Hitwicket: Company Overview and Market Analysis
Overview
Hitwicket is a notable entity in the Indian gaming landscape, recognized primarily for its mobile cricket strategy games. Founded in 2015 by Kashyap Reddy and Keerti Singh, both alumni of prestigious institutions—Indian School of Business (ISB) and VIT University—the company is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It seeks to develop the world’s premier cricket game, aiming to become the first mobile esports intellectual property from India.
Key Products and Services
Hitwicket initially introduced its gaming offerings on Android, with the launch of Hitwicket Superstars in a beta form in April 2019. With a significant user base of over 8 million players, the game has a multinational audience spanning countries like India, the UK, Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan.
Business Expansion and Product Innovation
Demonstrating versatility by branching beyond cricket, Hitwicket is advancing into football, the realm of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and blockchain gaming. This strategy aligns with their goal to deliver a gaming experience rivaling global titans such as PUBG and Clash of Clans. The flagship product continues to be the multiplayer strategy game Hitwicket Superstars, which integrates advanced gameplay mechanics for an engaging user experience.
Financial Overview
The financial health of Hitwicket is underscored by successful funding rounds amounting to $3.91 million, with noted investors including Google for Startups and The Chennai Angels.
Achievements and Recognition
Hitwicket's excellence and innovation have been acknowledged with several accolades:
- Winner of the Prime Minister’s Atma Nirbhar App Challenge in the gaming category.
- Inclusion in the Google Games Accelerator Program 2018 as one of Asia's top gaming startups.
- Selection among the top 10 startups at the HYPE Global Sports Innovation event in Taiwan.
- Recognition at the HYSEA Annual Product Summit with the Best App award from the IT Minister of Telangana.
Leadership
Heading Hitwicket is Kashyap Reddy as the Co-Founder and CEO, complemented by Keerti Singh, Co-Founder and VP of Growth. They provide visionary leadership, fostering innovation in a predominantly male-oriented gaming startup sphere.
Market Opportunity
Operating in a mobile gaming market valued globally at approximately $100 billion, Hitwicket is well-positioned. In India alone, there are over 250 million mobile gamers, presenting massive potential for Hitwicket's immersive and managerial-style cricket games.
Competitors
Hitwicket faces competition from entities such as:
- Creative Monkey Games: Specializes in free-to-play mobile games, located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
- Nautilus Mobile: Known for the "Real Cricket" series and its cricket simulation games, based in Pune.
- Hammerplay Studios: Known for rapid game development, situated in Chennai.
- Dream11 and Mobile Premier League (MPL): Major players in the fantasy sports domain, bridging virtual gaming and real-world cricket.
Strategic Partnerships
Hitwicket has forged strategic alliances, notably with the Indian School of Business through the GameX Accelerator Program, to nurture entrepreneurship within the gaming industry. A collaboration with esteemed Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle is part of their roadmap to achieve 50 million downloads within two years.
Workforce and Culture
Currently staffed by 21 to 40 individuals, Hitwicket nurtures a vibrant, sports-team-like culture stressing innovation and teamwork.
Contact and Further Information
For additional insights into Hitwicket's portfolio and potential collaborations, visit their [official website](https://hitwicket.com/) or connect via their [LinkedIn profile](https://in.linkedin.com/company/metasports-media).
