Google is backing Indian social gaming startup STAN with an $8.5 million equity round. The funding also includes Japanese gaming heavyweights Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and others. Google’s AI Futures Fund, launched in May, led the charge.
STAN bills itself as a Discord rival but with a twist: users can earn in-app currency called “Gems” by playing popular games like Battlegrounds Mobile India, Free Fire Max, Minecraft, and Call of Duty. Gems are redeemable for vouchers at Amazon, PhonePe, Flipkart, and more.
Creators run game-specific chat rooms called Clubs. Fans pay a social currency to access exclusive experiences, and STAN takes a cut. The platform also rewards users through referrals, daily spins, and other engagement methods. 
The startup claims more than 25 million downloads and 5.5 million monthly active users. It partners with game publishers including Krafton, Garena, and Roblox, who pay STAN to connect with gamers. Nearly 100 game companies joined in the last two quarters, with 20+ added monthly.
Co-founder and CEO Parth Chadha said:
“STAN is the hangout place for gamers. It’s a place where gamers come and make friends, play with each other, talk to each other, sort of a fusion of social and gaming.”
He added the shift to user-generated content last year sparked a boost in engagement, allowing anyone to stream live.
STAN already automates 70-80% of moderation via AI and plans to lean further into AI with Google’s help. Upcoming AI-powered creator tools include avatar and meme generation, quick replies, and chat filtering.
The app is currently India-only but sees 5-6% international use via Indian accounts. The company aims to expand to the wider Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Latin America next.
After a brief profit run, STAN is now focusing on scaling, targeting profitability in 2027. It has around 40 employees, with nearly 30 in engineering.
With this round, STAN has raised about $15 million in total equity funding.
Image Credits: STAN
