Gaming
Stepathlon’s advisory board onboards Alison Lee & Rowena Samarasinhe
Mumbai: Global fan engagement platform Stepathlon has appointed Alison Lee and Rowena Samarasinhe to its advisory board.
ATP Tour executive vice president of interaction region Alison Lee and GenSport managing director Rowena Samarasinhe, who is also a partner at sports, media, and entertainment law firm LEVEL, will join Stepathlon’s advisory board, which will comprise diverse and prominent thought leaders from sports, media, entertainment, technology and wellness.
On the appointment, Stepathlon founder and chairman Ravi Krishnan said, “Our mission is to create a healthier, happier planet by leveraging popular culture to deliver value for all stakeholders. The point of view of women is critical to building a platform that serves the entire global community. Our incredible investor group is made up principally of middle-aged men – all very accomplished and supportive. We have only two female investors. I hope to change that in the next round. Having said that, I intend to ensure that our advisory board has diverse representation, and the appointment of Lee and Samarasinhe is just the beginning. We are thrilled to have such accomplished and enthusiastic women join the Stepathlon movement.”
Krishnan added, “I’ve known Lee for over 25 years and have seen her rise through the ranks on the ATP Tour. She has a sterling reputation both as a professional and as a person. Samarasinhe has immediately become a valued and trusted sounding board. She has a very broad and deep perspective on women and women’s sport and is both open-minded and single-minded—a compelling combination.”
On the appointment, Lee enthused, “I’ve known Krishnan for many years and have witnessed how driven the Stepathlon mission is to deliver continuous fan engagement, actionable first-party data, and create a healthier planet. I’m honoured to be invited to support him and his growing team, as well as enthusiastic to share my learnings across the sports industry to help ensure that fans receive much deeper value from their unwavering loyalty.”
Samarasinhe added, “I’m delighted to be helping Krishnan and his passionate Stepathlon team at this exciting time for the industry and the business. I know from experience that rights holders are constantly looking at innovative ways to build fan loyalty, and Stepathlon’s digital and data capabilities will enable us to offer something special and, importantly, target diverse audiences at the same time. So many of my own values are reflected in Stepathlon, and to be part of a project to make the world a healthier place is really very exciting.”
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.
