Mumbai : The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) Mumbai have launched a media tech incubator under the WaveX accelerator platform to nurture startups in the AVGC-XR sector (audio, visual, comics, gaming, and extended reality).

The ministry said the incubator will create a structured ecosystem for media and entertainment startups, offering mentorship, advanced infrastructure, and real-world testing through partnerships with government media units.

The programme runs in two phases:

Phase 1: Startups receive intensive support in business modelling, product development, fundraising, branding, pitching, and understanding media regulations. They also test products in OTT, VFX, VR, gaming, animation, publishing, and post-production.
Phase 2: WaveX shifts the focus to global showcasing through Waves Bazaar, lighter mentorship, investor engagement, and industry partnerships.

Startups gain access to co-working spaces, AV/digital labs, hosting servers, high-speed internet, cloud credits from AWS and Google, and India AI compute services in the near future. The programme also features masterclasses by global tech leaders from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, along with bootcamps, policy clinics, and investor connect sessions.

WaveX will govern the incubator, and the Ministry of I&B will mentor it through quarterly reviews. The first batch of 15 startups will work at IICT’s Mumbai campus, paying a monthly fee of Rs 8,500 plus GST. Applications for the first cohort remain open until September 7 at wavex.wavesbazaar.com.

The IICT, inaugurated in July by Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, operates as a Section 8 joint venture company with support from the Central Government, Maharashtra Government, and industry bodies like FICCI and CII. The institute trains talent for India’s creative economy and positions the country as a global hub for immersive and digital content technologies.

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