. “Players can utilize a variety of weapons, including bows and arrows, chakras, lightning, and fire bolts, to navigate through diverse combat and puzzle challenges,” Krikey explained.

Jio customers in India will receive exclusive access to special features within Krikey, available on both Android and iOS platforms. These features include a personalized 3D avatar and access to select game levels and weaponry. Jio also confirmed that the Yaatra game will be accessible to users of JioPhone feature phones.

Krikey has also created two other games, notably Gorillas, which was developed in collaboration with the wildlife foundation of Ellen DeGeneres.

“We are confident that augmented reality possesses significant potential not only within the gaming sector but also across numerous other industries, fundamentally changing how individuals interact with their surroundings. We are enthusiastic about leveraging mobile phones to reconnect people with the natural world, and we hope that experiences fostering empathy for birds, gorillas, and various ecosystems will inspire real-world conservation efforts,” Jhanvi stated in a past interview with Cheddar.

“At Krikey, our goal is to seamlessly blend inspiration and reality through immersive experiences. Augmented reality allows us to bring fantastical worlds directly into your home via your mobile phone,” Jhanvi and Ketaki Shriram shared in a joint statement today. They have previously been participants in Apple’s program for female entrepreneurs.

Akash Ambani, a director at Jio, commented, “Krikey has the potential to inspire a new generation in India to explore Augmented Reality. Our aim is to deliver world-class experiences to India, and the launch of Yaatra represents a significant step in this direction. AR gaming provides a uniquely immersive experience, and we encourage both Jio and non-Jio users to discover AR through Yaatra.”

Jio has previously completed acquisitions of music streaming service Saavn (now known as JioSaavn) and Haptik, a company focused on developing conversational platforms and virtual assistants.

We have contacted Jio and Krikey to request further information.