Highlights:
- GAFX 2026 saw 10,000+ footfalls over three days, 300 curated B2B meetings, and 35 live investor pitches underscored measurable ecosystem momentum.
- 200 speakers from India and 10 international countries led close to 100 sessions, alongside 20 IP launches (10 IPs from Karnataka & 10 from other states) and participation from 150 colleges nationwide.
- A strategic MoU was signed between the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and ABAI to strengthen education, incubation, and ecosystem development across AVGC-XR.
- The dates for the 8th edition of Bengaluru GAFX 2027 will take place on 29th-31st January 2027.
- KalaVerse, Karnataka’s Culture Pavilion, debuted at GAFX 2026, integrating traditional art forms such as Yakshagana and Janapada into scalable animation and gaming IP pipelines.
- Aeos Games unveiled a global sneak peek of its AAA action RPG Unleash the Avatar, signalling India’s expanding high-end console and Unreal Engine development ambitions.
- Hombale Films expanded the Kantara universe into gaming and tabletop formats, unveiling Mystic Pillars x Kantara and announcing a Kantara-inspired strategy card game with Mozaic Games.
- The PlayStation India Hero Project panel spotlighted structured funding, mentorship, and global publishing pathways for Indian studios building console-ready titles.
- Karnataka’s dedicated Investor Pitch Platform connected startups with leading global investors, including KRAFTON, Venturi Partners, HSBC Innovation Banking, Chimera Venture Capital, Expert Dojo, and Panya Capital.
- Women in Animation – “Her Frame. Her Future.” Mixer reinforced returnships, advanced upskilling, and women-led entrepreneurship in AVGC-XR.
- AI-driven production, immersive media, and IP monetisation remained central themes across the three-day summit.
- The B2B Forum strengthened structured engagement between creators, studios, investors, and buyers.
- Multiple strategic collaborations and ecosystem-level announcements reinforced Karnataka’s AVGC-XR growth blueprint.
Bengaluru, 1st March 2026 — T
he three-day Bengaluru GAFX 2026, organized by the Department of E, IT & Bt, Government of Karnataka, and ABAI at the Lalit Ashok, concluded today, marking a resounding success, bringing together policymakers, global studios, independent creators, gaming leaders, educators, and immersive technology innovators to advance India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and XR ecosystem. Themed “Evolution Reloaded,” the 7th edition of the summit focused on intellectual property creation, artificial intelligence integration, immersive storytelling, and national ecosystem convergence. The event reinforced Karnataka’s leadership in India’s AVGC-XR sector, strengthening its emergence as a global hub for AI-enabled storytelling and immersive media innovation.
The closing ceremony featured the Valedictory Address by Dr. M C Sudhakar, Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka. It was held in the august presence of Priyank Kharge, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and Information Technology & Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, and Mr. Ajay Vij, Senior Country Managing Director, Accenture in India. The ceremony marked the formal conclusion of the 7th edition of Bengaluru GAFX 2026, held under the theme “Evolution Reloaded.”
Addressing the audience at the valedictory function,
Minister Kharge outlines AVGC-AI Vision at Bengaluru GAFX 2026
BENGALURU: (Mar 1) Karnataka is positioning the AVGC sector at the centre of its AI-driven creative economy, with a focus on intellectual property creation, responsible AI adoption and large-scale skilling, state Minister Priyank Kharge said on Sunday.
Speaking at the valedictory ceremony of Bengaluru GAFX 2026, Kharge, who holds information technology and biotechnology portfolio, outlined a comprehensive roadmap to transition the state from a services-led ecosystem to one driven by original IP ownership and global storytelling leadership.
“The Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector today is not just about animation or gaming, it represents digital exports, cultural influence, youth employment and India’s creative soft power in a rapidly evolving AI-driven world,” he said, underscoring the sector’s growing strategic and economic importance.
Delivering the special address at the valedictory function, “Mr. Biren Ghose, Chairman, Bengaluru GAFX & President, ABAI, said, “Bengaluru GAFX 2026 has exceeded expectations in both scale and strategic depth. Over the past three days, we witnessed high-impact showcases, strong investor participation, meaningful global collaborations, and an extraordinary response from creators across the country. The dedicated AI tracks this year sparked critical conversations around responsible adoption, AI-led production pipelines, and the future of immersive storytelling. The quality of dialogue across gaming, animation, VFX, and XR reflects the growing maturity of India’s creative technology ecosystem. This edition clearly demonstrated that India is not only contributing to the global AVGC-XR industry but actively shaping its evolution. The partnerships forged and momentum generated here will continue to drive original IP creation and innovation well beyond this summit.”
