US-based gaming platform Skillz launches 2nd global hub in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Mobile skill-based gaming and US-based gaming platform Skillz officially opened its new Bengaluru office, its second corporate headquarters, on Tuesday.

By next year, about 50% of the platform's product, engineering, and analytics teams will be based in Bengaluru. This expansion marks a growth phase for the platform, and the Bengaluru innovation hub will lead new product development, cutting-edge engineering, and advanced data analysis.

India is a key market for the company's Skillz Developer Accelerator, a $75 million initiative, launched to support emerging mobile game developers and studios building innovative, skill-based titles.

“Bengaluru is more than just our second headquarters — it’s the heartbeat of Skillz’s next chapter,” said Gaurav Verma, Global General Manager, Skillz Platform. “India is where the next generation of gaming innovation will be imagined, engineered, and scaled. With its unmatched creative and technical talent, we see Bengaluru as the launchpad for Skillz’s most ambitious ideas—from pioneering game formats to powering real-time, high-stakes competition at global scale."

According to Markets & Data, which is a market intelligence and business consulting organisation, the country's e-gaming market is projected to witness a CAGR of 25.37% between FY2024 and FY2031, growing from $1.71 billion in FY2023 to $10.44 billion in FY2031.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Skillz, which recently announced its Q2 2025 earnings, reported an 8% year-over-year revenue increase, alongside Paying Monthly Active User growth of 18% q-o-q and 20% y-o-y.

Meanwhile, Games24x7 announced on Tuesday the third edition of its accelerator programme, TechXpedite. The 90-day programme is designed to support early-stage startups across three key areas — AI for Skills, Gaming & Sports, and Inclusive Technology. The programme is now accepting applications from startups, with the submission window open until September 19, 2025.

The previous edition, TechXpedite 2.0, recorded over 100% increase in applications, and among the startups selected for the last edition’s final cohort, six were from Karnataka, including ventures such as Arficus, an AI-powered health diagnostics platform; Cairovision, a video analytics industry-grade solution provider; Chittoo.com, an AI-driven language learning chatbot; Noha.ai, an AI-powered in-depth, human-like technical interviewer; Spoda, an AI cricket insights assistant; and Zeuron.ai, a neurotech-enabled well-being and diagnostics startup.