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India’s gaming industry has witnessed another significant milestone as Hyderabad based Metasports Interactive announced a $20 million user acquisition funding partnership with London based Metica. The deal marks a defining moment not only for the company but also for the broader Indian gaming ecosystem, signalling that homegrown studios are increasingly capable of attracting sophisticated, globally structured growth capital.
A New Model for Scaling Without Dilution
What makes this funding round particularly noteworthy is its structure. Unlike conventional venture capital rounds that require founders to surrender equity, this deal follows a User Acquisition funding model — a mechanism that provides capital specifically to fund growth activities such as marketing and user onboarding, without diluting ownership. This approach is gaining traction across the gaming and consumer app industries, where user acquisition consistently ranks among the highest operational costs. For Metasports Interactive, it represents a financially disciplined path to scale — one that preserves founder control while unlocking meaningful capital for expansion.
Hitwicket’s Global Growth Trajectory
Metasports Interactive, founded by Kashyap Reddy and Keerti Singh, developed Hitwicket into a cricket gaming platform that has organically reached over 18 million users spanning 109 countries. This international footprint demonstrates that the product already resonates well beyond Indian borders. The fresh capital will be channelled into aggressive marketing initiatives, AI-driven user targeting, and deeper penetration into priority international markets. The company has set an ambitious benchmark — approximately 8x growth within the next 18 months — a target that reflects both confidence in its product and the scalability of its business model.
Technology as a Revenue Multiplier
Beyond funding, the partnership with Metica brings strategic technological value. Metica will deploy its proprietary platform to strengthen Hitwicket’s in-game monetisation, optimising revenue from advertisements and in-app purchases. This dual approach capital combined with technology is designed to improve unit economics and maximise the lifetime value of each acquired user, ensuring that growth is not merely rapid but also sustainable.
A Blueprint for Indian Gaming
This transaction sets a compelling precedent for Indian gaming studios with strong fundamentals. By accessing structured, non-dilutive UA funding, Metasports Interactive demonstrates that Indian developers need not compromise ownership to compete on a global stage. As cricket commands a passionate following exceeding one billion fans worldwide, Hitwicket’s ambition appears not just achievable, but timely.
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