iWorld
CoinSwitch Launches ‘Block by Block’
MUMBAI: CoinSwitch has announced the launch of ‘Block by Block’, a national-level paper presentation competition focused on Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs). The initiative, launched in partnership with India’s leading law firm Trilegal, and The Centre for Technology, Entertainment and Sports Law at NUJS Kolkata, aims to engage law and public policy students in shaping India’s future regulatory landscape for VDAs.
The competition challenges students to develop innovative, practical policy proposals on the regulation of VDAs in India. Participants are invited to submit papers on the theme: “A Policy Approach for Regulation of Virtual Digital Assets/Crypto assets to Foster the Growth of a New Asset Class in India.”
“At CoinSwitch, we believe that responsible innovation requires collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers. ‘Block by Block’ is our effort to create a platform where the next generation of legal and policy minds can contribute meaningfully to India’s growing ecosystem. As Web3 continues to evolve, it’s crucial that we build the ecosystem thoughtfully and we believe students have a big role to play in that journey,” said CoinSwitch co-founder Ashish Singhal.
The competition provides a rare opportunity for students to work on real-world policy challenges in collaboration with leading industry and legal experts. Unlike most academic competitions, ‘Block by Block’ is backed by active industry participation offering both credibility and visibility to participants.
“As a centre committed to the study of law and emerging technologies, we’re proud to collaborate on ‘Block by Block’ a platform that gives students the chance to work on real-world challenges related to digital asset regulation. Initiatives like this not only promote academic rigour but also prepare our students to become active contributors to the future of tech policy in India,” added Dr. Shameek Sen, Professor, The Centre for Technology, Entertainment and Sports Law at NUJS Kolkata.
“We believe in contributing to the development of progressive legal thought-leadership on emerging technologies including digital assets. We are excited to partner with CoinSwitch for this initiative that encourages future lawyers and policymakers to engage and help shape the legal discourse around this evolving asset class,” said Trilegal partner Jaideep Reddy.
The competition officially launched on July 25, 2025, with entries open for 6 weeks until September 10, 2025. Submissions, limited to a maximum of 5,000 words (excluding footnotes), will be evaluated on key parameters including originality and novelty, research and evidence, analytical rigor, clarity of structure, and adherence to formatting guidelines. The competition also allows for co-authorship, with up to two individuals permitted per entry.
Gaming
DPIIT partners with Krafton to boost tech-media startups
New MoU aims to accelerate innovation in gaming, esports and AI-driven entertainment.
MUMBAI: When government meets gaming, sparks are bound to fly and this time, the partnership promises to level up India’s startup scene in more ways than one. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Krafton India Pvt. Ltd. to support early-stage startups working at the intersection of technology and media. The agreement, formalised on Thursday, reflects a growing effort by policymakers to harness private-sector expertise for the country’s booming digital entertainment ecosystem.
Under the partnership, selected startups will gain access to mentorship, industry networks and structured opportunities to engage with established players. The initiative is designed to help young companies move from prototype to market-ready products, test concepts, secure market access and integrate into larger industry ecosystems.
Sanjiv, a joint secretary at DPIIT, described the collaboration as part of a broader strategy to strengthen India’s digital and creative economy. He emphasised that such alliances are essential for helping startups develop globally competitive solutions in emerging sectors such as online gaming, esports, interactive media and artificial intelligence.
The programme will feature innovation challenges under the government’s startup initiatives, along with hackathons, workshops and masterclasses covering game design, animation, immersive technologies and AI applications. Selected startups may also be considered for pilot projects with industry partners based on their performance.
In a sector where ideas move at the speed of a battle royale, this partnership could be the ultimate power-up giving promising startups the mentorship and exposure needed to turn creative sparks into sustainable success stories.