Bengaluru GAFX 2026 brought together over 200 speakers representing India and 10 international countries across close to 100 sessions, including panel discussions, masterclasses, workshops, policy dialogues, investor forums, and six high-impact industry roundtables. The summit saw participation from 15+ State AVGC associations and hosted the AVGC Women Leaders Mixer, which convened 30 women leaders to discuss returnships, leadership pathways, and entrepreneurship in the sector. Dedicated tracks covered AAA gaming, console development, animation pipelines, immersive media, IP monetisation, distribution strategies, AI-driven production workflows, and education-led talent development.
Additionally, during the valedictory, ten original IPs from Karnataka were launched, exemplifying the state’s growing strength in creator-owned content and transmedia storytelling. These Ips included Arena Animation Originals by Arena Animation; Niko by Studio Jatayu; Garuda and Sacred Legacy by Neo Entertainment Studios; Nina – The Girl with the Magic Pot and Wild Bound by Quixotics Creative Limited; Gurucool and Devi Katha by Sanskriti; Nayanar: Origins by Plangle Studio; and Lacher (brand) by Aesuloid Media. Together, these projects reflected a strong focus on culturally rooted narratives, mythology-inspired storytelling, youth-oriented animation, and globally adaptable content emerging from Karnataka’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The summit also witnessed the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and ABAI. The MoU establishes a five-year, non-binding framework to strengthen collaboration across education, skilling, incubation, research, and ecosystem development within the AVGC-XR sector. It outlines cooperation in curriculum development, faculty engagement, startup mentorship, joint R&D exploration, and resource mobilisation, including CSR and philanthropic funding avenues. The agreement also enables institutional visibility through reciprocal participation at events and supports the potential rollout of national AVGC Content Creator Labs, with IICT as nodal agency and ABAI contributing its industry network and Centres of Excellence experience within Karnataka.
The three-day summit recorded over 10,000+ footfalls, with 56 sellers and solution providers showcasing innovations across animation, gaming, VFX, comics, AI tools, and immersive technologies, reflecting strong domestic and international engagement. The B2B Forum facilitated 300 curated business meetings, connecting studios, IP owners, buyers, and 11 strategic investors, while the dedicated Investor Pitch Platform hosted 35 live pitches with 21 additional online pitches scheduled, enabling 28 registered business entities to directly engage with leading investors. Strong academic and community participation further defined the summit, with 150 colleges and 500 students competing across multiple streams, 550 contestants across student and professional categories, 20+ national and international artists and 10 Muse artists featured at Sketch Alley, and 50 entries in the debut Cosplay segment spanning anime, gaming universes, and mythology. A total prize pool of ₹10 lakh, along with curated goodies, was awarded, reinforcing GAFX’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of AVGC-XR talent.
With the successful conclusion of Bengaluru GAFX 2026, Karnataka has reinforced its leadership in India’s AVGC-XR sector, accelerating its shift toward original IP creation and global production maturity. Through structured global consultations, curated investor engagement, and high-impact creative showcases, the summit aligned policy, capital, and talent under a unified growth roadmap. GAFX 2026 strengthened Karnataka’s position as a competitive creator economy hub in animation, gaming, VFX, and immersive media.
The Summary of Three-Day Bengaluru GAFX, 2026
- One of the key highlights of GAFX 2026 was the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) International Roundtable, chaired by Shri Priyank Kharge, which focused on developing a structured blueprint to transition Karnataka’s AVGC-XR sector from a service-led model to one driven by original intellectual property creation. The consultations brought together delegates from Australia, Finland, Italy and France, along with industry leaders including KRAFTON, JetSynthesys and FICCI AVGC Forum, to deliberate on co-production frameworks, AI preparedness, IP safeguards and expansion of Centres of Excellence.
- Another major highlight of GAFX 2026 was the structured Investor Pitch Platform, which created a direct bridge between Karnataka-based startups and leading investors, including KRAFTON, Venturi Partners, HSBC Innovation Banking, Chimera Venture Capital, Expert Dojo, and Panya Capital. The curated two-stage model enabled focused pitching across gaming, XR commerce, AI SaaS, VFX infrastructure, and hardware innovation, embedding capital access within the AVGC ecosystem.
