ARC Raises Rs 10.5 Cr Pre-Seed to Build India's Next Portable Gaming Platform

Kerala-based gaming technology startup ARC has raised Rs 10.5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Chimera VC and MIXI Global Investments, with participation from Dhruv Vohra, Director at Meta APAC, in his personal capacity.

The fresh capital will help ARC accelerate hardware engineering, product validation, manufacturing and supply-chain readiness as it prepares for the commercial launch of its portable gaming system. The company will also invest in its proprietary gaming operating system, software platform, team, go-to-market capabilities and strategic partnerships.

Building a Portable Gaming System for India

Founded by Jobin Joseph and Kaustubh K. Jadhav, ARC is developing ARC X1, a portable gaming device designed to make dedicated gaming hardware more accessible to Indian gamers.

Unlike a traditional gaming hardware company focused only on the physical device, ARC is building its own hardware and software stack. At the centre of that ecosystem is OWL OS, the company's proprietary gaming operating system.

ARC X1 uses an ARM-based architecture powered by Qualcomm technology and is designed to support Android gaming, PC-game compatibility and cloud gaming.

50,000+ Gamers Already on the Waitlist

ARC has already crossed 50,000 waitlist sign-ups ahead of its commercial launch, giving the startup an early indication of consumer interest.

The company has also collaborated with Qualcomm during the product development process and is involving gamers in early testing and feedback.

This approach allows ARC to refine the hardware and software experience based on feedback from potential users before moving toward a wider commercial launch.

From Hardware to a Gaming Ecosystem

The new funding will support ARC across multiple stages of its development, including hardware engineering, manufacturing and supply-chain preparation.

At the same time, the company is developing OWL OS and its broader gaming software platform, suggesting ambitions beyond selling a single gaming device.

ARC will also use the capital to expand its team, strengthen go-to-market operations and develop strategic partnerships ahead of launch.

With India's gaming audience continuing to expand and portable gaming becoming increasingly accessible through cloud and mobile technologies, ARC is betting on a locally built hardware and software ecosystem that can bring more dedicated gaming experiences to Indian consumers.

The Rs 10.5 crore pre-seed round gives ARC the capital to move from product development and validation toward manufacturing and commercialisation.