Centre Court Capital Launches ₹350 Crore Maiden Sports Tech and Gaming VC Fund

• ByStartupStory     |    April 5, 2024

Centre Court Capital, spearheaded by Mustafa Ghouse, former CEO of JSW Sports, and Alok Samtaney, former Investment Director with TVS Capital and Sabre Partners, has unveiled its inaugural venture capital fund worth ₹350 crores. The fund, with the Sajjan Jindal Family Trust as the anchor investor and Parth Jindal leading the charge, aims to support innovative startups within India’s burgeoning sports and gaming sectors.

Ghouse, Founder and General Partner of Centre Court Capital, emphasized the unprecedented growth in both sports and gaming domains within the country. He noted that technology is playing a pivotal role in reshaping how sports are played and consumed, positioning the fund at the forefront of this transformative revolution. With public and private investments in sports quadrupling since 2020, Ghouse highlighted the surge in startups catering to the Indian and global markets.

Highlighting India’s significant gaming population, Ghouse underscored the country’s position as the world’s second-largest gaming populace, with 396 million gamers. He projected a robust 21% five-year CAGR for the gaming sector, underscoring the immense potential it holds. Centre Court Capital aims to support exceptional founders in this space, empowering them to compete on a global scale.

The venture capital firm has already secured ₹200 crores in commitments from investors and prominent athletes. Notable investors include the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), PremjiInvest, USK Capital, as well as major corporate sports investors like GMR Sports and SG Sports.

Centre Court Capital operates as a SEBI-registered Category-II Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) and is poised to launch an offshore feeder fund in GIFT City to attract international investors. The fund has already made its initial forays into the sports tech sector with two investments. It is primarily focused on early-stage opportunities, allocating ₹8-24 crores per investment while earmarking a significant portion of the fund for follow-on investments.

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