- GAFX 2026 also showcased measurable ecosystem scale through the AVGC Centre of Excellence (CoE), which has executed 200+ domestic and international projects and supported 100+ startups with production infrastructure, licensed software, and mentorship. The summit further highlighted the expansion of CoE 2.0 into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to extend the production ecosystem beyond Bengaluru.
- AAA and console-scale gaming ambitions emerged as a strong highlight during GAFX 2026, with Aeos Games unveiling a preview of Unleash the Avatar, a photorealistic Unreal Engine action RPG built using large-scale photogrammetry and in-house motion capture pipelines. The PlayStation Hero Project panel further confirmed structured funding, mentorship, and technical support for Indian studios developing global console titles.
- The summit also featured high-impact production breakdowns, including Kantara: Chapter 1, Netflix’s Kurukshetra, ILM’s Oscar-nominated The Lost Bus, DNEG’s Oscar-nominated Cardboard, Framestore’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Phantom FX’s Saare Jahan Se Achcha, and Assemblage Studios’ animated feature Stitch Head, offering in-depth insights into VFX execution, AI-enabled workflows, and global production collaboration.
- Intellectual property creation and transmedia expansion formed another key highlight at GAFX 2026 through sessions such as “Making of an IP: The Wonderful Adventures of Suppandi,” “Indian Mythology: A Treasure Trove of Stories,” and “Comics to Transmedia IP,” which examined creator ownership, mythology reinterpretation and cross-platform monetisation strategies across animation, gaming and digital formats.
- The event also witnessed the unveiling of KalaVerse, Karnataka’s dedicated Culture Pavilion curated in collaboration with the Kannada and Culture Department, integrating Yakshagana, Janapada art forms, and folk performance traditions into animation and gaming pipelines. Additionally, the Women in Animation – “Her Frame. Her Future.” engagement highlighted that women currently represent less than 25% of the animation workforce and outlined exploration of structured returnships, advanced upskilling, and mentorship pathways.
- The session “Just A Minute with E Suresh” featured Suresh Eriyat, Founder and Creative Director, Studio Eeksaurus, reflecting on the discipline and emotional power of the one-minute film. He described the format as an exercise in precision, where every frame, sound, and cut must carry intention. While acknowledging AI’s efficiency in generating visuals and accelerating workflows, he emphasized that lived experience, cultural nuance, and emotional memory remain uniquely human strengths. Referencing the #SaveSyrianChildren campaign amid ongoing geopolitical conflict, he underscored how a single minute can influence collective conscience, reminding audiences that authenticity, empathy, and responsibility define enduring storytelling impact.
- The session “Future-Ready Education: Building India’s AVGC-XR Talent Ecosystem”, moderated by B. S. Srinivas, Director, Arena Animation and Chairman, VedAtma College of Design, Technology and Management, featured a keynote address by Smt. Khushboo Goel Chowdhary, I.A.S., Secretary to Government, Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, alongside academic and industry leaders. The discussion focused on transitioning AVGC-XR education from degree-centric models to skill-driven, industry-integrated frameworks. Emphasis was placed on AI-enabled workflows, project-based learning, studio-led pedagogy, and stronger industry-academia collaboration. Panelists underscored multidisciplinary integration, the AAA framework of Ability, Aptitude, and Attitude, and the creation of Centers of Excellence and content labs to position India as a globally competitive talent hub.
- The session “Content Distribution Trends and Emerging Markets”, moderated by Ankur Bhasin, CEO, Encore Films, brought together Murat Yavan, Blue Media; Natalia Eprintseva, 1HDTV Russia; Chandra K. Jha, Mountain River Films; Shyam Kurup, Indywood Distribution Network; and Vishal Kanungo, Aeroplay Entertainment, to examine shifting global distribution dynamics. The panel highlighted the expansion of emerging markets amid evolving viewing habits across long-form and short-form content. Insights covered in-flight entertainment as a curated global niche, rising digital consumption in Africa, sustained demand for Turkish dramas in the Middle East, and increasing traction for Korean and Chinese historical content. Speakers addressed regulated yet commercially significant markets such as China, steady demand for factual and animation programming in Russia, and the importance of territory-specific strategies, localization, and dubbing economics in global theatrical distribution.
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